Since returning from Winter break, many of the toddlers have been excited about the colour purple and frequently shout “purple!” whenever they notice any purple objects around our classroom. With all this snowy weather, in addition to the toddlers’ love of water play, we were curious to see what the toddlers would do with blue and red coloured snow. Everyone around the table watched with fascination as the colour bled into the surrounding snow. Many of the children spent a lot of time experimenting with the droppers using it to transfer coloured water from their cups to separate cups filled with snow. After the snow had melted a bit and the red and blue had begun mixing, the toddlers were quick to identify the colour they saw emerging. When an educator asked what colour it was, two children shouted, “purple!”. One child also noticed the blue snow which they pointed out excitedly. Several of the children gravitated to the paint brushes, they seemed to enjoy dipping into the coloured water and paint the remaining white snow. To add to the experience the educators added snowball molds! Using the snow scoops the children were encouraged to scoop the snow inside the snowball mold, supporting their hand-eye coordination skills.
This activity sparked lots of good conversation including topics such as how the colour purple is made, what happens to the snow as it warms up in our hands, and how we can use tools to manipulate the snow in various ways. By combining colour theory with a sensory play experience, the toddlers found many things to explore and learn about. They exercised their fine motor skills as they used the tools and materials available. I wonder how the toddlers could further extend their knowledge and understanding of colour theory concepts. What might they do if presented with balls of playdough in the three primary colours: red, blue, and yellow?
