During this month the children’s imagination with crafts have been expanding as they explore materials and mediums. As we set out loose parts to create open minded crafts that suit their growing interests, such as turning leftover snack cups that weren’t used into their own personal snow globes, the children have been letting their imagination go wild! Recently, the children wanted to make bead art, so the educators expanded on this by adding cardboard circles to create holiday cookies while using cloud glue for our icing. The children worked together sharing the different materials, communicating their ideas and processes when discussing with their peers.
The JKK children are showing their creativity and determination when making their crafts as they communicate the materials they want and what they need it for, allowing opportunities for the children to verbally convey their ideas out loud. This happened when the children experimented with making their snow globes by using glue and tape. They first discovered that the tape doesn’t work then it gets wet, however the glue does work if we let it dry first! While making the holiday cookies, the children discussed how fluffy the cloud glue was, expressing their excitement as they spread the “icing on the cookie” as Nika said. The children used their fine motor skills to place pom poms and loose parts on top of the cookies, “like sprinkles” Aubree said. Some friends started to add googly eyes creating faces on their cookies for even more fun!
As the children’s interests change with the seasons. We wonder where their imagination will go next. What would happen if we provided spray bottles to engage with in the outdoor environment? What about shape forms to experiment with the snow? By providing open-ended materials where the children can make and explore using different and similar textures, we will see what the children can create with their incredible imaginations! Will their ideas and interests change as their environment and surroundings change? We cannot wait to see!
