The children at Rainbow Nursery have continued their explorations into the production of creative banners with Sharon Stapleton, nursery assistant. Over several weeks, children also worked with an artist, Nicola Balfour, who supported and extended these learning opportunities.
Planned learning intentions
- To continue to be interested, excited and motivated to learn
- To sometimes give meanings to marks as they draw and paint
- To investigate objects and materials by using all of their senses as appropriate
- To explore and experience using a range of senses and movement
- To seek to make sense of what they see, hear, smell, touch and feel
Resources
Plastic sheeting; white sheet; hessian; common and unusual natural materials, such as leaves, twigs, sticks, ferns, cones, seeds, lichens, dried grass, flowers; food colouring; plant sprays; powder paint; camera; laminator; mark-making tools; additional resources suggested by the children during the project.
Step by step
- We revisited the nursery hangings that we had created and discussed how they were a good way to remember and enjoy our work.
- Nicola, who is an artist, came to nursery to help the children to make new banners. Together they looked around the nursery, both inside and outside, and made a collection of things to stick on to the banner. Nicola also brought in some more unusual items to add to the collection.
- The children created the first banner by spraying paint and sprinkling powder paint on to a white sheet until it was transformed from white to varying shades of orange and red. They then glued on natural materials and freely added swirls of thick paint and glue. Some of the children made marks and wrote their names, and others drew pictures.
- While they were working, a staff member took photographs and these were printed and laminated. The rich language the children used was added as captions and their drawings were labelled. EYFS learning links were added for parents to read.
- The children were then introduced to a more complex technique involving mixing paint and thick glue together with their fingers to form a satisfying slippery mixture. They poured this mixture on to plastic sheeting and spread it around.
- This made an excellent 'gluey' surface to stick natural materials to. When the creation was dry, children peeled pieces of the solid glue collage off the plastic sheet and attached it to hessian to form a colourful tactile banner. Photographs, captions and small bags of the powder paint they used were attached to the banner.
- The banners clearly demonstrate how engrossed and satisfied children can become when they have free access to natural and creative materials. An exploration table below displays the materials used so that children can recall their experiences. Photographs and captions explain to parents how children can be responsible for initiating the direction of their learning.
Sarah Denham is the deputy manager at Rainbow Nursery, Middleston Moor, County Durham. She spoke to Jean Evans.
