Here at RisingOaks Early Learning | John Sweeney, our preschoolers have been engaging daily in arts and crafts. We use paint, a variety of colouring tools, we make cut-outs, and stamp with bingo dabbers. Our children are always excited to show us their creations, and to bring them home to their parents. The children have also been loving this summer weather. Everyday we are playing outside with equipment such as jump ropes, bubbles, blocks, etc. So as an educator, I was not surprised when a child asked, ‘Can we do art outside?’
Last week we created a play-based activity that combined the beauty of outdoor summer and an opportunity for artistic expression.
Natassia and Julia had the children help tape paper onto a wooden bench in our natural playground. The children held down the paper while the educators taped, so that the paper would not blow away. Once that was set up, Julia and the children poured bubble solution into three different bowls. When asked which colours the children would like to use, they chose pink green and blue. We encourage our students to make choices to help develop decision making abilities and to help build self esteem. After the colours were picked, it was time to mix the colours in. The children watched in fascination as the bubble solutions began to change colours. We asked a few of the children to help carry over the bowls of bubble solution to the bench. They carefully lifted the large bowls up and brought them over without spilling a drop. Involving children in the set up of this activity is important as it fosters a sense of contribution and teaches responsibility.
Finally, we set them up on the bench with bubble wands around them as an invitation to play. Six at a time, the children explored and experimented with what they had in front of them. One child started to use their fingers to finger paint. Another wanted to pour the solution straight onto the paper. Some of the children were blowing the bubbles in the wind and trying to pop them. Then, one child blew a bubble and it popped into colour on the paper. Once this was accomplished, each child started to blow the bubbles onto the paper. There were smiles and wide eyes all around. Questions were being asked, such as ‘how does it make a mark like that?’ ‘Where did the lines come from?’. Each art piece was unique. We lined up the finished artwork in the sun to dry. After a few hours, we brought the paintings back in. We had put their names on the paper before we began so we knew which art belonged to which child. The children were so pleased with their artwork, that they brought them home to show their parents as well as share their experience. To further expand this activity in the future, I would like for us to try new ways to incorporate art in the outdoors. Painting with sticks and grass, even leaves. We could try to make our own paint with the colorful outdoor materials, such as daffodils to create yellow paint.
