Ice rings

Children can help make an ice ring one session by gathering herbs and flowers, filling a container with water and putting it in the freezer (or just watching), then on another session they can see what has happened to it when it freezes, and then watch what happens over the course of the session as it melts.

Equipment required

• Cake ring
• Water
• Herbs and flowers
• A freezer

What do we do?

• Place herbs and flowers in a cake ring
• Fill with water and place in a freezer overnight (or two)
• In the morning remove from cake tin and hang at child height
• Children can use all their sense to explore the feel, smell and taste of this hanging object, and over time can watch what happens to it as it melts

What are we learning?

• Using all our senses - see, touch, smell, taste (and hearing if there are two rings banging together in the wind)
• Sensory experiences - cold, wet, smell
• What happens when it melts?  Does it melt faster in a sunny area or shaded area?

Links to Te Whaariki

• Strand 5 - Exploration.  Goal 4 - Children experience an environment where they develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical, and material worlds.

Bubble wrap printing

Bubble wrap painting allows children to create unique artwork and explore the properties of colour and shapes (circles), while also exploring a different texture and medium.

Equipment required

• Bubble wrap
• Paint
• Paint rollers or brushes

What do we do?

• Tape the bubble wrap to a table with the bubble side facing up
• Use the paint roller or brush to spread paint across the bubble wrap
• Lay your paper on top of the painted bubble wrap to transfer to pattern to your paper

What are we learning?

• Colours and shapes
• Transference and mirror images

Links to Te Whaariki

• Strand 5 - Exploration.  Goal 3 - Children experience an environment where they learn strategies for active exploration, thinking, and reasoning.