themateriallife-earlychildhood
themateriallife-earlychildhood
The Material Life
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I'm a teacher obsessed with using materials in innovative & interesting ways that invite & inspire young children & spark a curiosity for exploration.
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#mesmerizing πŸŒ§β˜οΈπŸ’—β˜οΈπŸ’™β˜οΈβ€οΈβ˜οΈπŸ’šβ˜οΈπŸ’œβ˜οΈπŸ’›β˜οΈπŸŒ§ #ShavingCreamClouds in action! #themateriallife #ourmateriallife #sensoryplay #floatorfly #smockson @smockson @artcampla #osk_foam @oursensorykids #activelearning #earlylearning101 @earlylearning101 #finemotor #grossmotor
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#ShavingCream #Clouds β˜οΈβ€οΈπŸ’›πŸ’šπŸ’™πŸ’œπŸ’—β˜οΈπŸŒ§πŸ’—πŸ’œπŸ’™πŸ’šπŸ’›β€οΈβ˜οΈ I have been wanting to try this #STEAM activity for quite a while, so when my CoTeacher suggested we try it in connection to our airplane/rock #sensorybin ( check out our previous post) I was super excited. It was cool to see how each group of children (we teach 4 separate groups ranging from 15 months-3 years) explored with the materials differently. The first group very carefully used their pipettes to #transfer the colored liquid onto the #shavingfoam. One group asked for paper to make marble prints. Another group (our youngest) enjoyed pouring and transferring the colored water and foam from glass to glass, exploring with their whole bodies (make sure to check out all the photos to see the beauty of #messyplay). Our last group used the pipettes to squirt the water on the paper creating the coolest patterns! We try our best to let the children guide the exploration and it usually turns out to be super exciting and sometimes better than what we originally expected! I sat there and "casually" talked about what I was noticing in hopes of inspiring #inquiry from the children. Some of the #noticingstatements I made were: "Look at how the shaving cream is just floating on top of the water!" "The colors are so bright on top of the white foam!" "Do you see how the colors are slowly moving down the foam and then quickly blending into the water?" "The water is changing colors!" "Before the colors were just sitting on the foam, but now is see them sinking to the bottom!" These statements opened up conversation about how the Foam worked hard to carry all the colored water until so much water was in the foam that it became too heavy to hold it all in. The heavy colors sink down to the bottom just like rain clouds become heavy from water and it begins to rain to lighten its load. Also, super exciting when your plan for the week matches up with a few challenges! #floatorfly #smockson @smockson @artcampla #osk_foam @oursensorykids #activelearning #earlylearning101 @earlylearning101 #finemotor #grossmotor #teachertypes #thatminimalistteacher #themateriallife #ourmateriallife
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#Colorful #SensoryBags on the #LightTable - Pop a blue #waterbead #SensoryBottle on top for some #color #morphing #magic β€οΈπŸ’›πŸ’šπŸ’™πŸ’œπŸ’— Did you know you could tag your #sensoryplay posts with #ourmateriallife for a chance to be #featured! #themateriallife #toddler #learningthroughplay #playmatters #openendedexploration #playwithus #explorewithus #learnwithus
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"Excuse me while I kiss the sky" -Jimi Hendrix ✈️ ✈️ ✈️ ✈️ ✈️ #Themateriallife #ourmateriallife #getcreativewith @get.creative.with
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#Vertical #TrainTracks πŸš‚ A #toddler #fanfavorite displayed in a #novel way. Driving on a vertical surface requires focus and coordination. It also strengthens the use of arms as the kids extend outward to drive the #trains on the #tracks. #bilateralcoordination #familiarmaterialsunconventionaluses #montessorichallenge @unozweitutu @mamashappyhive @welcometomommyhood #themateriallife #ourmateriallife #howwedoitinblue #regioinspired #conductor #choochoo
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#duplo on a #vertical surface πŸ’™ This slightly out of the ordinary way of exploring with duplo is extremely inviting for children because it brings #novelty into a #favorite and often explored #material. Building on a vertical surface also requires different use of force and strengthens the use of arms as the kids extend outward to build #themateriallife #ourmateriallife #montessorichallenge @unozweitutu @mamashappyhive @welcometomommyhood
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#OceanSide #ConstructionSite πŸ‘·πŸΏβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘·πŸΎβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘·πŸ½β€β™€οΈπŸ‘·πŸΌβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘·πŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸŒŠπŸ πŸ¦€πŸ¦‘πŸ’πŸ›πŸ•·πŸš›πŸšœπŸ‘·πŸ»πŸ‘·πŸΌπŸ‘·πŸ½πŸ‘·πŸΎπŸ‘·πŸΏ We had a #messy blast today, exploring with water, fresh soil, and construction vehicles. We quickly swapped out the wooden vehicles for plastic ones as we noticed the dry soil becoming oozy mud within seconds! It was pretty while it lasted, but it turned into something just as wonderful! The children were all so intrigued that even our kiddos that hate getting their hands dirty gave it a tentative try πŸ™ŒπŸΌ The trucks were big enough that they could carefully lift, push and pull without getting too muddy. Some kids dove right in, enjoying the cool gooey mud on their hands! (Helpful tip: If you have a kid who just doesn't want to get dirty, hand them a pair of gloves. Often times, they begin to play more freely and soon enough the gloves are off-maybe not the first or even second time you play, but with time they may get more and more comfortable with the material!) πŸ‘·πŸΏβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘·πŸΎβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘·πŸ½β€β™€οΈπŸ‘·πŸΌβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘·πŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸŒŠπŸ πŸ¦€πŸ¦‘πŸ’πŸ›πŸ•·πŸš›πŸšœπŸ‘·πŸ»πŸ‘·πŸΌπŸ‘·πŸ½πŸ‘·πŸΎπŸ‘·πŸΏ #ourmateriallife (did you know you could use the tag with your #sensoryplay #provocations to be featured?!) #themateriallife #earlylearning101 @earlylearning101 #powerofplay52 #getcreativewith
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#Vehicle #Drawing πŸš—πŸš•πŸš™ We taped #markers to the backs of vehicles to #track their movement across the roads. Such a simple activity that engaged every single one of our students. They worked hard to cover as much of the paper with #cartracks as possible! #vroomvroom #beepbeep #watchmemove #ourmateriallife #themateriallife #regioinspired #toddlers #classroomexploration #drawwithus #thekidsplay #thatminimalistteacher #montessorichallenge
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#Safari #Creature #Footprint #Painting πŸ‘£πŸ…πŸ¦πŸ‘£ We got our #smockson (took off all clothes) for some #bathtub (#nostressmess) painting inspired by this weeks @smocks.on challenge (jungle art). We took turns walking the creatures through the paint and then on the paper-we even let the creatures take walks on our legs, arms and faces! My little one decided that the animals shouldn't be the only ones who get to walk in paint, so we both stepped in the paint to make some footprints of our own πŸ‘£ We love bathtub painting so much! It allows for full throttle engagement with the materials without the stress off dirtying our apartment and with super easy cleanup for all the materials used (yes, that includes the toddler!) Clean up takes less than 5 minutes! If you haven't tried it yet, give it a try! You can do this with infants starting at 6 months (with support) My little one started #bathtubpainting when she was 9 months old. She quickly learned that it was okay to paint on the bathtub walls, her body and the paper without being confused about slightly more contained painting when out of the tub. We use #colorationsfingerpaint from @discountschoolsupply 🎨 the colors are super vibrant, wash off like a dream, and non toxic. #sensoryplay #ourmateriallife #themateriallife #regioinspired #letthemplay #messyplayisthebestplay #messyplay #messyart #processoverproduct #processart @emjpictures #osk_bathtub @oursensorykids #montessorichallenge
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#Collaging with #CommuntiyPictures on the #Mirror πŸ“ΈπŸŽž This fun #activity promotes #communitybuilding and helps ease #separationanxiety as #toddlers are getting to know their teachers and friends. Toddlers also love looking at themselves in the mirror and in picturesβœ”οΈβœ”οΈ#egomaniac 😜 #earlylearning101 @earlylearning101 #mirrorplay #mirrormirroronthewall #heythatsme
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"There is #beauty in #simplicity." #backtothebasics #monochrome #monochromatic #drawing #crayons #provocation #toddlers #earlywriting #themateriallife #ourmateriallife
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Just had to repost this for #mirror week over @earlylearning101 Check out the original post from a few weeks back for more pics! #Repost @themateriallife (@get_repost) ・・・ #Collaging with #family #pictures on the #mirror πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§πŸ‘΅πŸΌπŸ‘΄πŸΌπŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘§ my little one enjoyed finding herself in the pictures and then taking a glance at herself in the mirror. She said aver and over "R in the picture! R in the mirror!" She even gave her self some love ❀️ 2 things #toddlers love-pictures of themselves and those they love, and looking at themselves in the mirror...#winwin πŸ™ŒπŸΌ We love collaging on contact paper in our house. If you look closely, you might be able to see some of our sparkly and shiny paper collages that hang on our "collage wall" πŸ€“ check out our post from a few weeks back that features a number of collages that we have worked on in the past. #ourmateriallife #themateriallife #reflections #earlylearning101 #itsme #happytoddlerplaytime #toddlerlife #earlychildhood #learningthroughplay @earlylearning101 #teachertypes
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#windowblocks on a #reflectivesurface @earlylearning101 #earlylearning101
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#Individual #Rainbow #IcePainting alongside #CollaborativeArt on #Display in the #Classroom πŸŽ¨πŸ–Œβ„οΈ I love the #vibrancy of ice-paint #strokes against white paper as they melt and blend together. Ice-painting is a super hands-on art experience, #motivating the children to #explore and use #language to express what they are feeling and seeing. Setting up individual sheets of paper allows the children to have ownership over their own piece of work and feel #pride in the #marks they make. I love the multi-sensory experience that ice-painting provides. #smockson for #sensoryart @smocks.on @friendsartlab #markmaking #sensoryexploration #toddlerart #ourmateriallife #themateriallife #thekidsplay #thatminimalistteacher
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#Rocky #SensoryBin πŸŒŠβ›°πŸ›ΆπŸšš #themateriallife #ourmateriallife #regioinspired #naturalmaterials #bringingnatureintotheclassroom #stones #ocean #mountains #waterandstone #vehicles #toddler #learningthroughplay @thatminimalistteacher #thatminimalistteacher #thekidsplay
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#Rainbow #IcePainting Felt like this pic needed it's own post-I mean how cool does that look?! We made these by mixing @discountschoolsupply liquid water colors and water then froze them in ice trays. Once frozen, they slip across the table, leaving vibrant, watery streaks across the paper! #themateriallife #ourmateriallife #happyexploring πŸ€“ #iceicebaby #brrrr #beattheheat #painttherainbow #roygbiv @smocks.on #smockson @thatminimalistteacher #theminimalistteacher #thekidsplay #52weeksofplay @52weeksofplay
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#Painting with #Vehicles πŸŽ¨πŸ–ŒπŸššπŸš€ Nothing toddlers like more than vehicles in paint πŸ‘¦πŸΌπŸ‘§πŸ½πŸ‘¦πŸΏπŸ‘§πŸ» Toddlers get messy, teachers get messy, #funallaround. I love how #sensoryexploration brings out #language in #toddlers. Kids who are usually on the quieter side start chatting about how the paint feels, the marks they are making, and how odd it is that we are driving vehicles in paint instead of on the floor! Plus, teachers have the opportunity to talk with the kiddos about what they are experiencing-what they see, feel, etc. It's all very exciting! #ourmateriallife #themateriallife #sensoryart #smockson @smocks.on @friendsartlab
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