Working with IT

 

Inquiry through IT

To support our inquiry process and the use of our hundred languages, we encourage children to express their ideas in many different ways. One of these ways is though IT where they can extend on previous ideas, develop further representations or drawings by using the computer, and can research and investigate their understanding further through questioning. Children and adults can work together closely, or children can work with a peer in a paired situation Small groups are able to work together to explore wider interests such as rockets in space, where they can draw and animate images.

  

 

Some representations of space from the children.

We worked with the children on the computer, but projected it onto a larger screen so that other children could see what they were doing and have their own discussions.

 

The children explore kid pix to represent their ideas digitally for the space scene background.

They drew their own rockets, cut them out, and took pictures of them moving across space.

 

 

After we explored animation with rockets, some children wanted to create their own videos with props to tell a story. With the help of adults, the props were set up, moved and photographed to develop an animation which was shared as a movie to the rest of the children.

 

More animation ideas and pictures to come! This is a new area of exploration for us and we're continually learning and creating with the children.

 

 

 

WHY MUD! 

 

 

 

Sensory play is an important part of learning through play. Children engage with materials THROUGH USING ALL THEIR SENSES.

 MUD PLAY engages the senses as children use the mud to cook with, imagine they are in a dinosaur swamp, and also use the transformative qualities of mud( it can be made into mud balls, sludgy soup, chocolate sauce) to play with all those real life numeracy concepts like quantity, time, conservation....so lets make a list and keep it simple.

 

1.Playing in the mud makes you happier.

studies reveal that dirt/ mud contains microscopic bacteria which releases levels of serotonin helping us soothe relax and be calm

 

  2. Playing with Mud connects us to nature.

 

getting kids outside to interact with their environment creates memories that connect them to one of the most primal elements in our world.

 

 

 

 

 

3.Smarter happier children

The same release of serotonin is said to increase cognitive function.

 

 

3. Sensory play!

Sensory play and hands on play feeds children's brains.

 

5. Mud play welcomes all children of all abilities.

 

Mud is an open ended material and welcomes children of all ages and developmental abilities, from enjoying the squishing of mud through your toes to making mud bricks, it welcomes everyone.

5. Mud play stimulates creative thinking.

Playing with open ended materials like mud allows children to imagine that they are playing with chocolate , in a swamp etc and is key to develop creative thinking.

 

6.Mud as an art medium!

Keep watching this post.

 

7. Positive dispositions.

We all need some spaces to go to play on our own or with a couple of friends and our mud pit provides just that.