let the children play

it's playtime - toddlers

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:43:00 +0000

To all of our wonderful It's Playtime peeps:

We will be taking an It's Playtime break next week to relax with our families over Christmas. See you in the New Year!
Playful Picks

This week I've chosen to salute that special breed of little person - the toddlers.
Top 5 Toddler Play Ideas at Nurture Store

How to feed your toddler at Suburbia Momma

Sensory Play: Keep it Simple with Ice Blocks at Picklebums

Puffy Paint at Mummy Musings and Mayhem

Has your blog been featured? Grab an "I Proudly Encourage Play" badge to display on your blog.

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Have you been over to my partners in play to see what posts they have chosen to feature this week?

Messy Kids,

The Imagination Tree ,

hands on: as we grow and

QuirkyMomma

What have you been playing this week?

christmas playdough

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:02:00 +0000

If - like us - you find yourself kept inside by the rainy weather these holidays, then whipping up a batch of playdough with the kids might just be a sanity saver.

::: Peppermint Play Dough

The kids at preschool loved this peppermint playdough we made following the recipe on PreK and K Sharing. Add some Christmas themed cookie cutters and you've got yourself a very merry playdough table.

::: Christmas Playdough at Natural Parenting Tips uses festive spices such as cloves and cinnamon to create a wonderfully scented sensory experience.

::: Christmas Playdough at Creative Connections for Kids has a host of ideas for adding some Christmas bling and sparkle to playdough.

::: No Cook Christmas Playdough from Best Recipes - it doesn't get any simpler than this.

::: Playdough and Buttons from Pre-School Play

Gina's white playdough is reminiscent of snow, for those of you who live in colder climes. Or how about:

::: Snow Playdough Recipe from Nurture Store.

::: And speaking of snow, Playdough and Lace from Tara Sloggett shows how to create a snowflake effect in playdough using lace doilies.

::: Mom with a Lesson Plan has many ideas for playdough accessories to give playing with playdough a festive touch.

For more playdough ideas, Cathy from Nurture Store has a free Play with Dough ebook with loads of ideas such as ice cream playdough, chocolate playdough and space playdough.

Happy Playdough-ing.

it's playtime - christmas free zone

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:20:00 +0000

Welcome again to It's Playtime. If this is your very first visit you can find full instructions on how to play with us here.

Playful Picks

There are so many Christmas ideas flowing around the blogosphere at the moment - and last week's It's Playtime was no exception. If you are looking for things to do with the kids for Christmas, It's Playtime is your one stop shop.

At the risk of coming over all "Bah Humbug", my choices this week are the play ideas without a Christmas theme. With festive season art and craft abounding at home, preschool and the blogosphere I feel like my eye needs to gaze on something that isn't sparkly, red and green or star shaped!

Letter Press Printing with Kids at Home from Mommy Labs

Easy Art for Kids - Easy to find, Easy to glue Collage Materials from Picklebums

Swirly, Sparkly Water Play from Exploring the Outdoor Classroom

Has your blog been featured? Grab an "I Proudly Encourage Play" badge to display on your blog.

Have you been over to my partners in play to see what posts they have chosen to feature this week?

Messy Kids,

The Imagination Tree ,

hands on: as we grow and

QuirkyMomma

What have you been playing this week?

an indoor obstacle course for cats

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:25:00 +0000

Who said obstacle courses are only for the outdoors?

I'm not even sure how this started. One minute they were using the scarves to dance to music, and the next they were all working to put this together.

Someone decided that they were cats - being cats is pretty big at preschool.

So you will have to imagine the crawling through the obstacle course to the chorus of loud meowing. Think of the sound of ten cats being strangled and you are just about there.

I love the possibilities for play that arise when kids are given the time, space and freedom to make the learning environment their very own. The day takes off in directions you would never dream of.

Here are some other folk who talk of indoor obstacle courses:

Kristin from the wonderful Preschool Daze has a post about their indoor obstacle course - and her photos are so much better than mine are!

Imagination Soup has a post about an inside mountain climbing course.

Imagine Toys has a list of ideas for materials to make an indoor obstacle course in Stay Active Indoors with an Obstacle Course.

bark christmas decorations

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:56:00 +0000

Armed with our trusty baskets, we headed outside on a nature hunt. Our mission: to find interesting things that we could decorate for Christmas.

The natural beauty of the gum tree bark was a source of awe and fascination. It almost seemed a shame that the squiggly markings were destined to be covered by paint and glitter. Almost.

With baskets full of bark, sticks, leaves and seeds we headed back to preschool.

Out came the paints and thin brushes.

The bark provides an interesting new surface for the kids to paint - and paint gently so that it doesn't break.

Next came the glitter. Glitter makes everything Christmassy.

There aren't many pictures of the 'glittering' because I had to put the camera down and move into damage control mode. Anyone with kids will tell you that when a child has a shaker of glitter in their hand they are unstoppable. There is no such thing as too much glitter.

In fact, several of the kids may have gone home sparkling that day.

We hung some of our bark decorations on our tree:

And the rest we popped in baskets as centrepieces for our lunch tables:

Do you use nature to decorate for Christmas?

gum leaf necklaces

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:08:00 +0000

We are forever sweeping up gum leaves.

Of course, being a preschool teacher I can never throw anything away without first thinking of how we can use it with the kids.

These gum leaves were originally destined to be Aussie Christmas decorations - a simpler, spur of the moment version of the ones found on Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning.

Grab some textas to decorate the leaves,

a hole punch to make the holes and string and you are good to go.

The kids had other ideas. They associate threading with making necklaces, and much preferred to wear their creations than decorate the preschool with them.

Can't blame them really.

For more ideas on things to do with leaves:

Threading Leaves from A Little Learning for Two
Leaf Threading With Help From a Very Hungry Caterpillar from Playing in Prep
Autumn Threading from Preschool Play
Gum Leaf Jewellery

it's playtime - it's christmas time

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:08:00 +0000

Welcome again to It's Playtime. If this is your very first visit you can find full instructions on how to play with us here.

Playful Picks

During the silly season I'm always on the look out for Christmas-y things to do with the kids that are more open-ended, child centred or process orientated than many of the Christmas crafts tend to be.

Ideas that celebrate the festive time of year while allowing the kids to imagine and create without a teacher sitting at the table to tell them where to glue, cut or colour.

So happy days when these ideas popped up in last week's It's Playtime:

Interactive Christmas Display from Peaceful Parenting:

Winter Wonderland Sensory Bin from Happy Hooligans:

Snow Play Dough from Make, Do and Friend

Has your blog been featured? Grab an "I Proudly Encourage Play" badge to display on your blog.

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Have you been over to my partners in play to see what posts they have chosen to feature this week?

Messy Kids,

The Imagination Tree ,

hands on: as we grow and

QuirkyMomma

What have you been playing this week?

shameless self promotion

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:46:00 +0000

Vote for Me (Please)

There is something to celebrate in the land of Let the Children Play - nominations in two categories for the 2011 Edublog Awards:

Best Individual Blog

Best Individual Tweeter

Voting is simple. Click on the links above and then follow the prompts. I promise it doesn't take long.

And the best part about voting is you can vote for as many of your favorite blogs as you like - as often as you like.

There are loads of early childhood education blogs up for awards, so let's celebrate and support all of those who promote playful learning in the early years:

Best Individual Blog

Amy Ahola at Child Central Station

Cath Oehlman at Squigglemum

Deborah Stewart at Teach Preschool

Jackie at Happy Hooligans

Jenny at Let the Children Play

Tom Hobson at Teacher Tom

Best Group Blog

Christie Burnett at Childhood 101

The group from Play at Home Mom

Sherry and Donna from Irresistible Ideas for Play Based learning

Laura Balma Eldredge from The Seeds Network

Best New Blog

Karen at Flights of Whimsy

Jackie at Happy Hooligans

Leeanne A at Kreative resources

Kristin at Exploring the Outdoor Classroom

Kierna Corr at Learning for Life

So, what are you waiting for? With all these blogs you've got your work cut out for you!

small worlds in a box

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:29:00 +0000

And on the dark, dark shelf there was a dark, dark box; And in the dark, dark box there was a....mouse! - Dark, Dark Tale

The idea of a mouse house in a box so tickled the kid's fancy that they decided to make some of their own:

This is when all the little bits and pieces you troll the Op shops (that's Thrift Shops for some of you) for come in so handy:

We hunted around for boxes, put all the much loved "little things" in baskets and let them go for it:

Children become so absorbed in small world play - especially when the initial idea for the world comes from the children themselves.

There is something about little worlds that transport children to different destinations and let them become immersed in fantastical worlds of their own making.

Here are some folk who have created small worlds in boxes, suitcases and containers:

Unicorn Garden in a Box from At Home with Ali

Rapunzel World in a Suitcase from Sense of Wonder

Carnival of Small World Play from Nurture Store

Small World Play: The Seaside from The Imagination Tree

Small World Play: Cardboard Box Town from The Imagination Tree

And for inspiration you can't go past Sherry and Donna from Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning and their miniature worlds.

creeks in the preschool playscape

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 01:52:00 +0000

Yesterday I talked about cooling off in our bush creek, just near preschool.

Some lucky ducks actually have creeks IN their preschool. I'm trying very hard not to be jealous.

Springdale Heights Preschool:

Bond Street Kindergarten

"And then there is the river! It is the meeting of the ways between the playgrounds and dry or wet it is a source of scientific exploration, dramatisation and emotionally satisfying play."

Bond Street Kindergarten Blog

bond street kindergarten

Kensington Gardens Preschool:
A creek meanders through the play area linking the rainwater tank, the sandpit and the frog pond:

Log Water Course via Earthplay:

River Channel at Golden Kids Early Learning Centre

"Our centre community provided a variety of local rocks and stones, shrubs and grasses to recreate a local natural landscape. One of the key features of our river is the reticulating water system, with a submersible pump that conserves the water that we harvest from the nearby playhouse roof. The children can see and hear when the pump comes on and refills the water tank, and also when the water is getting low and we have to conserve it's use."

This man-made creek is in an adventure playground, but I can imagine it in a preschool playscape:

image via Springzaad

Trickle Stream in the Secret Garden at Viewbank Preschool:

Creek Bed with Pump at Montessori School of North Virginia

Creek Bed - Image from Frode Svane via Greenstone Designs

You might also be interested in:

::: Dry Creek Beds in a Preschool Playscape

::: Water Play in the Preschool Playscape

::: A small price to pay from Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning

Do you have a creek bed at your early childhood centre?

Would you like to share a picture with us?

summer's here and the time is right..for heading to the creek

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:10:00 +0000

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....

Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Summer days in Sydney are hot and steamy. As temperatures rise, teachers the city over look for ways their preschoolers can cool down as they play.

We have a secret weapon up our sleeve. Just a hop, skip and a jump from our front gate is The Creek.

A shallow volume of water flows slowly over a rock platform in the welcome shade of the gum trees.

In a small group, we meander down to the creek, shed our shoes and dip our toes in. Delicious and delightful.

Bush walks and creek visits are always a voluntary affair. Sometimes a handful of children are keen - at other times when there are many takers we go in shifts.

Our younger 3's are creek-goers in waiting. The creek-goers are the ones that have clocked up hours in the bush, and have built strong relationships with us and the bush environment. They know rocks can get slippery. They know wading in the water is best done slowly. They know the bush track inside out.

Sometimes we find the older kids from the Primary School have beaten us to it. The creek is a special place for the whole community.

It is always quieter at the creek. Temperatures drop, and temperaments calm. We lap up the peace. We enjoy the bush, and each other.

Refreshed and recharged, we head back to preschool.

It's Playtime: Sensory Play

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:09:00 +0000

Welcome again to It's Playtime. If this is your very first visit you can find full instructions on how to play with us here.

Playful Picks

With several very young 3's at preschool, I'm always on the look out for those open-ended sensory experiences that are perfect for toddlers:

Experimenting with Soap over at Make, Do & Friend.

Experimental Marbling from Adventures at Home with Mum

Sensory Play with Fluffy Christmas Snow from Learning 4 Kids

Has your blog been featured? Grab an "I Proudly Encourage Play" badge to display on your blog.

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Have you been over to my partners in play to see what posts they have chosen to feature this week?

Messy Kids,

The Imagination Tree ,

hands on: as we grow and

QuirkyMomma

What have you been playing this week?

a bucket full of radishes

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:04:00 +0000

There is so much joy and satisfaction in cooking food you have grown yourself.

How exciting that so many preschool and primary children around Australia are getting their hands dirty and growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing food as a community. The wonderful Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden Foundation has tons of useful information if you are interested in learning more.

Our own kitchen garden harvest last week was a bucket load of pretty impressive looking radishes.

The simple things in life are often the best. A simple task like preparing a radish for cooking is incredibly popular. The sensory, hands-on experience of scrubbing the dirt off the veggies is always a winner:

Then it is time to set the kids free with the real kitchen tools to peel the radishes:

To cook, we simply season and bake in the oven on a tray with a few splashes of olive oil. Delish!

Some of these kids hadn't eaten radish before - and still more would have turned their noses up at the mere thought of it.

The beauty of being meaningfully involved in preparing your own home grown food is that you just can't resist the opportunity to try it:

In fact, you dig in before we even have the chance to plate up! (That's Masterchef terminology for the uninitiated).

We love the simplicity of preparing our veggies in this way. Just have a look at our:

::: Potato Slinky Chips
::: Roast Veggie Slinkys

And while you are clicking away at links, click on over to Happy Hooligans and see what playful learning fun the kids had with corn cobs.

What have you been cooking lately?

2011 Edublog Awards

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:34:00 +0000

Last night the Aussie recording industry held their annual ARIA awards. Of course, the ARIA's pale in comparison to the 2011 Edublog Awards. Nominations are now open, and our little blogging niche is all a buzz.

I was in Primary School I first experienced nominations. Whenever the time came around to nominate for the prestige class captain or library monitor positions, a ball of anxiety would build in the pit of my stomach.

Would friend X be upset if I nominated friend Y? Would there be tears?

You'd think by now that I'd have put my big girl pants on and got over myself. You'd think.

But when it comes to nominating folk for the 2011 Edublog Awards I feel the familiar twinge of anxiety.

There are so many wonderful blogs out there to choose from: blogs I read religiously; blogs that make me think; blogs that give me ideas; blogs that get me dreaming and blogs that motivate me. How to pick just a few? Here goes:

Best Teacher Blog: Teacher Tom

Best Individual Blog: Zella Said Purple

Best Group Blog: Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning

Best Resource Sharing Blog: I'm a Teacher Get Me Outside Here

Best New Blog: Males in Early Childhood Education

Best Twitter Hashtag: #playoutdoors

Best Individual social network: Teach Preschool

Best Individual Tweeter: Brick by Brick

Before I go, I want to thank the wonderfully kind folk who have nominated me for Best Teacher Blog. I haven't been this honoured or excited since I was voted Class Captain in Mr Heywood's Year 4 class!

soapy water in the mud pie kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:19:00 +0000

This is what our outdoor kitchen - or mud pie kitchen - looks like at the end of the day. To say it is a hive of activity is an understatement.

We love to mix things up a bit with the materials we provide for the kids to explore. Sand, dirt, mud and water are a constant. Pebbles, sawdust, coloured water and packing peanuts are popular.

Recently we added tubs of soapy, sudsy water which was a big hit:

What's been cooking in your outdoor kitchen lately?

it's playtime - 161 entries last week!

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 23:44:00 +0000

Thank you to the 161 of you who came to play It's Playtime last week! If this is your very first visit you can find full instructions on how to play with us here.

Playful Picks

My regular readers all know that I'm a sucker for outdoor play. I also love to stumble upon other Australian blogs that celebrate play. So this week I'm loving:

Painting a tree from Adventures at Home.

Making Roads from Fun Learning at Alison's FDC

While neither outdoors nor Australian, the Pretend Office at Happy Little Messes strikes a chord because our kids at preschool have been very busy in their offices this week:

And finally I couldn't go past the Leaf Art at Beansprouts Preschool:

Has your blog been featured? Grab an "I Proudly Encourage Play" badge to display on your blog.

Have you been over to my partners in play to see what posts they have chosen to feature this week?

Messy Kids,

The Imagination Tree ,

hands on: as we grow and

QuirkyMomma

What have you been playing this week?
Link up below and lets see if we can top 161 entries!

Come snoop with me: inspiring preschools

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:57:00 +0000

I'm a sticky beak. A nosey parker. A certified snoop. I love looking at images of other early childhood centres for ideas or inspiration, or simply to dream.

If you are a snoop like me, here are some of the places I've been peeking into lately:

::: Duck's Nest Preschool Garden

The preschool garden is heaven on a stick:

via teachoutside

And the outdoor woodworking area has given me loads of ideas for our own:

via teachoutside

::: Dorothy Waide Centre for Early Learning

Teepees, dry creek beds, hidden spaces, platforms.....an outdoor area that invites engagement and adventure.

::: Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments

Scroll down to the bottom of the page for links to some Australian Preschools with pretty special outdoor areas.

::: Ideas for Nature on Playgrounds

Exactly what it says!

::: St Kilda and Balaclava Preschool

Sigh.

::: Tessa Rose Playspace Design

More playspace goodness than you can poke a stick at. Tess now has a blog you can follow called Tessa Rose Natural Playscapes.

::: Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning

Sherry and Donna take us touring around Melbourne preschools in their Education Directory.

::: Child Central Station

Amy has put together a collection of ideas for the outdoor classroom.

Where have you found inspiration lately?

it's playtime - get outside and play!

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:30:00 +0000

Welcome to It's Playtime! If this is your very visit you can find full instructions on how to play with us here.

Playful Picks

You regular readers will know that I'm a sucker for outdoor play. So this week I'm loving:

Tree Branch Teepee from Sense of Wonder:

I'm completely jealous and want one for our outdoors:

Jada Roo Can Do combines two of my loves - outdoor play and shoes - in this outdoor shoe shop:

Mama Pea Pod shows just how simple outdoor play can be with her Leaf Islands:

And finally Breanna Phillips shows us how to have fun with hula hoops.

Has your blog been featured? Grab an "I Proudly Encourage Play" badge to display on your blog.

Have you been over to my partners in play to see what posts they have chosen to feature this week?

Messy Kids,

The Imagination Tree ,

hands on: as we grow and

QuirkyMomma

What have you been playing this week?

simple things make me happy

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:11:00 +0000

The quiet joy of sharing books with a friend.

The endless hours of fun that can be provided by something as simple as two pieces of rope.

Drawing outdoors in the sunshine.

The potential of a patch of mud after a night of rain.

To look around everyday and see children learning, loving and having fun makes me happy. You don't need the snazziest equipment. You don't need the novelty of new experiences every day. Simple things like books, rope, paper and mud and the time and freedom to use them and interested, respectful adults are all it takes.

What happened with the children today that made your heart sing?

the post in which I say thank you

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:37:00 +0000

In my normal, everyday non-blogging life I've been trying to take the time to recognise the things I am grateful for.

In my alternate, nocturnal blogging life I'm grateful for a lot of things too. Here are just a few:

Thank you to my top referrers for last month

You couldn't meet a nicer group of bloggers:

Sherry and Donna from Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning

Tom from Teacher Tom

Anna from The Imagination Tree

Offbeat Mama

Juliet from I'm a Teacher Get Me Outside Here

Rachelle from Tinkerlab

Thank you to the people I stalk on Pinterest(Shamelessly repining everything they pin):

Gina from Play Based Classroom who pins here

Francine Corry who pins here

Thank you to my It's Playtime buddies:

Messy Kids,

The Imagination Tree ,

hands on: as we grow and

QuirkyMomma

And of course, thank you to all the It's Playtime contributors each week. Without all of you it would be an extremely boring read!

Thank you for your comments and messages:

Even after 2 years of blogging I still get the warm fuzzies when someone leaves a lovely comment on the blog or Facebook.

Thank you to all my readers:

Just thinking that I actually have readers gives me a thrill! Here are the top 10 posts you visited last month:

Beautiful Learning Spaces in Reggio Inspired Preschools

Creating Quiet Spaces Outdoors at Preschool

How to Create an Irresistible Outdoor Playscape for Children

Planning a New Water Wall for Water Play

Reggio Emilia Inspired Indoor Learning Spaces

Inspiring Playscapes - Kinma School

Weaving Activities for Young Children

The Theory of Loose Parts

Celebrating Loose Parts in Preschool

Mud Pie Kitchens Galore

What are you thankful for in your bloggy world?

It's Playtime - tinkering, sticks and playdough

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:30:00 +0000

Welcome to It's Playtime! If this is your very visit you can find full instructions on how to play with us here.

Playful Picks

This week I'm loving:

Tinkering on the Typewriter from Tinkerlab

10 things to do with sticks from Squiggle mum guest posting at Picklebums:

and Fireworks Playdough from Make Do and Friend:

Has your blog been featured? Grab an "I Proudly Encourage Play" badge to display on your blog.

Have you been over to my partners in play to see what posts they have chosen to feature this week?

Messy Kids,

The Imagination Tree ,

hands on: as we grow and

QuirkyMomma

What have you been playing this week?

It's playtime - so many ideas, so little time

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:44:00 +0000

Welcome to It's Playtime - and thank you to the 162 of you who submitting their playful learning ideas! If this is your very visit you can find full instructions on how to play with us here.

Playful Picks

This week I'm loving:

Outdoor Weaving from Sense of Wonder:

Nature Imprints from Our Creative Day:

and How to Make a Geo Board from Adventures at Home with Mum:

Has your blog been featured? Grab an "I Proudly Encourage Play" badge to display on your blog.

Have you been over to my partners in play to see what posts they have chosen to feature this week?

Messy Kids,

The Imagination Tree ,

hands on: as we grow and

QuirkyMomma

What have you been playing this week?

Claire Warden speaking in Australia

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:38:00 +0000

Are you familiar with the work of Claire Warden in the field of nature education for young children?

These beautiful words are from her book Nurture through Nature:

Imagine a world where the lines were harsh and unyielding, the textures were consistent and variation is unheard of. Does it inspire you?

Now image a place where the carpet changes every day, the ceiling is a myriad of different colours, light, shadow and movement.

The feelings and movement completely surround you, sometimes breezy, sometimes cold, others warm.

Unexpected wonders fly by, sometimes full of colour and somtimes full of noise and movement.

If we really want children to thrive we need to let their connection to nature nurture them.

These beautiful thoughts are from Nurture Through Nature by Claire Warden.

Claire Warden is the author of many books and materials relating to outdoor play in early childhood education. Claire also founded both the Whistlebrae Nature Kindergarten and Auchlone Nature Kindergarten.

Claire also has a new blog - and don't we all love a good blog - called Inspirational Early Childhood Education.

The good news is that if you live in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or Perth you can hear Claire speak about her approach to nature education at the Educating in Nature: Inside, Outside and Beyond - bush, beach, outback creek Conference in November.

You book your tickets here. I'm going to the one in Sydney - let me know if you are going so we can introduce ourselves!

building ramps for tyres

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 01:30:00 +0000

One of the favorite "loose parts" in our playground are the bike tyres. Easy for the kids to pick up and move themselves - and, more excitingly - to roll along the ground and knock stuff over.

This led to the building of tyre ramps - designed to give the tyres more speed and knock stuff over in a more spectacular fashion.

At the beginning of the year the ramps were simple, beginning with the plastic slide:

Moving on to building ramps with wood and milk crates:

Until now as we zoom towards the end of the year. the ramps have become complex and complicated combinations of a whole array of different materials:

I love watching how giving the kids a playground full of loose materials - and the time and freedom to use them as they please - allows them to revisit and build on their past learning, experiences and discoveries and to make connections and deepen understanding.

What started out as a slide used as a ramp - over many months - becomes a collective construction of materials to build a tyre roller coaster.

Kids are pretty darn clever when we let them figure stuff out themselves, aren't they?

You might be interested in seeing what other folk and their preschoolers are doing with tyres outdoors:

Tyres @ I'm a Teacher Get Me Outside Here
Fun with Tyres @ Play-Based Classroom
Tyres - Back in Vogue for Now @ Learning for Life

mud pie kitchens galore

noreply@blogger.com (jenny) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 09:36:00 +0000

After showing you what's cooking in our outdoor kitchen at preschool, let's take a tour of some mud pie kitchens around the blogosphere:

Happy Gas

Teach Your Children Well

Life is Art

Juise

Expect the Unexpected

Happy cooking!