The children make baking clay often throughout the year. The recipe of salt, flour and water can be placed in the oven, or left to dry over several days. This day, the children's sculptures were going into the oven.
The junior chefs set to work to make the clay while the chat was about the enjoyment of gathering the natural materials that were gathered from the roof top garden. The children became so creative with their baking clay creations with the addition of the natural materials.
Was it the trip to the rooftop garden and the children's connection to the natural materials that inspired the children's sculptures?
Wings, antennae and many sets of legs emerged in the children's creatures.
Some of the additions transformed the sculptures into 3-dimensional creations that went up and out.
Some of the children represented landscapes as they
shaped and worked with the materials.
Soft and fuzzy wild grasses that had gone to seed were transformed into whiskers.
Dried seed pods became eyes.
The more often the children work with sculpting materials, we notice that the more refined the sculptures become.
The trays are filled over and over again. Some of the creations will be painted when they are dried and cooled.
There are many wonderful things to consider about an activity like this:
* We get to see the children's thinking made visible.
* The children gather the materials themselves and start their thinking before they begin their creating.
*The enjoyment of hearing the children talk about their creations and the story-telling that comes along with them tells us what they know.
* The children make the clay themselves.
* The only cost is flour and salt. Water and nature is free!
Our Recipe:
1 Cup Salt
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Water
Mix!
Let the children experiment and add more of the ingredients. Happy mistakes will abound!
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