Bold Builders at the Big Blocks

New materials added to the big block area rejuvenates thinking and sparks new ideas and emerging skills and a grand scale!

Balancing. Doorways. Entrance.

The children incorporate what they already know with their new thinking. They begin to use the big blocks in ways they haven't tried yet.

Tunnels. Through. Near. Along. Beside.

The buckets of small, geometric-shaped blocks are brought out to build connecting structures. 

Big thinking on a smaller scale.

Home. Store. Kitchen. Walls. Welcome.

Look out post. Telescope. "Spyer". Holder.

Ramps up high. Gravity.

Time. Patience. Perseverance. 

Surround. Pet home. Spacing. Precise. Rooms. Enter.

Dinosaur City.

Office. Computer. Worker. Desk.

Three-storey, super-duper, fastest-ever speed ramp.

Tubes become containers. Glass beads adorn a new home.

Telling stories of their new worlds inspire children to write stories of their new worlds.

How. Why. Where. 

Collapse!

"And this is the clock. It tells us the time when this part goes around."

World travelers. Climb aboard. "We're on our way!"

"We landed. We are going to defend our ship!"

Areas for seeing out and in. Cylinder walls. Bridges.

Dinosaur habitat. Bridges and balancing. Attacker. 

A small place to call my own.

Explorer shelves.

Considering. Pondering. Trial and error.

Making plans. 

Big block centre... a place for big ideas!

Papa Olsen Makes Something From Nothing

The children have extended invitations to special guests to visit the wonderful world of kindergarten. Clair extended her invitation to her grandfather. Papa Olsen, a retired high school teacher, is an artist and story teller extraordinaire!

Papa Olsen talked of his artistic work and the paintings he created. He shared some of his paintings with the children. And then he shared stories. The boys and girls heard how the Zebra got his stripes.

The children listened intently as Papa Olsen's characters sprang to life through his story-telling.



For his next story, Papa Olsen told the story of a boy whose grandfather made him a blanket. When it became "worn and torn" (as the children shouted time and again), Grandfather made something new from it. The blanket became a jacket, the jacket became a vest, the vest became a scarf... and so on and so on...

"Snip, snip, snip went the scissors and in and out the needle flew.' Each time the boy grew and the item became 'worn and torn'.


With just enough for a button left, the boy has enough 'material leftover for a good story!'



And what is story-telling without the art to make the story come to life?

Papa Olsen showed everyone a special technique. It took two days! On the first day, the boys and girls were given vibrant colours of paint and many different objects to spread their patterns over the paper.

With encouragement and help from the artist, the children created the most amazing textures!

We talked of artists and story-tellers like Eric Carle.

The paintings dried overnight and the next day, the children began to make something amazing! Just like Papa Olsen, the girls and boys tore their paper.

They tore the paper into shapes and placed them this way and that.

A big piece here and small piece there. A twig and a beak and little feet.

Each creation was unique in the colours, patterns and textures they displayed.

A big THANK YOU to Clair for sharing her grandfather and to Papa Olsen for sharing your talent and your time!