It’s another warm spring day in Durham! Here are some invitations for you to consider setting up today.
Fine Motor Invitation: Map/blueprint making
Invite the child to draw a map of their room, the house, the outside or the neighborhood. You can ask: Where are the hallways, door ways, roads and intersections? How would you walk to your home? The grocery store? A friend’s house?
The intent for this is to connect the nature walk and reflect on what they observed and how they choose to express that world. In the past we have had preschoolers look at maps of where they live, travel and the surrounding area of Lakewood.
Sensory Invitation: Sensory bags
Invite your child to create and play with sensory bags. This requires plastic sandwich bags, you can fill them with what you like. Examples of this may be finger paint, sprinkles, cotton balls etc. Below is a link to a family who used hair gel! What the materials feel like in the bag? What happens when you squish, poke or high five the bag?
The intent of this activity is to excite the sense of touch. It connects to a sensory schema a child might be exploring about squishy, soft things.
Art Invitation: Crayons on foil
Invite your child to draw on material that isn’t paper. Ask your child what drawing on foil feels like? How is it different from paper? Does the foil have to be flat to be drawn on?
The intent of this is to work with different mediums for expression. Much like the cotton balls, how can a child discover joy and create something they love with new materials?
Outdoor Invitation: Sidewalk Chalk
Invite your child to play with chalk. If you don’t have a sidewalk, perhaps a wood fence or chalk board?
The intent of playing with chalk is to offer a big body exercise that also is expressive! We have had kids draw, roll and stomp on chalk!