Tag: creativity

Rainbow Snow!

~ bumps2bairns

Today we have a way to unleash the creativity of the whole family, and for young children it is a chance to try out mark-making, creating works of art and experimenting with shapes

Snow can be lovely at first, but it can quickly get a bit patchy and tired.

By using coloured water to draw on the snow, children are also playing with ideas about “how much”, “how far” and also practising making plans

It will probably also be quite a laugh – try not to mind if it gets rather silly too.

Click here for how to play!Download

Or if you’ve still got lots of fresh snow, why not make a snowman, a snow dog, a nice snow-anything!

Out of the box!

~ bumps2bairns

Some homes have more cardboard boxes around than usual at the moment as we have to get more things delivered

This may be a nuisance, but cardboard boxes are also one of the most useful resources for play and learning. They can be anything your child wants to imagine them to be – a castle, a boat, a hat, or even just a box to put things in!

Today the idea is simply to give your child some boxes and some decorating materials and see what they do with them. If they are stuck you can help with ideas, but the best learning will come from them taking the lead and you following

Remember to chat about what they are doing – say what you see (try not to ask too many questions!) and wait for a response.

Click here for play ideasDownload

Hot air balloons

~ bumps2bairns

Today’s idea is to make a hot air balloon! Or a small one, at any rate

You can either use a black bin bag, or there is a version for ordinary small balloons. Instructions are on the downloadable sheet – please take care with safety and supervise children at all points.

This can be lots of fun – you can involve older children and family and even have balloon races

Meanwhile your child will learn lots of science, coordination skills and language – and we have some stories to look at too, or make your own

Click here for how to playDownload

Sock Puppet Friends!

~ bumps2bairns

When you’re sorting laundry there’s a good chance you’ll find some socks!

It’s easy to turn these into simple puppets that can delight your child and get their imagination going.

Puppets are a great way to develop communication skills – some children find it easier to express feelings and needs through a puppet too.

You can make them as fancy as you like, and your child might like to help you (or let you help them)

Making the puppet is only the start. The real fun begins when your child starts to play with their new puppet friend! You can join in too …

Any why not do a puppet show during a video call with a grandparent or anyone else your child loves and misses seeing!

Click here for ideas how to make and then play!Download

I’m forever blowing bubbles!

~ bumps2bairns ~ Leave a comment

Blowing bubble pictures is a quick, easy and fun way to create fantastic masterpieces – and your children can even have a go as well!

Using items that you will hopefully have to hand, this craft activity can help children to develop their language – naming colours and shapes and describing patterns.

It is also a wonderful opportunity for children to express themselves through art, producing beautiful pictures without having to feel anxious about how skilled they are with pencils or paint brushes.

Anyone can have a go, and you could even do an art show to display your pictures

Click here for a guide to how to playDownload