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What can you make with one little piece of paper? My son observed and thought for a while, he touched, felt, looked, and smelled, then began to roll the paper, swirled it, and made the shape of an ice cream cone. He unfolded the rolled paper to make a heart shape, flicked one end around, and showed that it was a fish shape. After folding the paper again and touching it for a long time, repeating folding and unfolding it several times, he smiled and said that it looked like a small boat. He didn't mean it, but it looked like a small boat, so it was amazing.

Analysis
As he continued to play with the paper, I saw him develop a deep understanding of its properties. He explored the texture, weight, and colour, learning how each feature could be used to create different effects. Through this exploration, my son developed his cognitive skills, enhancing his ability to think creatively and problem-solve. Also, build the ability how he can engage with paper through this activity such as crumpling, folding, unfolding, rolling, and manipulating it in various ways to create movement and texture.

Bring into my practice
I could provide a range of different types of paper, each with its own properties and challenges. I would be able to guide the children in creating different paper-based projects, such as collages, origami, or paper masks, so that they could experiment with different techniques and styles. I am inspired by 'Encounters with Materials in Early Childhood Education' (Pacini-Ketchabaw, Kind, and Kocher, 2016) to recognize the importance of observing and documenting children's interactions with paper, as well as engaging in reflective practice to continue refining and improving their approaches to material exploration.

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When I collaborate with you, I'll transform into something in your imagination, not an ordinary me.

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A collection of photos of manipulated paper piece

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A collection of photos of manipulated paper piece

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swirled paper, an ice cream cone, a love heart, a diamond shape, a fish, and a little boat.

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I am not ordinary paper or a ball.

There are many of me inside me.

An old piece of soft and light paper, crumpled, clumped, and gathered into many layers, becomes a round, solid, useful ball.

I'm a Ball that can bring joy to someone now.

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Painting with leaves

Since February, our children had been working on their summer projects for quite some time, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to discuss the colours of summer. I wanted to encourage them to express their ideas and thoughts about summer, I set up a big painting activity for them to participate in. The children were excited to get started, and as they painted, they took turns using different colour paint and leaves.

It was interesting to see how the different leaves they used as brushes created different textures and patterns on the paper. As they painted, they also engaged in collaborative learning, sharing their ideas and techniques with one another.

Reflection
As I reflected on this experience, I realized the importance of fostering a positive relationship between children and materials, as it can facilitate deeper learning and exploration. Painting as a medium for artistic expression and sensory exploration is one example of this. By encouraging inquiry-based learning, we can empower children to experiment and create their own styles. This experience has taught me how to engage children in creating a positive and supportive relationship with materials and how it can facilitate their curiosity, exploration, and creativity.

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children's work decorated in the children's room

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children's work decorated in the children's room

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It's the colour of summer for us.

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What do expert artists do with paint? What inspires you? 

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What do expert artists do with paint? What inspires you? 

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I linked in expert artists who use paint in a variety of ways, including exploring its properties, creating texture and layering, exploring colour and composition, and expressing emotions. Inspire me was the fact that artists can be different based on the materials they use, their experiences, and their cultures. Also, the method of expressing their artwork was also new to me, and this method will be able to take a new approach to the use of art education for children.

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How can you include Australian First Nations perspectives into your early childhood education art practice 

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How can you include Australian First Nations perspectives into your early childhood education art practice 

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- Introduce the children to First Nations stories, symbols, and techniques through the artwork.

- Teach children to collect natural resources with respect and sustainability, using only what they need and leaving the environment untouched.

- Emphasize the connection and relationship between First Nations cultures and the natural world, and encourage children to develop an appreciation and respect for the natural resources they are using.

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I believed that painting allowed children to connect with the spiritual world and develop their inner capacities. Also, I agreed with the importance of sensory experiences in learning and advocated paint as a way for children to experiment and express themselves.

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As I and my sons played with the clay, we found that it was incredibly squishy and malleable, allowing me to mold it into various shapes and forms. We enjoyed flattening it out and experimenting with different textures and patterns, running my fingers through the soft and smooth surface.

However, as my son tried to make an alien figure, he found that the clay's smooth and soft texture presented some challenges. It was not easy to make the alien stand or sit in a specific position, and he had to be creative in finding ways to support its structure.

While faced with these limitations, I continued to enjoy the tactile experience of working with the clay, feeling the different sensations of cold, hard, empty, tricky, soft, sticky, and satisfying as I molded and shaped it. I also found that melting the clay with warm hands made it smoother and more pliable, which added another layer of sensory exploration to the experience.

As I continued to work with the clay, I realized that it was a versatile and engaging material that allowed me to express my creativity and imagination in new and exciting ways. Even after the clay had dried out, my hands still felt the residue of the experience, a tangible reminder of the rich sensory experience I had just encountered.

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a pig on grass, an easter egg -> An easter hat

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Blue hole (Black hole), Different types of Planet, an Alien.

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They collaborated to align the space with their clay art work.

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1. Create a sensory experience with clay by adding different materials to the clay such as sand, glitter, or beads. Children can knead and mold the clay to create a tactile experience that engages their senses while also promoting their creativity and fine motor skills.

2. Provide natural objects such as leaves, sticks, or stones to press into the clay to create unique textures and designs. Children can also use clay to create their own animals, flowers, or other natural forms.

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My son gave me a Spider-Man mouse that lights up in various neon colours. As I observed it in different lighting conditions, I was amazed at how the mouse's appearance changed dramatically. Even the atmosphere around it was transformed. This experience is linked to "the Ray of Light Atelier" blog post, the different ways light interacts with materials and surfaces, creating unique effects and moods. Just like my Spider-Man mouse, the atmosphere around the objects in the Atelier changed with the different amounts of light. I realized that light was capable of creating unique effects and moods, and how we interpret the world is affected by the power and quality of light. Even the ceiling light in my room had impact on how I interpreted my space. The brightness and darkness of the light changed the shape and location of the shadows on the ceiling, making the size of the room feel different. Light is an intangible force that can have a powerful impact on our surroundings.

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Creating unique effects and moods.

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The brightness and darkness of the light changed the shape and location of the shadows on the ceiling and felt different spaces.

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Concepts that could be involved in wrapping paper 

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Concepts that could be involved in wrapping paper 

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-  Capabilities: When wrapping and unwrapping gifts, making collages, creating costumes, or making collages with wrapping paper, children can explore sensory and imaginative play.

-  Limitations: Wrapping paper may not be suitable for some types of creative activities, or for children with sensory issues.

-  Interactions: Wrapping paper can be used to enhance creative expression and communication with young children through its visual and tactile qualities.

-  Shifting interactions: Children's interactions with wrapping paper can change with time as they develop new interests, skills, and encounter different materials and papers. Children's engagement with wrapping paper is also influenced by their cultural and social contexts.

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I believed that children learned best through sensory experiences and hands-on exploration. Clay is seen as a material that can be shaped and molded to reflect children's ideas and interests, allowing them to develop their fine motor skills and creativity.

Clay can help children gain a deeper understanding and connection to nature.
Using clay allows children to use their senses to create images and multiple versions of their ideas, and even to push the boundaries of what is possible in real life.

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1. With flashlights, children can shine them on a mirror to see how the light reflects or shine them on different objects to see how the shadows change.

2. On the light table, children can observe how light passes through different materials, such as coloured gems, transparent blocks, or tracing paper.

3. Children can place different coloured filters in front of flashlights to see how the light changes.

4. To explore reflection and refraction, children can use mirrors to reflect light onto different surfaces or magnifying glasses to examine how light bends.

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In the Reggio Emilia approach, light is seen as a powerful material that can transform space and lead to new learning opportunities. It can inspire curiosity and wonder, encouraging children to explore and investigate their environment.

Light comes from a variety of sources, including the sun, light bulbs, and fire. Through highlights or shadows, light catches our attention by drawing our eyes to areas of brightness or contrast. With light, we can see the colours, shapes, textures, and movement of objects and spaces.

Light is different from our other inquiries because it is intangible and constantly changing. Light is capable of creating different moods, highlighting details, and evoking emotions. It is incapable of creating physical shapes or objects on its own. Light responds to other materials in its environment by reflecting, absorbing, or passing through them, and can be influenced by the colour, texture, and shape of those materials.

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I believed that children should be allowed to explore and experiment with materials in order to learn about the world around them. The paper could be used to encourage children's creativity and imagination, as well as their cognitive and physical development.

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Pacini-Ketchabaw, V, Kind, S & Kocher, LLM 2016, ‘From Encounters with Materials in Early Childhood Education’, Thinking with materials, Taylor&Francis Group. pp.10-29, ISBN: 9781317588573

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V, Kind, S & Kocher, LLM 2016, ‘From Encounters with Materials in Early Childhood Education’, Paper: Movement, Taylor&Francis Group. pp.30-40, ISBN: 9781317588573

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V, Kind, S & Kocher, LLM 2016, ‘From Encounters with Materials in Early Childhood Education’, Paint: Assemblage, Taylor&Francis Group. pp.52-61, ISBN: 9781317588573

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V, Kind, S & Kocher, LLM 2016, ‘From Encounters with Materials in Early Childhood Education’, Clay: Ecologies, Taylor&Francis Group. pp.62-72, ISBN: 9781317588573

L’alveare, 2012, ‘BEPS Reggio Emilia Study Tour 2012’, Ray of Light Atelier, weblog post, 26 April, viewed 14 April 2023, < http://bepsreggiotour.blogspot.com/2012/04/wonders-of-learning-auditorium-tuesday.html>

Harwood, P, 2021, ‘Polydron shape your imagination’, The Benefits of Using Lights During Play, weblog post, 21 October, viewed 15 April 2023, < https://www.polydron.co.uk/blog/the-benefits-of-using-lights-during-play.html>