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A virtual window into the natural world of birds

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We've been exploring coloured light and shadows, along with some fun construction, with our latest Discovery Box!

This was one of those typical you-know-you're-an-early-years-teacher-when moments. If you work with young children, you will know exactly what I mean! I was walking the aisles of Sainsburys and stopped with two eager girls to browse the Valentine's chocolates, when what should I spy but this wonderful packet of fluorescent plastic cups (disposable shot glasses I think!) Of course, I just HAD to have them, knowing they would be good for something, although I had no idea what!

So, as is always best with these things, I popped them in a Discovery Box and presented them to the girls to play with at home one day, to see what wonderfully creative, open-ended play ideas they would have.

If you haven't read about heuristic play or the idea behind these Discovery Boxes, please look at the tab at the top of the blog or click here to read more.

C immediately set to work trying to make them into a "tower." To do this she stacked them inside each other, so that she became quickly disappointed as they didn't amount to much. I started to play with a few on the table, turning them face down instead of face up and she copied, quickly realising that she could make patterns, lines and shapes with them this way around.

We then started to build them on top of each other by making "bridges" between them and she was very keen to see how tall she could make the construction become.

As we played, the light through the living room window moved and started to create the most beautiful "light shadows" on the table. She was fascinated by these and loved making them move and changing their appearance by moving the cups.

She lined them up so that the colour shadows touched the cups in front of them and tried moving the cups together to see what would happen when the shadows overlapped. In a couple of instances it was even possible to mix the colours this way and that was a big WOW moment!

The light didn't last long and she was disappointed that the shadows disappeared, but it was a great opportunity for explaining about sunlight and how the Earth moves!

These cups have since been used in play dough play, role play cooking and a treasure hunt game! No doubt they will feature plenty of times in future open-ended play sessions too.

science (KUW): explore light and shadows through experimenting and play, begin to ask questions about why/ who/ what/ where and when, investigate the world using all senses, build structures and models

physical development: use care and control to build structures

creativity: build in 3Dimensions

If you liked this post you may also like to see all the other Discovery Boxes we have put together so far:

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Discovery Box 13: Coloured Stacking Cups - The Imagination Tree

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We've been exploring coloured light and shadows, along with some fun construction, with our latest Discovery Box! Pin It This was one of those typical you-know-you're-an-early-years-teacher-when moments. If you work with young children, you will know exactly what I mean!

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Water play fine motor activities

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5 Home Water Play Activities That Improves Motor Skills in Toddlers

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Summer is a great time to use household items to explore water. These activites provide a fun way to work on upper extremity strengthening, fine motor strengthening, gross motor strengthening, bilateral integration, cognitive functionioning, self-regulation, sensory processing, and much more. Below are some activity ideas to ensure your child has a fun and engaging summer.

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Printable workbook!

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2 - Kindergarten 2D and 3D Shapes Worksheets - Distance Learning

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3 - Kindergarten Numbers to 20 Worksheet Pack - Distance Learning

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Official Animated Film | Made For Kids | Eric Carle Book

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1 - Kindergarten Addition and Subtraction Worksheets (up to 10) - Distance Learning

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MOVEMENT, MUSIC, RHYTHM, AND LEARNING

There will be 10 videos in each set. This is a highly structured, scaffolded program. M is Movement, S is sound. #1 is easiest, #2 is harder. I will be running training sessions about this program. Join the Facebook page to hear about new videos and training sessions.

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These videos are a program of scaffolded, structured, movements for kids.

Each set of 10 videos will have an M (Movement) and S (Sound) complexity level.

M1 = Movement 1 - only one movement per exercise.

S1 = Sound 1 - a very simple beat to help with auditory-motor integration.

More video sets to come soon.

INSTRUCTIONS

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Start at video 1, copy the movements in time to the music, and end with a deep breathing exercise at video 10. Try to do the movements in time with the beat. That helps your brain, ears, eyes, and body to work together.

Then get your learning work done and see if you can focus and work better because your body and brain are ready.

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MOVEMENT, MUSIC & RHYTHM | Power of ATech

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Movement, Music, and Rhythm - a structured, scaffolded program for children. Kids - get your brain and body ready for learning by doing this quick 5-minute program. You can do this fun program before you do any learning work or anytime, to sharpen your coordination, concentration and learning.

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On The Farm 🐷🐮🐔 | Yoga for Toddlers | Yoga Time! - Cosmic Kids

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San Diego Zoo Live Cams

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Head Shoulders Knees And Toes | + More Kids Songs | Featuring Noodle & Pals

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Ms. Drina is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Morning Zoom

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87672136937?pwd=a0g3eGpuQTdaOGczQUlmM3VpamRtZz09

Meeting ID: 876 7213 6937
Passcode: dLZ9e8

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If You Give a Mouse a Brownie by Laura Numeroff - Read Aloud with Sophia!