While experimenting with brushes, watercolors, and bottle caps, I observed the concept of assemblage, in which each element is interconnected and forms a "human-nonhuman working group" (Deleuze and Guattari 1987). As an extension of using brushes, I used bottle caps to play and mix with green and yellow colours. The final artwork looks like the arrival of Spring and reflects the idea of sustainability.

For the children to understand the concepts of assemblage through playing and painting. 

In this experience, the children will have the opportunity to explore: 

Photo source from: Pre-K Fun (please see attached photo below)

In this learning experience, we will explore paintings with recycled materials, such as bottles, bottle caps, and sticks. 

By using these tools, we will experiment with different bottle cap sizes and shapes to achieve various effects and mix colors to create a composition. Children will develop their creativity, fine motor skills, and understanding of color theory.

After collecting some fallen leaves on the street, I was inspired by their potential for creating an artwork using these natural resources. When I creating my artwork, I noticed that painting served as a medium that enabled an 'interaction' with 'more-than-human' elements (Ingold 2011 cited in Pacini-Ketchabaw et. al 2016, p.53) Leaves were used as stencils when I placed them on the blank paper and paint around them.

In this experience, the children will have the opportunity to explore: 

Photo source from: Empowered Parents (see attached photo below)

Children will go on a nature walk to collect leaves of different shapes and sizes. We will then experiment with different painting techniques using the leaves as brushes, such as dipping them into paint or using them to apply paint directly onto the blank paper.

I will encourage children to observe the various colors and patterns created by the leaves and to explore links between their hands, brushes, leaves, colors and papers. After finish, we will share our artwork with peers and celebrate the beauty of nature.

Inspired by my previous painting, I had a bolder idea: Why not experiment with painting directly on fallen leaves? Why should we always paint on paper? Playing with fallen leaves, I used my fingers, my hands, and brushes to create an abstract painting. After experimenting, I found there were beautiful leaves surface on my palms. That is, painting ignited the new assemblages, in which my hands were transformed into a canvas for natural patterns to leave behind beautiful impressions. (Pacini-Ketchabaw et. al 2016, p.54)

Photo sources from: The Sun (please see attached left highlighting in blue)

In this experience, the children will have the opportunity to explore: 

Photo sources from: The Sun (find attached )

Provide children with natural resources (such as blueberries, and roses). Let them experiment with different techniques such as finger painting, palm printing, and using a combination of fingers and palms to create different textures. I will encourage them to cooperate to paint on each other’s hands and skins. Additionally, I will encourage them to explore colour blending by mixing colours and observing how they intermingle on their skin. After the activity, we will share our hands with each other to see the beauty of the artwork produced.

In this experience, the children will have the opportunity to explore: 

Photo source from: Northwest (see attached photo)

Children will work together in groups to play with musical instruments such as drums, shakers, and bells to create patterns and textures on their paintings. They can also use their bodies to create sounds and movements while painting.

Photo source from: empowered educator

In this experience, the children will have the opportunity to explore: 

2. Learning experience:

Children will play in groups, using their imagination to explore the concept of assemblage in drama by building a story together using natural materials. Children will be encouraged to create a variety of costumes by themselves (e.g. using leaves and paper to create a T-shirt, using carpet to pretend to be scarves). As the children progress through the story, they will have the opportunity to add different elements to the assemblage, such as props and sounds, further enhancing their creative and imaginative skills. After the play, ask open-ended questions to children, such as “How do you feel about working together to create something new”.

This learning activity helps children explore the notion of assemblage in drama as they work together, adding different elements to create a new story  (Bennett 2010) .

The activity allows children to use their imagination and creativity through movement, props and storytelling to work in groups and develop their social skills when exploring the idea of assemblage.

Source from:http://www.louisapenfold.com/make-a-cardboard-assemblage/

In this experience, the children will have the opportunity to explore: 

Children will be encouraged to play with loose parts (such as cardboard, bottles, paper, markers and so on) to create a cardboard assemblage. They can use their imagination to design their own cardboard and create everything they want.

As Bennett (2010) stated, the concept of assemblage indicated a “human-nonhuman working group”, in which different factors are linked and come together to create something new. Assemblage challenges traditional ideas and opens up new potentials for children to express their emotions and show their personal stories. Therefore, I believe it is important for us as educators to implement the concept of assemblage in early childhood settings.

Anderson, B., Kearnes, M., McFarlane, C., & Swanton, D. 2012. ‘On assemblages and geography’. Dialogues in Human Geography, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 171–189.

Bennett, J. 2004. ‘The force of things: Steps toward an ecology of matter’. Political Theory, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 347– 372. 

Bennett, J. 2010, Vibrant matter: A political ecology of things, Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Deleuze, G., & Guattari, F. 1987. A thousand Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. 

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V, Kind, S & Kocher, LLM 2016, Encounters with materials in early childhood education, Routledge.

Victoria University 2023, Session 1-3, viewed 10th May 2023,