Frozen Painting - 5th August 2021
Planned Experience:
Emily (educator) planned to do a frozen painting experience for the children to explore. So yesterday she collected the resources for this experiment like cupcake tray, food colouring, small pop sticks and water. She added water to the cupcake tray. Then she added different food colours to the water. Then she placed pop sticks onto it. After everything is done, she placed the tray in the fridge. This morning the children were playing outdoors in the newly upgraded Possum yard. Emily arranged a table with chairs around it, then she got some paper and the cupcake tray from the fridge. Now the water is frozen and become ice cubes with the pop stick in it. I invited the children to have a turn with the frozen painting. The children looked at me with a puzzled look. When I explained to them and asked what about painting on a paper with ice cubes. They got interested and came to the table with excitement. Everyone had a turn, even babies were curious and interested to do this painting. The children painted for a bit with the ice cube on the paper by holding the pop stick. Then after a while they can't control themselves, they started to lick the ice blocks. When I asked Ruby, "does it taste good?". She said, "yes, like an ice block". On hearing this Emily and I decided to do a follow up experience by using fruit juice. I told Emily I have orange and lemon tree at home, and I would bring some oranges and lemons. Emily would bring a juice maker. We have planned to repeat this experience with fruit juice instead of water. The children had fun with painting and licking the ice cubes till all cubes turned to water. The children experienced an art activity by doing a painting, had sensory play by feeling and tasting the ice cubes. They also had exercised fine motor skills by holding the pop sticks to do the painting. They had a social play by sharing the resources and learned some turn taking skills.
Link to Pedagogical Documentation
EYLF Outcomes
Outcomes: 4: Children are confident and involved learners Elements: 4.1 Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity. Children in this learning experience were curious and enthusiastic to paint with the coloured ice blocks and they were also curious in tasting it.
Theorists
This learning experience can be linked to Piaget's theories. He believes that children need to be able to see, touch, taste, smell, move and hear the things they are learning about. This is called 'concrete learning'.
Interpretation
Critical Reflection: Emily and I encouraged children to participate in this expereince. We questioned children about the experience and the colour and feel of the icecube. The colour was not bright as expected when the children painted on the paper with the coloured ice cubes. It gave us an idea to try with more food colouring next time. Follow Up: Frozen fruit juice experience. Links to STEAM - Science and Arts.
