5 Ways With… Pom Poms
5 ways with... is a series that gives you a whole week of ideas with one resource! This time we're focusing on pom poms.
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If your wee one...
- Places toys in neat rows instead of playing with them “properly”
- Has strong feelings about who sits where
- Prefers food presented separately instead of mixed together
- Enjoys patterns and grouping similar objects together
They’re not being “naughty” – they’re exploring the positioning schema
Schemas are patterns of repeated behaviours which children engage in. They are a crucial part of development and learning. Here are some ideas can help channel their interest.
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1. Scavenger Hunts
How many things in your house can you find that are pink? Go on a scavenger hunt for objects that have something in common, then let your wee one position everything the way they want to. This is a great way to chat together about shapes, colours, numbers and size.
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2. Sorting
Items like pom poms are great for sorting by colour, but you could find use any other small object. Find them together and sort them by shape, colour, pattern or material!
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3. Stacking
Creating piles or towers of objects can be a great way to explore positioning too. Blocks or stacking cups are the most obvious examples, but your wee one might enjoy the challenge of natural objects like sticks or stones when out and about. Or what about stacking dishes in a dish rack?
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4. Mandalas
Mandalas are large circular patterns. Gather items to make a piece of art – natural materials like stones, leaves and sticks can be great for this. Start a centre and radiate outwards in a circle – once your wee one gets the idea you’ll be amazed how often they start building their own.
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5. Move together
Positioning can also be learning about how to move our bodies together – try mirroring their movements, matching body parts and letting your wee one take the lead.
More ideas that explore the positioning schema...
Same, But Different
Wee ones often love handing objects to adults - it's a great way of communicating what they're interested in. Name the object and try to match it to something the same colour, shape or texture. "That's blue teddy - what else is blue?"
Creative Skills Podcast :
Mini Worlds
With a little imagination, cracks in pavements, plants or rocks become their own miniature worlds. Slow down, find an interesting spot, then ask some "I wonder..." questions: I wonder who could live there? I wonder what they need?
Dancing Cheek to Cheek
Next time you're having a kitchen disco, say"Dancing cheek to cheek!" then dance with yourcheek against theirs as you count to 8. Vary theshapes and moves you make by naming differentbody parts - "dancing knee to shoulder" anyone?
Creative Skills Podcast :
Mandala Patterns
A mandala ("circle" in Sanskirt) is a circular pattern dating back as far as 400BC, used in religions including Buddhism and Hinduism. You can use natural materials, small objects or toys. Place one item in the centre, then radiate layers outwards to build concentric circles.
Let ’em Rip
If you have a wee one who loves ripping or shredding bits of paper, turn it into temporary art. Bits of coloured paper from takeaway menus, magazines or junk mail can be sorted into colours to make shapes, mosaic pictures or even a rainbow!
You’ve Been Framed
Create a piece of art by laying out natural materials (leaves, sticks, stones etc) in a frame on the ground. The frame can be made of sticks, tape, anything that that helps focus the eye.
