5 Ways With… Cornflour
5 ways with... is a series that gives you a whole week of ideas with one resource! This time we're focusing on cornflour.
They’re not being “naughty” – they’re exploring the transforming 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.
Creating your own dough is great for sensory play, but it also helps wee one’s understand how mixing things can change them into something new. Let them experiment with the ingredients – the mixing and testing may be more important to them than creating the “perfect” dough model.
Chalk is a fantastic resource because it can be turned from something solid into something else. Smash it, make your own putty, draw with water, or change it into dust with sandpaper!
Wee ones love mixing together their own potions. Using store cupboard ingredients is great for wee ones who still like exploring everything with their mouths, or once they’re past that stage you can go hunting for natural resources to mix together. Food colouring is a great non-toxic way to explore colours.
Create your own (edible) face masks using things like oats, bananas, avocado, yoghurt and coconut oil. Let your wee one squish soft foods with their hands and chat about the way ingredients are transformed as they mix together.
Think about transforming every day objects. What else could a cup be – a hat? a telephone? Act out some ideas and make sound effects and faces together!