How to develop problem solving and creativity using loose materials

Friday 27th April – 9.30am – 3.30pm

Course venue: West Thornton Primary Academy, Croydon CR0 3BS

Led by Jackie Slaughter – Specialist Leader in Education for early years

Loose materials are anything that can be assembled, disassembled, moved, combined and re-imagined in an endless variety of ways, providing children with endless opportunities for problem-solving and creativity. Find out how you can use many of these free, natural and man-made resources across the curriculum.

This course will enable you to:

Discover how to provide an enabling environment using loose materials
Actively engage in using loose materials in all areas of the curriculum – inside and out
Find out how to provide for exciting and engaging resources on a shoe-string budget
Learn how using loose materials supports problem-solving and develops critical thinking

Target audience: This course benefits anyone working in, or leading early years. You will come away equipped with a wealth of ideas in order to raise engagement levels and improve teaching and learning, in your setting.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Book Via: http://westthorntonta.org.uk/cpd/developing-problem-solving-and-creativity-using-loose-materials

Using natural materials outside

I had a great day working with some school direct students today. I challenged them to make something for mother’s day with natural materials which they had to collect from outside. It never ceases to amaze me how everyone produces something so entirely different…….and that’s exactly why I love working with loose materials. Whether natural or man-made they are so flexible, offer so many opportunities and different ways of working…. in 2 and 3d.

Look at how students from a previous course arrange leaves on a skewer! There are so many ways in which you can challenge children with just this one activity. You can challenge them to make a repeating pattern, order leaves from large to small/small to large or order them by shades of colour – light to dark or vice versa. These are just a few, there are many, many more.