This week we have been super busy working on our mark-making skills, especially as a lot of the children (we have a super clever bunch in nursery!) will be starting Phase 2 phonics next week and will then begin to work on their letter formation.
Mark-making is SUCH an important part of the whole writing process - and most importantly it should be FUN and exciting for them.. and boy did we have fun! I read a lot of education forums and came across a post which made me so sad. A practitioner said that her children were mark making anywhere but the mark making area, on the walls, the tables - so she removed the mark making area from the classroom! Guys, this is not the way forward! We should be encouraging mark making in all forms (I'm not saying let them destroy the room with their mark making!) ..but there are ways to make mark making fun - not just sitting at a table with a pencil!
Brian Clegg's Little Brian company sent me over some paint sticks for the children to use and they have LOVED them so much! We had the metallic and the day glow set - the day glow are my favourite because they're super bright neon 80s colours!
When the word paint is mentioned in an Early Years Classroom it often leaves the practitioner hiding under a table thinking 'Please God, just choose another activity' because the mess is often too much to bear! Kids just love piling on the paint and repainting over the same spot over and over until the paper disintegrates! Not with these bad boys!
Initially the children just used them to create pictures in the creative area and taking the lids off and putting them back on again also supported their fine motor development;
The children produced some lovely work and there was minimal mess to clean up afterwards which was a total bonus!
We then began to experiment with mixing colours which the children really enjoyed, but before long they had other ideas (as they always do!)...
They soon realised that they could paint their hands and fingers and transfer it on to the paper which they thought was brilliant!
We used them on huge sheets of paper to create larger pictures;
...and I also taped some paper underneath the tables which was one of their favourite activities! They loved lying on their backs and a bonus was they were developing their gross motor skills too without even realising it!!
However, the highlight of the whole week was getting to mark make on the windows!! Yes my friends, the kiddos were using the paint sticks on the windows! (Don't worry, I did make it clear to them that we only do this in nursery - I didn't want any angry parents coming after me after their child decided to turn into Picasso on their bedroom windows!)
I could not keep the boys away from this area - normally it's a struggle to get them into the creative or writing activities but this is definitely an activity that I will be using a lot in my classroom now! I just used baby wipes to clean it off the windows, I didn't even need any harsh sprays it was such a breeze to remove even after the paint had dried!
If you would like to purchase these paint sticks for yourself then they can be purchased from Brian Clegg direct, in store at ToysRUs or even Amazon with prices starting from just £4.99 - they're a great addition to any classroom and would make a great stocking filler for Christmas for your own kiddos - especially those with an aversion to paint and mess!!
For the full Brian Clegg range then simply visit their website for lots more creative ideas!
I received these products for free to try out with my class. However, the review and opinions are my own and I have given a full and true reflection of how these products were used and tested in my classroom.
I hope this has gave you some ideas to use in your own classroom and given you an insight into how Brian Clegg/Little Brian items could be used in your own classroom or at home!
Head on over to Brian Clegg Art's Facebook page to keep up to date with all the latest competition and offers and ideas on how to use their products! Happy mark making!
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