We just love playing and creating on a Sticky Easel. You can see how to make one here, they are so simple and yet so much fun!
Today I set up a quick Invitation to Play with the sticky easel and ribbons and string.
Ages: 2-6+
(M is 3 years old here. See Tips at the bottom to simplify or extend to meet the needs of your child)
Materials: Contact paper/Sticky-back plastic (the stuff you cover books with), sticky tape, string, ribbon, wool etc.
I provided the string/ribbon in different lengths. Some short, some long.
Maddie got herself into a bit of a tangle here :)
We talked a lot about different lengths, patterns, colours, designs, weaving, manipulating and more while we played
Adding in different widths. Easy to talk about the contrast with children.
"Wow, that is a thick ribbon. It is so much wider than the string" etc
Use ribbons and string to make letters, words, numbers, designs, pictures and so on.
- Simplify this activity by providing materials for sticking that are appropriate for your child. If strings provide a hazard for your child, be sure to supervise and/or switch for shorter lengths. Also, if sitting/standing at an easel won't work, try sticking the contact onto a baking tray and giving them that to play with on the floor.
- Extend this activity by having your child test the strength of the stickiness by trying to stick other objects from around the room on there. What weight or size becomes too much? Use the sticky easel for early literacy practice such as making letters, writing words etc.
-Ask questions to help connect their understanding and use vocabulary to give them words to describe what they're creating, eg. "That looks great, tell me about it" "What are you creating?" "Why did you choose that?" "How are you going to fill this space?" "I love how you've lined them all up in a row" etc.
- Listen to your child talk as they go through their experiences. This will help you determine where they are at with their learning, knowledge and understanding and help you to develop the activity (or future activities) to their level and interests.
Here are some more fun activities using contact paper
Craft Sticks and Straws on the Sticky Easel
15 Fun ways to use Contact Paper
15 MORE Fun activities with Contact Paper
Craft Sticks and Straws on the Sticky Easel
15 Fun ways to use Contact Paper
15 MORE Fun activities with Contact Paper
Happy playing,
Debs :)
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