Inspiring Imaginations... Leprechaun Day Part 2: Making Memories

Make sure to read Leprechaun Day Part 1: Building Anticipation before you read part 2 !!

And now for the rest of the story..... 

WOW!  Does that phrase ever take me on a trip down memory lane! Riding in the silage cutter with my dad, listening to Paul Harvey as I am rocked to sleep by the rhythm of the dirt ruts with my head gently bobbling against the window.  Thoughts of the snack that awaited me in my Fisher Price barn lunch box with the silo thermos)

WHY is that memory so vivid in my mind?  Because that memory involves all of the senses.  The sweet smell of silage being cut, the soothing sound of Paul Harvey telling a story, the sight of the golden field against the vibrant blue sky through the bug splattered windshield, the rhythmic movement of the tractor, the fantastic feeling of one-on-one time with someone who was the world to me.  The sense of being important and loved. It was a real experience...that left a real memory that is easily recalled, even 36 years later.


We retain, and are able to recall information easier when multiple senses are involved.  Whether  setting the stage or  following child's uninhibited lead, be aware of the senses that are engaged.  All of the preparations for Leprechaun Day that I have shared thus far, and that I will share in roughly 60 words engage the senses.

We are touching, smelling, seeing, hearing and tasting.  There are ideas being formed, conclusions being made, curiosity being fed, and most importantly there are memories being made.  Making memories and storing information that will later be recalled and put together with other experiences  to create something that, right now, is unimaginable!

Colorful Paper Towel Races

The way this activity came about could be a blog post all in it's own.  It's another reminder that following the lead of children, and being spontaneous can lead to GREAT discoveries!!

All you need is:

•  paper towel (I like the "Bounty Select a Size" because you can tear off 1/2 sized sheets)
• colored water (the most cost-effective way to make colored water is using Liquid Watercolor from www.discountschoolsupply )
• pipettes or droppers (pipettes from www.stevespanglerscience.com are my favorite)

Jack and Parker are preparing the paper towel for the big color race!

I LOVE this photo.....Jack is cheering on his color (in the end, as you can see
all the colors mix together, and they ALL win!!)

Three active boys focused on watching colored water travel
down a piece of paper towel.....that is the kind of focus
following children can lead to!!  Giving ownership of discovery to
children gives them pride.  We care more when we
are proud!

Holding the paper towel horizontally results in a lot of color mixing!

Jack and Ella discover yet another way to add the color to the
paper towel!

We discovered that there is no right or wrong way to do this....no matter how you do it,
the results are colorfully beautiful!!

Balloon Painting

It's as simple as this oldie, but goodie sounds...just paint, balloons and paper!  The only tip I can think of is to leave your balloons a bit mushy so they can be squished without worry about popping!

This is harder, and requires more muscle control then the
pictures portray.  When you combine the unstable surface
of a balloon to the slipperiness of the paint you've
got a great small and large motor workout!

Ty is 2 in this photo, and does not have the upper body strength
that Ty and Jack have....he is doing more of a tap, tap, tap
effect with the balloon, where the other boys are giving that balloon
a good SQUISH!  Both methods are fun!

Rainbow Ice

Materials:

• Ice (I don't have an ice maker, so I usually keep a bag of ice in the freezer so it's ready and available when we need it!)
• Containers for the ice
• paint brushes
• Liquid Watercolor
• Water
• salt (for added affect, sprinkle on the painted ice cubes)

 Directions:

• Dilute the liquid watercolor in water (I use just the primary colors so new colors can be discovered)
• put ice cubes in a container
• Step back and observe.  The conversations and excitment is contagious as the colors blend and new ones emerge! (I think I used magenta instead of red as it's such a beautiful color, and mixes with the others to create the "missing ones")

  

Rainbow Toast

The ideas that garner the most excitment and pride from young children are the ones that end up getting repeated time and time again!  This is one of those!  I  have to remind myself that even though I have done this again and again (for 14 years) ...the children haven't!!  It's requested ALL THE TIME by the children that have been at Giggles and Grins for years...and it's a wonderful experience and source of pride for those that are new!

Supplies:

• Milk
• Sugar
• FOOD COLORING (do Not use Liquid Watercolor for this!!)
• BRAND NEW watercolor sized paint brushes
• bowls
• bread
• butter
• cinnamon and sugar

Process:

1. Mix the milk, a bit of sugar and food coloring...
2. Let the children paint their bread as they please.  Using the watercolor paint brushes makes it almost impossible to use too much paint and therefore turning the bread to mush.
3. Toast
4. Add butter and cinnamon and sugar
5. Gobble

And there you have it, ALMOST the rest of the story!! "Leprechaun Day Part 3: The Sneaky Leprechaun" will be coming soon......that will be the final part and will focus on what a Leprechaun just might do if you are fortunate enough to have one visit!! The final component that is the icing on the cake for inspiring imaginations!!

I hope that this series has so far:

•  inspired new ideas (the intent in sharing ideas is not for you to identically replicate my experiences, but to take these ideas and make them your own.  See what happens when you provide these opportunities for your crew.  Set the stage...and then FOLLOW THE CHILDREN!  They may lead you in an entirely different direction then mine did!!)
• reminded you the importance of fostering imaginations
• brought awareness of the importance of sensory integration in learning and creating memories
• been enjoyable to read!

Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section!  I am always learning, and your feedback helps me know if you find this blog helpful, or if there are other topics you would find helpful!!

Don't miss part 3 of this Leprechaun Day series!!