Caution: Construction Site

The Rainbows delighted in building with the lightweight yet sturdy cardboard blocks this week. Castles, towers, and houses appeared on the rug. There was even a house for the animals. They needed shelter from the wind and the rain.

The children giggled when a tower got tippy, and shouted with delight when it crashed to the ground. We are working on being sure to respect others' work. The Rainbows are learning that you may knock down the tower you built, but not another child's tower.

Hooray for Magna-tiles!

After observing the children using the colorful magna-tiles to build interesting structures on the rug in the classroom, we created an inviting setup that encouraged their continued use. The children gently placed the magna-tiles on the mirrors. Before long, they began rearranging and creating their own designs and constructions, exploring weight, balance, and ascending planes as they worked.

The first and third images are examples of the towers the children designed, the second image is an ant trap that Aaron created, and the last photo is a bee hive that Joshua constructed.

Notice how the children used the magna-tiles to create amazing structures with beautiful elements of design, and in the process, furthered their development of spacial relations, math concepts, and problem-solving skills.