Wondering what to do next with the children? Painting is a great activity that invites children to play and explore the world of colors! Art activities are a way to relax, pursue creativity, learn about colors, play with water and practice fine motor skills.

How to prepare?

For watercolor painting, you will need watercolors, paint brush(es), large heavyweight white paper, masking tape for making the paper stay still, and cups of water.

When you are starting a watercolor painting with children it is good to teach the basics in the very beginning:

• Show children how to dip the paintbrush into the water
• Show children how to take color onto the paintbrush
• Remind children to wash the paintbrush in between changing colors
• Show children the magic of color mixing
  • yellow + blue = green
  • red + blue = purple
  • yellow + red = orange

Then let the children lead!

When you have set everything ready, there is really not much more to do than letting the children lead the game. Let the children decide what colors to use and what type of marks to paint.

It is much more fun and surprising when you do not give any specific orders or ideas on painting.

In case you are painting with little children, it is a good idea to assist with changing colors and washing the paintbrush every once in a while. With older children, you can for example give them a black permanent marker to add some drawings along the watercolor paint.

When the children seem ready, you may ask what did they paint and write down the name of the child/artist, the date, and what is on the picture described by the artist him/herself.

Also, remind the children to clean the paintbrush with lukewarm water after painting. Too hot water or soap can damage the paint brushes. You can clean the brush easily by making circles on your palm under the running water. When all the color has washed off, then set the paint brushes aside to dry.

Need more ideas?

Below are some links for more ideas on watercolor painting with children. Have fun!

Are you stressing to find new exciting and also pedagogical lesson plans for the children? Rainbows are lovely and an interesting topic to explore all year round! You can combine multiple learning areas with the theme; for example science, expressive arts and design, or mathematics.

Below you can find a selection of different kinds of rainbow activities for children inspired by Little bins for little hands! You can for example organize an entire theme week around rainbows or then choose a single activity.

The most important thing in the rainbow activities is of course the colors! There are 7 colors in the rainbow; violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. All activities include all the colors and children will surely get familiar with all of them during the activities.

1. Lego rainbow

Build a Lego or Duplo rainbow with children! First of all, look for colorful Lego bricks.

You will need:

• Lego bricks in all the colors of the rainbow  
• White Lego bricks for clouds
• A base plate 

Encourage children to try to build their own rainbows by using their creativity and imagination! The only rule is they have to have all the seven colors included. In case you need some help and inspiration for Lego rainbows, look here. 

2. Rainbow water + paper experiment

In this scientific experiment, children will be amazed how the colors of the rainbow travel on paper!

You will need:

• Water
• 9 identical glass jars
• Food coloring (red, blue, yellow)
• Paper towels
• Small spoons
• Scissors

Take the glass jars and add water + food coloring to them (3 x red, 3 x yellow, 3 x blue). Try to add the same amount of food coloring to each jar and stir.

Cut thin and long strips of paper towel. The idea is that the paper strip fits in the glass jar so adjust the size based on the glass jars.

Organize the glass jars into a circle so that they are in order (red, yellow, blue, red, yellow, blue). Place the paper towel strips into the glass jars. There will be two ends in each tube so that the circle becomes finalized.

Wait and watch how the colors meet and mix. You can ask the children to anticipate what is going to happen. In case you want to see more information about the experiment, click here.

3. Real rainbows

If you are lucky you might get to see a real rainbow outside when it is both sunny and rainy! If that is not likely, you can create a rainbow by yourself!

You will need:

• CDs
• Flashlight
• Crystal or prism

CDs + Flashlight = Make rainbows using a small flashlight and a CD. Shine the light from your flashlight onto the surface of the CD to make a bold beautiful rainbow.

Crystal + Natural light = Use a crystal or a prism and natural sunlight to make rainbows everywhere. Tiny rainbows appear all over the ceilings and walls as the light touches the crystal/prism. 

Let the children get creative and test out to see if they can come up with more ideas on how to make rainbows by using flashlights or natural light.

Kindiedays lesson plans - activities in all learning areas!

4. Playdough rainbow

Little hands get busy while molding cute little play dough rainbows!

Have you heard buzz words like Portfolio Learning and Pedagogical Documentation? Have felt you should do it to guarantee quality learning, but don't really know how? You are not alone. It is still a new thing. Used cleverly it will improve your teaching, give you an advantage, and increase the parent's appreciation for your work. Here is how to take the first steps.

Portfolio Learning or Pedagogical Documentation is an essential working method in early childhood education and it guarantees the best possible learning path for all children. It is one step in the learning process consisting of planning of activities, documentation, and formative assessment. The whole learning process must also be tightly aligned with your curriculum.

Simply, Pedagogical Documentation is observing for example children’s play, projects, discussions, ideas, and inventions via taking photos, making notes, writing down explanations as well as tricky questions, saving artwork, videoing action, recording voice...and using all the documents purposefully as part of the formative assessment of children's learning. What makes documentation Pedagogical Documentation is the idea that educators use the documents wisely - reflect on them and modify their planning and teaching accordingly (Katz & Chard 1996.)

What makes documentation Pedagogical Documentation is the idea that educators use the documents wisely - reflect on them and modify their planning and teaching accordingly (Katz & Chard 1996.)

Pedagogical documentation gives educators new views of children’s behavior, thoughts, ideas, challenges, and creative processes. Each lovely, unique child deserves to be known and understood as an individual (Katz & Chard, 1996).

The process of pedagogical documentation is meaningful only if you take advantage of the possibilities and challenges it offers. It is important to think about how you can develop the activities. What themes, methods or goals should you choose next? What is your next step toward better early childhood education? (Tarkka 2018.)

Before documentation

Children just LOVE to play! Therefore, in early childhood education and care, play is the most important way of learning. See the tips and a practical example of how to incorporate learning in play in a pedagogical manner - and soon the children love love love to learn too!

What is Finnish ECEC?

Why play?

Play motivates the children and simply brings joy. In early childhood education and care, it is necessary to understand the value of play for the children. The play has also pedagogical significance in learning as well as in children’s holistic growth and well-being.

Do adults have to play too?

Play is a key practice in early childhood education and care. It is important for teachers to observe children’s play and either guide it from outside or participate in it. The presence of teachers in play situations supports interaction among the children and prevents conflicts.

Teachers must also document the children’s play. Observation of play gives tons of information about their world - thoughts, interests, emotions, experiences, fears...

How do we make children's learning visible?

Where to play?

Children’s learning environments need to be flexible, as play and games can take place anywhere depending on the children’s imagination and wishes. Play and therefore also learning happens everywhere, not only during guided activities or circle time. Children might learn various things while for example taking a stroll in the forest (tree species), building a lego tower (counting blocks), or dressing up a doll (body parts).

How to combine playing + learning?

1. Observe what the children are interested in. What they talk about and what they like to play with.

2. Define the theme or project for the next activities based on children's needs and skills.

2. Define the learning objectives aligned with the children's individual, group, and center curriculum. 

3. Plan activities that involve the children's interests + learning objectives

EXAMPLE

THE CHALLENGE

In many countries, the government has given prime importance to Early Childhood Education. This will no doubt raise the bar for quality education across the whole market.

1. The curriculums and pedagogical approaches are renewed significantly:

• Play-, activity- and inquiry-based pedagogy is in focus.
• Learning objectives guide the planning and implementation of activities.
• Assessment is all about examining and developing the learning process.

2. Parents need to be empowered

• Parents have an important role in the child’s learning.
• New ways for them to participate and take responsibility need to be developed.

3. Preschools and childcare centers face increased competition

• The renewal underlines the achievement and accountability of prescribed curricular standards.
• Parents ask for proof of the children’s learning and want to see Return on Investment.

New competencies and new working methods are now required to achieve the desired outcomes in the preschool. The use of new technology is also a prerequisite for making the change successful.

A STRUCTURED END-TO-END LEARNING PROCESS IS REQUIRED

The whole learning process needs to be revisited to support holistic learning: