Materials Required
- Paper – A4 is a good size
- Lead pencils
- Eraser
- Sharpener
- Coloured pencils (optional)
- Paint- water based or watercolours, Fine paintbrushes (optional)
Preparation
Set a table with all resources – paper, lead pencils (or charcoal), eraser, sharpener, coloured pencils (optional).
Method (or Ideas)
- Take your child for a walk in your garden or neighbourhood.
- Discuss their favourite plant or leaf or flower.
- Encourage them to collect or take a photo of a favourite leaf, tree or flower.
- Take this home with you and discuss what this item looks like, feels like, colours, shapes.
- Encourage your child to sketch a picture of this item using lead pencils or charcoal.
- Let them work independently and just check on them occasionally offering encouragement or advice if they ask for it.
Facilitation Tips – What To Say
- Do you have a favourite plant or flower?
- Why is this your favourite?
- Let’s see what we can find around us and maybe you might find a favourite here.
- What colours can you see?
- What shape is it?
- How big do you think it might grow?
Extend the Experience
- You could encourage children to paint their sketch using watercolour paint or watercolour pencils.
- Sketch other items in your house.
WHO Guidelines for Physical Activity & Sedentary Behaviour
Walking outdoors in the environment to collect materials for sketching is being physically active.
Early Years Learning Framework
Outcomes
- Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment
- Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity
Practice
Practice: Responsiveness to children. Responsive learning relationships are strengthened as educators and children learn together and share decisions, respect and trust. Responsiveness enables educators to respectfully enter children’s play and ongoing projects, stimulate their thinking and enrich their learning.