Exploring possibilities with wood

Thanks to some great organisation from Donna, this morning we received a wonderful gift from the team at Survey Supplies; new wood for the carpentry area.

Carpentry - Tārai Rākau -  provides children with opportunities to use tools and equipment whilst developing imagination and creativity as they transfer their thinking to the 'project'.

Looking into the first of the bags, the children immediately noticed all the different shapes and sizes, "Look this one is like the top of a castle" one child declared and "here is a square".

With so many different shapes and sizes to explore, our first focus with the new wood was to discover its many possibilities.

"I'm building a tall, tall house"

"I'm going to build an aeroplane"

"Here is a rocket"

Cut wood offers opportunities to explore balance, symmetry, weight and  height. As the children stack, sort and group the wood they develop their inquiry and research skills as independent thinkers.

 Lucas measures the work of a peer and then tests his findings against his own tower.

Wood blocks were stacked on their ends  as other children tested and then re-tested the concepts of balance and stability by attempting to build taller and taller towers.

Many times these towers toppled but the children displayed great persistence and problem solving, by immediately starting the process of building again.

Providing opportunities and time for children to explore possibilities with resources helps them to develop their investigation and questioning skills as they explore ideas from a range of perspectives.

Kim