Preschool have been showing a keen interest in bugs and mini beasts since starting the construction of their bug hotel in our new forest school area. So we set out the tuff tray with resources based around this interest to enable the children to explore the marks they could make with the bugs in the paint. The children dipped the bugs into paint and covered their feet with paint, then moved the bugs around to make their marks. They then covered their hands in paint and described it as ‘slimy’ and ‘slippery’. They created lots of hand prints and then touched their faces and realised how cold it felt. The children looked in the mirror to look at the marks they had made and laughed. “I look like a bug!” one child said.
The children were very independent in cleaning up afterwards to safely remove the paint from their skin.
EYFS links (30-50 months)
Exploring using media and materials; Explores colour and how colours can be changed / Beginning to be interested in and describe the texture of things.
Writing; Sometimes gives meaning to marks as they draw and paint.
Health and self-care; Can usually manage washing and drying hands.