Making 'Clothes'

I used to take pictures of the kids at play long before I started this blog. I've always put a lot of thought and effort into the toys and materials I provide for them and I liked to look back on the fun things we'd done. The other day I stumbled across this photo of Em and remembered a great fun activity I used to set up for her.



It was around the time when had just turned four and her favourite things to do were to play with her soft toys and plastic animals and do art and craft activities (nothing's really changed!).

I used to get all of her larger plastic animals out onto the kitchen table, along with textas, stickers, long strips of paper, scissors and a stapler.

She would 'dress' each animal one by one in the decorated strips of paper, designing, sticking and stapling as she went.



Then she would line them up in an "Animal Fashion Parade"

Of course, she could never resist making something special for Hamley too.



This activity is not only great fun, it also
- helps her to master the use of sticky tape, scissors and staplers
- gives her practice in measuring and estimating
- works on creativity and imagination
- builds spatial awareness and eye-hand co-ordination
- helps her to practice her drawing skills
- builds on her language skills as she talks about what she is doing
- and gives her yet another way to express and explore her interest in animals

I was thinking it would be great to use wrapping paper as well. I wonder if those trains and cars would like some clothes too?

Come over and play at the 'Childhood 101' 'We Play' link up