Displays

[Buttercup]

I have 5 very empty display boards. No problem you might say. Well normally not but last term the foundation stage consultant and ofsted both commented on their was too much adult orientated display.

 

Example - we wanted a display on handas suprise healthy eating and all that. we cut out the fruit children decorated. i can sort of see their point but how do you get children who cannot draw and some just about cut make an orange shape.

 

Example - Birds we cut out the shape children stuck on their bits and we helped them to make wings out of fans.

 

yes we also put up paintings totally done by the children.

 

Children are interested in dinosaurs at the moment so how do i make a child orientated display.

 

help i am getting really worked up

 

angela

[Rufus]

A really nice way of addressing this is getting children to make the backing. If you would like a dinosaur display the chidlrne could make the ground by painting with their feet onto large paper. They sky could be made by sponge printing etc and then the chidlren's work could be put up on that. Just an idea.

[NickyR]

We've always been told that a display should be made up from a maximum of 20% adult and 80% child, which means nothing to me. So what we tend to do is find an image of the subject we (the children and us) would like to cover, in your case dinosaurs and then the children re-create the image using a variety of resources. We then display the image we originally started with in the centre of the display board and surround it with the works of art our children have created.

 

As for a more arty display, which we like to create at times over the year, we've found these a little more difficult. However, we're working on this and if we come up with a solution we'll let you know. As it is at the moment, we just let the children do the majority of the work, even the cutting out, but might give them more support than we usually do when they are making their own little creations. But it definitely ends up with more adult involvement than it should.

Edited September 22, 2008 by NickyR

[Gezabel]

I agree with the suggestion of getting the children to make the backing.

We did a teddy bears picnic display. The backing was 'the woods' and children did foot painting in greens and browns and then painted the sky with a variety of things: sponges, combs, rags etc. They went out and took bark rubbings to make trunks for the trees and did leaf prints to stick on the 'trunks'. They also did hand painting in lots of autumn 'leaf colours' and these were also used as leaves on trees. We had a variety of teddies, some that looked recognisably like teddies and some that didn't but it was the children's input

 

It was great and totally child orientated. I do use the odd pre cut template for some things but really try not to.

[JacquieL]

Keep displays simple. The background idea is a really good one letting the children enjoy themselves, perhaps directing it by limiting their colours. Use photographs of the children, for example if they are interested in dinosaurs take photographs of what they are doing to demonstrate their interest - playing in the small world, or making models, sharing a book, or whatever they choose to do. Then display the pictures with a comment underneath about what they were doing/saying/learning. If someone does a painting and doesn't insist on taking it home, then you can display that as well. Value what the children produce and whatever it looks like. If they tell you about their dinosaur, then that is what they have painted. It doesn't have to look like one to you and me.

What you could have done with the healthy food is again take photos of them tasting foods, having snack, visiting a supermarket or whatever you did with them, put out some cut fruit or veg for printing with, or seeds, pips, pasta in the creative area for them to choose for collage. They don't have to be able to paint or draw something if they are not ready for that.

[Guest]

We set up our three display boards just before term started with the thinking they would fit in with our chosen 'theme' of nursery rhymes.

 

So 'Twinkle twinkle little star' was purple with black border, 'Baa, baa black sheep'/'Jack and Jill' was a blue background with a green hill. The last one we just left yellow with a blue border.

 

Well. week one twinkle twinkle became the moon, space travel, rockets, planets and lots of glitter.

 

Week two the only child who chose to use the range of resources to make a black sheep wanted to take it home for his Granny.

 

Week three the yellow board is going to be covered with leaf shapes collaged with leaves twigs etc after our autumn walk today, prompted by a child bringing in leaves that thay had found in their garden.

 

My advice, just make the boards look attractive and let the children decide what goes on them if you can!

 

Rachel

[Guest]

I agree with an earlier post.

 

If children say that what they have painted is indeed a dinosaur then in their eyes it is!

 

Displays are about their work, their progression............. not about what you yourself expect to see.

I think (hope) days are long gone when notice boards were full of perfect little identical birds / teddies etc.

 

Its about valuing the children's work. At all times.

 

[Lou]

Hi

 

I don't think you need an orange to look like an orange, just label it as an orange if that is what the child has drawn. I know that was just an example of what you were talking about but it is all about how the child interprets and re-creates an object.

[Guest]

I've just done a display board where I have written the title in the middle 'We explored paint' Then underneath I have written 'What does it feel like' the question I asked the children as they were exploring the paint. I have then written the childrens comments in speech bubbles and included photo's of the activity and also the pictures that the children produced. One child who is heavily into cars wanted to put the wheels in the paint and roll this across the paper which left a lovely track but then he carried on exploring and completely covered this. Luckily I got a photo of the track, so this is on the display too. I have also put up the 'creative card' from the EYFS pack to add weight to the activity. It seems to have gone down well, and the parents can see the process and the learning involved.

[hali]

excellent ideas - thanks

[Guest]

we had the similar comment from oftsed too (and our children our 0-5 years!!)

 

right what we try and do to make it more child orientated -

 

for example if like u said the children were decorating birds.....you could get a few real pictures of actual birds....place in front of the child when creating their drawing either with paints, crayons, various art materials to glue and stick on etc.....and then that is their impression of a bird.

 

then when we put it up on display, say what it is and have "real" pictures of the actual object/animal etc on it....

[Buttercup]

thankyou for your ideas.

 

i do agree that times have changed and i think for the better. it is just hard sometimes to move away from what you have done for years.

 

angela

[Guest]

i think that we all like our displays to look nice as we feel it reflects on our settings. We had a comment by ofsted on ours as I we had sheep on the wall and one had no eyes or feet!!!, 1 had pink fur and the other was just a cut out piece of card. I was out to impress them but thought about what they might look for and yes as i sais they did comment and they said it was nice to see children's work on the wall howver minimal it was.