jennyjenkinz Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hi there, can anyone help me out? I am having a mental block...could you point out a few of the positives to having a construction area within a setting? and how Problem Solving as a theme can engage children as a group in the construction area? yours, most gratefully, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) What type of construction are we thinking about, - kits, like lego, k'nex etc. or the large wooden community playthings stuff, outside planks, crates etc. Edited March 22, 2011 by Panders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennyjenkinz Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 oops! I am thinking about the large hollow blocks and the unit block that you get from community playthings and planks, crates etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I think that large scale construction can appeal to those physical chidlren who are difficult to engage. By providing resources such as clipboards and pencils, rulers, set squares, cameras, screwfix catalogue, wickes catalgue etc you could broaden their CLL and PSRN involvement. Through in some high-vis vests and yellow hard hats, mobile phones/ walkie talkies. You could even do some woodworking with bits of scrap wood, saws, hammers and nails - all perfectly safe if properly risk assessed, modelled and supervised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) For me the children "lose" themselves in deeper thinking - we have maybe 6 planks, in the past couple of weeks, they have been, a swimming pool, a rocket ship, a skate park, an obstacle course - supported by small round offcuts from the felled tree, which stretched from one side of the car park to the other. The smaller pieces have been skateboards and surf boards when tilted up against the kerbside in the car park, the planks have been tied together - well and badly! They have been used as planks for walking when they were pirates - the best part of all this is the children have had these ideas spontaneously. They have worked together to produce these things which has been a wonder, yes there are the odd squabbles, bound to be, but such wonderful learning taking place to work out how to support the planks - the shapes they wanted to make with the planks, how to carry then safely, choosing the site for their work shop. The children engage just so much better than they do indoors - maybe there is less distraction - calmer colours, in a strange way, less to do - afterall inside there has been any number of things set up for them, outside it's pretty much a blank canvas first thing when they go out, they choose what they want as soon as they get out there, all we have done is secured the area and done the risk assessment. The planks are generally the first thing they race for. Edited March 22, 2011 by Panders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 We don't have these large blocks as sadly we don't have the space to store them. However, positives would include: learning about angles, balance, shapes, concepts such as gravity, height, weight of materials, learning about different types of materials. Also team working, lateral thinking, problem solving in the sense of 'how can I make this structure work'? Also both fine and gross motor skills - careful balancing, heavy lifting. Loads and loads of science and maths there too. Plus CLL as they talk about how to do it. Plus PSED when they are sharing materials and working together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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