Guest Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 Hi! I am trying to plan for the topic 'The Blue Balloon' (the story by Nick Inkpen) it is on our 2 year rolling programme, which both nursery and reception follow. I am teaching nursery and am having trouble thinking of some fun activities. Thinking of things around the different forces- pushing, pulling etc. Wondered if anyone had any ideas that they could offer connected to the story at all?? Any ideas would be fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 We've done the following in the past; make stretchy playdough make a model of a hot air balloon colour mixing, starting with white and gradually adding more and more blue, using the shades to paint a bunch of balloons drawing balloons of different sizes pretending to be a balloon being blown up and then released Hope that helps. Anita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 We asked the children where they would like to go if they could fly away on a blue balloon. We then got them to draw a picture on a piece of card cut out in the shape of a balloon and tied a piece of ribbon to it. We used them for a display. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Don't know if its any help but we used ice balloons in the water table (focussed activity). Very good for K & U of World and lots of exploration and discovery. One of my colleagues, when we first saw ice balloons on an Early Yrs degree course, asked if it could be put on an ohp - wow it was spectacular (although of course if left there for any length of time I presume the ohp would explode as the ice melted!!!) Ooops! Ice balloons are easy - fill a balloon with water and freeze. Put in water tray in the balloon and let children explore. the balloon will very quickly split and need to be removed after which the ice will melt according to how the children play with it - try pouring warm, cold or salty water on it. Try putting food colouring in the balloon before filling and freezing. The children can then see the ice melt in a very visual way. At the end of the session just plonk any remaining ice back in the freeze for tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Again may not be helpful, but we also use balloons in paint to make pictures, marks, explore paint and miixing etc.....just dont blow the balloon up fully or you end up with a very noisy session!! and also balloons flying around the room as they are difficult to hold once wet and painty...... which reminded me we also had them in the water tray... in this case we planned for them to be able to see which ones will fly!!!and which ones will not.(depending on how much they had been Blown up, or if there was soapy water or not)....Noisy, and wet but lots of giggles. Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Racing balloons Two chairs tied to each other with a piece of string Thread a straw through the string and tape an inflated (long shaped) ballon to the straw making sure that the air does not come out of the balloon - release the tape and the balloon and straw whizz from one end of the other. You can set up races if you set up two sets which is always fun - children can guess which colour balloon will go the fastest and why. Does this make any sense - it's good fun when it works but can be a bit fiddly. Static electricity - rubbing balloons No other ideas at the moment I am afraid Nikki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Thanks for all the ideas! Its great to get a fresh look on things! Nicola I like the sound of the racing balloons- will give it a try. Anita how do you make stretchy playdough? Thank you. Nina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Hi Nina To make stretchy playdough just let each child take 3tbspns self raising flour and add enough water to make a dough. The children just love stretching it and they always take it home. It does not keep. Before making the dough we look at stretchy materials such as lycra, elastic and elastic bands. Anita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Those ideas sound like sooooooooo much fun!! I'm allegic to latex sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellerkaren Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Those ideas sound like sooooooooo much fun!! I'm allegic to latex sue 41013[/snapback] so am i if we use ballons in the nursery we use foil hellium balloons are the other adults in the setting use latex ones when im out of the room. but i agree i miss out on soooo much fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Don't know if its any help but we used ice balloons in the water table (focussed activity). Very good for K & U of World and lots of exploration and discovery. One of my colleagues, when we first saw ice balloons on an Early Yrs degree course, asked if it could be put on an ohp - wow it was spectacular (although of course if left there for any length of time I presume the ohp would explode as the ice melted!!!) Ooops! Ice balloons are easy - fill a balloon with water and freeze. Put in water tray in the balloon and let children explore. the balloon will very quickly split and need to be removed after which the ice will melt according to how the children play with it - try pouring warm, cold or salty water on it. Try putting food colouring in the balloon before filling and freezing. The children can then see the ice melt in a very visual way. At the end of the session just plonk any remaining ice back in the freeze for tomorrow! 40935[/snapback] What sort of precautions (if any) do you take when letting the children handle ice? Last term (being the summer term anyway) we had mega-blocks of ice in the water tray. I made sure that a) the ice wasn't just out of the freezer, so had formed a shiny water layer over it, & that individual children weren't handling the ice for long periods of time. But, my nursery nurse was very concerned, & kept asking if they ought to have plastic gloves on or something to protect them. I didn't feel it necessary, but just wondered what everyone else does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 There's a BBC Let's Move tape that tells the story and has a simple dance to go with it ... if you'r in a school it might be around - it was quite a few years ago. Harricroft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 Just thought I would let you know that i'm getting to grips with planning for the blue balloon!! Its taken a while.....but with the help of your suggestions it got the ball rolling. Here's to a fun 6 weeks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 When we did the Blue Balloon story we did a dance session. I blew a balloon up and then let go of it, which the children loved. Then they pretended to be balloons themselves, lieing flat to start with and then blowing themselves up and then pretending the air had been let out of them as they darted around the hall. Then I put on some floaty music and they pretended they were balloons floating in the breeze. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LOSINGTHEWILLTOLIVE Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 We are using the Blue Balloon to link in with Spheres (3D shapes!) so we are also using marble runs in our play plans, bubble painting looking at the 3D bubbles and then comparing them with the 2D circles they print out using straws to blow the bubble mixture with washing up liquid, cooking popcorn, making marble pictures by using shoe boxes with lids on and shaking them with paint on the marbles and paper inside (Jackson pollock style!) and blowing bubbles outside. Its not the easiest thing to use for inspiration for a 3D shapes topic but its different! Hope this might help anyone else in the same position? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts