windmills on the walls

I await the fixture of the windmills to the wall but here are some photos of the acetate windmills being made:

acetate being marked out and cut for assembling

showing the assembling

In actually fact I have put a nut on the screw before the washer, then the windmill then a washer and then another nut. This to to make sure the windmill sits out from the wall and should increase the life of the acetate windmills.

windmills for outdoor use

Three windmills have been made to sit atop of the narrow pipes on the left hand side of the wall. The idea is that they will look like flowers.

design for small pipes © 2012 Roisin Markham

location on wall for windmills...

I can't wait to see them up and working, plus the golden wheel for the kinetic Sun!

Testing Windmill instructions

As part of the research phase of the project when we explored wind the creative piece was to make a windmill. I brought sample and taught as I went but it was a session that did not work so well and the childcare staff ended up making most of the windmill for the 2.5 - 3.5 year age group. Definitely not what I wanted. I realised that a single sheet with clear lines showing where to cut and where to put the paper was an important step for under 5's to be able to construct a windmill independently and successfully.
Below is the sheet I have designed to go with the Wind resource pack.
I'd love some feedback on working with it with your under 5's please leave them in the comment section or you'll find me on Facebook, Twitter. If you are not under five and want to use it go ahead have some fun. If you think it works well please let me know that to and share it with others.
In the original session we did not use sticks but straws which were fine for instant play but not as effective as I wanted, so I do recommend sticks - perhaps disposable chopsticks might be an option, bamboo canes split too easily, narrow dowels would work well.
Most of all enjoy be creative in the decoration of the square, encourage the children by being clear with them what their next step is. As they construct the windmill watch their fascination -how a flat piece of paper can be come something different. Watch how the wind catches the windmill and how it moves... creative making with children is really important but so is enquiry and getting them to think about. Spark their imagination @ the topic of wind... science, nature.
How to Make a Paper Wind Mill

the garden space

evolving outdoor garden space at Little Daises 2011

 for bugs, muck and magic and kids to discover the world of plants, nature and evolving outdoor play. 

The idea for the development of the garden space was simple with a small budget we have achieved a significant addition to the outdoor space of tarmac and urban walls.

great to see plants settling in well

Thanks to John Kavanagh's in Gorey for the tyres and two the lads doing the building work at the Gorey Community School who delivered the donated soil. The gravel put at the base of the tyres was donated by a local family from an unused quarry on their land. Plants were donated by my Dad (thanks Dad!) and the climbers were purchased locally in a garden centre. I'm awaiting a delivery of two apple trees and some herbs.
There are 5 groupings of tyres with ten small tyres left unplanted. The main criteria for this space was to give the children access to muck... 

Climbers planted to cover back wall and add year round foliage,
flowers and scent. Primulas and spring flowers to the left and two muck
tyres for pure dig, discovery and play. 

clusters of muck planters to give greater access to children for play

first signs of spring with daffodil bulbs shots peaking out,
forget-me-knots settling in well to this pot too

creating a garden

Bridgie's old barrow

I had great company for creating the garden space at Little Daisies. This trusted old wheel barrow bonged to the late great Bridgie Gavin a great aunt it move the muck with mega wobble but got the job done.

what a difference colour makes

 

create Better Space interactive wall. Roisin Markham 2011

The wall currently as it stands. CD cloud with wind based movement and reflective shimmer, pipes spray painted allow for ball and water play plus looking through they have two different widths.

Still to be added kinetic sun and windmills.

Design for wall

Design for create Better Space project. Roisin Markham 2011

This was my design which was shared with staff and children in Little Daises and was approved by the board of Gorey Youth Needs.
The project was originally envisaged for one wall but in fact goes over two walls. It is a work in progress. It will create better space.

Dancing light

So fantastic to see the full CD cloud in place - several times I got completely distracted from what I was doing watching the light bounce around the space. Can't wait to see the children's reaction to it.
Another clip of dancing light is on my face book page http://on.fb.me/CDlight . What do you think?

CD cloud

I just realised I have n't posted a picture of the grand design. You'll just have to keep checking back and watch it unfold.

CD mechanism for the moving cloud on the mural wall.

Some of you have heard me speaking about a CD cloud. A way to reuse, recycle re-purpose CD's and have them actively moving and generating light, reflections and adding a huge amount to the space. So I've had this idea since the start of the project nearly. I think it will work brilliantly. It comprises of a CD, raw plug, screw and washer.
The inspiration for this came from a big advertising sign that I noticed in my youth - do you remember the Guinness sign on the railway bridge beside Butt Bridge in Dublin? I'm trying to find a photograph of it but no success yet. Advertising at it's most expensive in the 70's and 80's. The sign used to shimmer because it was made of these tiny little disc's with holes in them and nailed to the sign. They operated like sequences, I always found it fascinating and wondered who originally nailed all those disc's and nails in!
So the cloud on the mural wall it shimmers and moves about and well see this little video on my Facebook page. When the full cloud is up I'll make a film of the moving bits and place that on the blog.
I'm really excited to see what it looks like up, shimmering on the wall - tomorrow!

We've come along way baby...

so the project has moved from this

Little Daisies play area September 2011 

to this

Little Daisies play area December 2011

and I am not finished yet. This is just the background painting. But it is amazing how the colour changes the space in a few simple brush strokes. Love that my work and the better space project facilitates that and is creating better space for the children and staff of Little Daises.

Wind

Wind is a rather abstract thing to discuss and work with children on.
But the easiest way to talk about it is through blowing bubbles and lightly blowing in each others faces.
By week 5 in the project research I knew that it was better to start in a circle time, explore the topic and talk about what we were going to make and do.
We made little paper and straw windmills. It had mixed success as the pins were not long enough and for children age 3 - 4 and a half the precision cutting was tricky. But out we went to the play area with out windmills and soapy bubble mix.

I made this! wind exploration #betterspace

Earth

Well really for small children that should read MUCK! Said in a very particular way so that you swing out of the M and K.
Gravity - the difference between stamping and waving your feet in the air. Jumping and standing. Don't get to intellectual about it just get the kids to notice what they feel. That's enough for them to be aware there is a difference and a pull of their feet to the ground.
In keeping with the fact that we will be developing a small garden during this project I thought what better way to introduce the idea then a flower pot of muck. So in the morning I went digging muck and worm hunting.
Worms are great for small kids. Muck is great to. Get them to smell it, look at it.
I introduced the plate of muck by saying I had brought some timid visitors who were hiding. I asked would they like to meet them? I'm always concious when working with children that someone will have a sensory issue or reaction to the piece of work I am offering to them or indeed me so I take it really slowly. Keep it simple - thats what I worked with this week.
Nearly all of the children wanted to hold the worm, they listened really well and passed the worm gently from palm to palm, really respecting these wriggly friends. We spoke about what loved to eat worms - birds. Someone asked what worms ate? Muck. In the morning I worked in three rooms and in the afternoon the toddler and after school group. Really enjoyed meeting some of the team drop in group too.
Who would have thought that a plate of muck and worms could be so exciting!

Fire - light/Sun

For under 5 years old fire is a big safety issue so we talked about light and sun.
I brought in a window crystal that refracted the sunlight into spinning rainbows.
It was amazing to see each child in turn try to catch the ethereal light.
The tricky piece was no sun in the play ground before 12 so we had to go to the car park which is unused space fine for the older group but not suitable for the preschool class.

light reflecting & refracting #betterspace

We also covered plastic plates with tin foil. The idea was to bounce light and reflect it like you would with a mirror - but because of health and safety reasons I could not use mirrors. I thought this would work better but the sunshine was not continuousness enough.
What did work really well was this was the week before Halloween so there had been talk of fire in both classes and the older room had a pumpkin hollowed out with a candle in it - which was a perfect tie in.

WATER

I'm finalising my plans for my devised creativity session with the children and staff on Wednesday morning in Gorey Youth Needs.
On the list of supplies: pipes and tubing, bamboo sticks, garden twine, rope, funnels, bottles, balls, duct tape, measuring jugs, whisks, food colouring, glass bowl and vase.

Design notes. Roisin Markham 2011.

The session will happen outdoors and be full on splash and play. The idea is to explore what the children are naturally curious about and build that into the design of an interactive wall.

Distilling ideas in to a plan of action

I've spent half of today thinking about the practicalities of the next phase of research.
How do I bring the 4 elements to children 0 - 5 years?
WATER - EARTH - WIND - FIRE/SUN