Color Exploration

Loose Parts Nature Play

Children usually prefer play that stimulates their curiosity and gives free rein to the imaginations and creativity. Incorporating loose parts into the environment will enhance their natural curiosity. –Lisa Daly and Miriam Beloglovsky

Tinkergarten Color Activities

Frozen colored water on white sheet

Chalks/water/paintbrushes on dark sheet and other options

Skittles and water

Natural egg dyeing

Milk, food coloring, dish soap

Shaving cream and food coloring

Colored ice, salt, pipettes https://loosepartsnatureplay.libsyn.com/ice-as-a-loose-part

Clear cup and food coloring—wanted to put it on the overhead projector

Light and color

Blacklights

Light table—transparent colored fabrics, papers, etc. https://loosepartsnatureplay.libsyn.com/light-painting

Tissue paper that bleeds colors https://amzn.to/2NWZxS7

Watercolors on snow or ice

Transparent colored dividers

Self serve jars of colored water (Umbrella House—Tammy Lockwood)

Paint in a plastic baggie

Colored water spraying on white sheet

Collage

Color wheel: create out of found items/collage

Color sets/sorting—Grapat

Natural color wheel with colors we find in nature

Lights/flashlights with colors

Paint Swatches

Pipettes coffee filters https://amzn.to/3sIlyCX https://amzn.to/3rbzVzu

Glue/salt

Marbling

Liquid water colors https://amzn.to/3bacUaE

Principles:

1. Allow experimentation. Get rid of the “recipe”.
2. Pause for observation, wonder, and awe.
3. Follow the child’s lead. I wonder if . . .
4. Ask children how they might extend and explore this more. What might they use next time? What other ways might they mix and explore colors?
5. Leave materials out, if possible, to allow for additional experimentation.
6. Document the experience with photos, journaling, and capturing the inquisitiveness.
7. Be open to color exploration in other aspects.
8. Let the learning emerge rather than telling how it should happen.

Japanese Suminagashi: https://amzn.to/2MLxhS8

Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment. –Claude Monet

I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way. –Georgia O’Keefe

Book Picks:

Mix It Up! https://amzn.to/2NWpzVB

Mixed: A colorful story https://amzn.to/3sJBTHK

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/LoosePartsPlay/

Loose Parts Play Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LoosePartsPlay/ Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/InsideOutsideMichiana/ Loose Parts Nature Play Website: http://insideoutsidemichiana.blogspot.com