Adult-led
Help the children design wallpaper.
Key learning intention
To create a repeating pattern with two or more colours and shapes Resources
Rolls of wallpaper, printing materials such as sponge shapes, plastic bottle tops, cotton reels, rubber stamps that come free with home decoration magazines or anything that can be gripped easily and will create an interesting print effect.
Preparation
* Let the children experiment with creating repeating patterns with brushes, printing items and other apparatus, such as peg boards, linking cubes and threading beads. Have some nearby so that the children can refer to them and make the connection between the tasks.
Step by step
* Introduce the materials to the children and help them choose items for printing.
* Demonstrate the different methods of applying paint and show how pressure needs to be applied to make an imprint.
(Some children may need more practice with their printing techniques before they are ready to produce a pattern.) * Use the finished products to wallpaper the home corner.
* Use strips and narrow rolls of paper to create patterned borders for other displays and areas in the setting.
Stepping stones
* Children with little experience may observe others before they engage in the activity. They may use the materials randomly and for their own purposes. They may choose to spend lots of time painting the printing equipment and be less focused on the task. They need to be allowed time to explore and repeat the activity. They will need support to grasp the concept of a repeating pattern.
* Children with some experience will probably understand what is required to make a print and are more likely to use the materials with an end product in mind, but they may need support to sustain a repeating pattern.
* Children with more experience will probably produce neat, regular patterns and show understanding of the nature of a repeating pattern. They may be able to make their patterns more complex and sustained.
