Enabling Environments: Around the Nursery - Malleable Materials

Malleable materials is an area that can offer a wide range of experiences and learning opportunities for children across the curriculum areas and developmental stages. Even very young children will become deeply involved in their play and spend long periods of time investigating and exploring possibilities.

RESOURCES

Settings should aim to provide:
- open shelved storage units
- storage baskets pots
- table (round or rectangular) with washable surface, and chairs
- washable aprons
- dustpan and brush
- modelling tools
- cutters, moulds
- clay boards
- flour sifter
- natural objects - for example, shells, tree bark, fir cones, pebbles
- found objects for imprinting, for example, beads, buttons, coins,
textured rolling pins, keys
- kitchen utensils - for example, potato masher, fish slice, rolling
pins, garlic press (always check utensils for safety)
- pans, baking tins, bun cases, cake board, cake decorations
- cups, plates, bowls, cutlery
- number lines, number cards
- dough recipe, photographs showing the preparation process at every
stage
- other recipe cards (real and made up by children)
- photographs that may stimulate ideas - for example, cakes, vegetables,
animals, sculptures
- number rhymes displayed in area.

Possible materials

- Dough - There are many recipes for dough, cooked and uncooked. The following is a simple basic recipe:

Ingredients 1 cup of water (add a few drops of food colouring for coloured dough); 1 cup plain flour; cup salt; 1tbsp cooking oil; 1tsp cream of tartar (double ingredients for a larger quantity)

Method Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. When children are involved, provide individual mixing bowls. Transfer the mixture to a non-stick pan and heat gently, stirring all the time. As the ingredients heat and cook, lumps will disappear and the mixture will form one large ball. Remove from the heat and, when cool, knead the dough until smooth. If necessary, add more flour to reduce stickiness. To add interest, knead in peppermint or vanilla essence, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, lavender, sand or glitter.

- Clay - educational suppliers stock a range suitable for use by children.

- Bars of soft soap or wax - an effective medium for 'digging' or carving with tools.

- Soap flakes - mix with warm water and, when the flakes have dissolved and the mixture has thickened, whisk to the required consistency.

- Cornflour 'gloop' - add water (and food colouring if required) to cornflour to create a fascinating medium that pours like a liquid and cracks like a solid.

ORGANISATION AND LOCATION

- Basic provision should be continuous and any additional material should be available over a period of time so children are able to revisit investigations and develop their ideas.

- Present resources in a way that supports children's developing independence. Tools and materials should be easily accessible and organised clearly. Storage containers should be labelled with words and photographs of equipment. Shape silhouettes can be used where tools are placed and stored on shelves.

- There should be enough room for the children to work individually but also to give scope for co-operative and collaborative play. Where space is at a premium, it can be a good idea to limit the number of children working in the area by providing, for example, four chairs and four aprons. This system also offers additional opportunities for counting and calculation.

- It is likely that dough will be the core material available in this area. It is inexpensive to produce and easy for children to manipulate. Make clear who is responsible for preparing dough, and a regular time slot for this activity can ensure that dough is always available and fresh. Ideally, try to involve the children in mixing the dough ingredients.

- If possible, the clay and dough area should have flooring that is easy to sweep and washable. It is inevitable that pieces of dough and other materials will be dropped, making carpet far from an ideal surface in this part of the setting.

- Be aware of any skin conditions or allergies that the children may have, and watch out for any sensitivity to materials used.

- Many of the deep learning experiences that take place in this area will not result in a concrete outcome. Photographs documenting the process can be a useful tool for reflection with the child and a positive celebration of their learning to share with parents. Have a designated display area so that when the children do produce models, patterns or other creations that they want to keep to show parents, there is an area ready and waiting for them to use.

OUTDOOR PROVISION

Snowfalls may be getting rarer in Britain but such weather conditions always engage children and capture their imagination. Practitioners should be prepared in advance to exploit snow as an exciting medium for moulding, sculpting, carving and imprinting. A malleable materials toolbox in the outdoor store will facilitate a prompt response and avoid missed opportunities. This could include equipment such as plastic scoops, spades, buckets and ice scrapers (for car windows), rolling pins, trowels and clay modelling tools.

Mud is another medium that always seems to be attractive to young children. Working with clay-based soil or compost mixed with water will offer a wealth of learning opportunities. A large, shallow builder's mixing tray is a useful surface for children to work on. Practitioners should make sure that children are suitably dressed and that health and safety guidelines are adhered to at all times.

- Jane Drake is a children's centre teacher for Leeds

EXPERIENCES

When playing with malleable materials, children might enjoy:
- mixing materials together
- preparing dough with an adult
- kneading, squashing, squeezing, pinching, moulding and rolling dough
with hands
- making models and patterns
- experimenting with a range of techniques, such as making slab or coil
pots, imprinting with objects, carving into materials
- pretending to bake and cook
- planning parties and other celebration meals
- writing/reading recipes
- singing number rhymes, for example, 'Five currant buns'

LEARNING

The learning that might take place when children play with malleable materials includes:

- using appropriate senses to explore materials
- developing control and co-ordination
- manipulating tools, and using hands, to effect changes to materials
- finding out about properties of materials
- using language such as 'stretchy', 'soft', 'cold', or 'squashy' to
describe what they feel and see
- using talk to connect ideas and explain what is happening
- understanding that materials can be changed, for example, by adding
water, drying out
- using number names in play
- developing counting skills
- showing an interest in number problems
- exploring solid and flat shapes, pattern, texture and colour
- exploring pattern
- engaging in imaginative and role play
- playing alongside other children engaged in the same play theme
- understanding that one object or material can be used to represent
another
- recreating first-hand experiences.
LINKS TO EYFS GUIDANCE
- UC 1.1 Child development
- PR 2.3 Supporting learning
- L&D 4.1 Play and exploration
- L&D 4.2 Active learning
- L&D 4.3 Creativity and critical thinking