It's easy enough to find books about snow, rain, wind and sunshine but up until now, books about fog have been more difficult to obtain. But many children will have experienced travelling in this, the most 'spooky' of weathers.
The Foggy, Foggy Forest is an inspirational picture book by popular author-illustrator Nick Sharrat. With its wonderful see-through 'foggy' pages, it would be an invaluable addition to any EYFS setting. It would enhance the experiences that could be planned from any foggy day.
Of course, not knowing the weather, it is difficult to plan for foggy activities in advance. This is the kind of book that would enhance opportunistic short-term planning, and would build on the children's fascination for and interest in the foggy day.
OUTDOOR AREA
First and foremost, outdoors is where the exploration of the fog needs to take place. If you are lucky enough to be able to take the children out in the fog, before it has lifted, then you could:
- Use a range of torches and lights to explore what it's like to be in the fog. Encourage the children to work in pairs so that they look after each other
- Attach reflective tape to parts of the outdoor area. Use the torches or lanterns to discover them
- Attach small pieces of tape to the vehicles used by the children
- Take out glow sticks (over-threes only) and experiment making patterns by waving them around
- Make available a range of boards, papers and card, so that the children can experiment with luminous and glow-in-the dark pens
- Experiment with sound outside. Give the children a range of musical instruments to play with. Which can they hear the best?
- If the fog is dense, you may be able to play 'hide and seek' games with the children, listening for the sounds that are made and trying to identify where they are coming from.
Learning opportunities
PSED Responding to significant experiences, showing a range of feelings where
appropriate
PSED Working as part of a group or class, taking turns and sharing fairly
C&L Extending their vocabulary, exploring the meanings of new words
C&L Using talk to organise and clarify thinking
M Using everyday language to describe position
M Looking closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change
PD Moving with confidence, and in safety
CD Responding in a variety of ways to what they see, hear, touch and feel
Adult role
- Take a special 'Question Book' with you when you go outside in the fog. (Of course, it can be used in all weathers). Tell the children that you are going to write down their questions. Don't worry if you don't know all the answers - that is not the idea!
- Make time to discuss the questions with the children, either outdoors or inside.
- Take cameras outside to record the children's experiences in the fog.
- Use these pictures to revisit the experiences with the children indoors.
- Select some of the pictures (in conjunction with the children) and create a 'foggy day' information book.
- Ask the children for their thoughts on what advice they would give to people who are going out in the fog, what they had discovered about the fog, and so on.
GRAPHICS AREA
There is no doubt that many of the children will be fascinated by the texture and colours of the pages in The Foggy, Foggy Forest.
- Encourage book-making in the same style by enhancing this area of provision with a plentiful supply of a range of opaque papers - greaseproof, tracing paper, etc.
- Provide a range of drawing and mark-making equipment, so that children can experiment making a wide range of marks and images.
- Offer a selection of simple, ready-made blank books, with pages made of tracing paper, that children can write their own 'foggy' stories in.
Learning opportunities
L Story-making
L Responding in a variety of ways to songs and poems
L Attempting writing for different purposes
L Beginning to form simple sentences, sometimes using punctuation
L Using a pencil and holding it effectively to form recognisable letters
Adult role
- Make time to celebrate and share the children's mark-making.
- Provide a special container so that the books written by the children can be displayed to best effect.
- Display the children's foggy mark-making, with annotations explaining what the children know and can do.
CREATIVE AREA
- Offer a light box and a wide range of accompanying resources so that children can explore silhouettes and shadows, like those in Nick Sharratt's picture book.
- Offer some black paper and scissors, so children can cut and experiment with making their own silhouettes, of any shape they want.
Adult role
- Make time to listen to the children as they experiment.
- Where possible, make a display alongside the light box activity that incorporates photographs of the children at play, and examples of their comments, questions and thoughts.
- Enhance the creative workshop with a range of 'foggy images' (see Resources section). Three contrasting images are: 'Slow - Fog' by Gerd Winner, 'In a Fog' by David Farquharson and 'Houses of Parliament: Effect of sunlight in the fog' by Monet. Ensure that the children don't feel they have to replicate these images. Use them as a rich vehicle for discussion, and inspiration.
Learning opportunities
CD Exploring and communicating their ideas, thoughts and feelings, by using a widening range of materials
CD Exploring colour, texture, shape, form and space in two and three dimensions
CD Using imagination in art and design
WATER AREA
Use a pond mister to create a foggy effect in your deep water tray, either indoors or outside. This will clearly need adult supervision, as a mister needs an electrical supply, but would make an excellent adult-led activity, focusing on discussion, vocabulary and thinking.
Learning opportunities
L Story-making
L Responding in a variety of ways to stories
C&L Extending vocabulary
UW Asking questions about how things happen and why
CD Responding in a variety of ways to whatever they see, think hear and
feel
Adult role
The adult could add:
- clipboards, paper and pens for mark-making, drawing and recordin
- mirrors and magnifiers for looking at and 'catching' the fog
- a selection of small world figures for making stories
RESOURCES BOX
Collecting resource boxes around predictable early childhood interests ensures that practitioners are well-equipped to respond when children show a fascination for a particular topic. Such resource boxes can be added to as new items become available. To support children's interest in the weather:
- Make a collection of rhymes, games and songs that are linked to the weather. Type them up on card and laminate, for easy use outdoors. Ensure that the rules of any game are explained clearly, so that all staff can use the cards effectively.
- Keep one or two published anthologies in the box for additional ideas.
To support children's interest in the fog:
- Put together a collection of resources that glow, or are luminous. (See the resources section for details of suppliers)
- Torches and lanterns would also be useful.
- Add a collection of instruments to the box. Foghorn sound generators can be obtained from hobby suppliers.
- Search for images of fog on the internet. Where possible, download an print these images, so that they can be used for discussion purposes.
Good buys
- Glow sticks, pack of 15, Yellow Moon, www.yellowmoon.org.uk
- Glow-in-the-dark painting pen, www.bewild.com
- Glow-in-the-dark fabric paint and neon luminous paint, www.themagictouch.co.uk
- Glow-in-the-dark transfer paper, www.themagictouch.co.uk
- Raleigh reflective high visibility tape, from bike shops
- www.tate.org.uk has a range of images of 'fog' portrayed by different artists
BOOK BOX
The books listed below are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to stories about the weather. Begin with a small selection, and gradually build up your collection. Use them to enhance children's enjoyment of being outside in all weathers. Make time to talk about the stories and how they relate to the children's own experiences. With such a collection of books at your fingertips, you will have a resource that will support you in planning, whatever the forecast!
Daft Bat by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross (Andersen Press) - A truly original story about umbrellas ... and bats!
Bringing The Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema (Picture Puffin) - Seeing the positive side of rain, a tale told in 'House that Jack Built' style about drought in Africa.
Noah's Ark by Lucy Cousins (Walker Books) - An attractive version of the classic 'rainy day' story, written by the creator of Maisie, the much loved mouse.
Balloon! by Jez Alborough (Picture Lions) - The consequences of blustery weather are felt by this little boy and his balloon.
Rosie's Hat by Julia Donaldson and Anna Currey (Macmillan Children's Books) - Written by the author of The Gruffalo, and told in a lyrical style, this tells the story of Rosie and her wonderfully flexible headgear.
Someone Bigger by Jonathan Emmett - A little boy needs all kinds of help, when he flies his kite.
After the Storm by Nick Butterworth (Picture Lions) - Percy the Park Keeper and his animal friends cope with the aftermath of some very windy weather.
The Gruffalo's Child by Julia Donaldson - A charming wintry tale from the forest of the Gruffalo.
Winnie in Winter by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul (Oxford University Press) - Everybody's favourite witch tries to alter the passing of the seasons, only to discover that winter does have its positive side, after all.
Snow is my favourite and my best by Lauren Child (Picture Puffin) - The popular brother and sister combo of Charlie and Lola explore snow and all its possibilities.
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
The learning that comes from sensory explorations of the weather and
living things spans the whole curriculum and includes:
Personal, social and emotional development
- Showing an interest through observation and participation
- Responding to experiences, showing a range of feelings
- Showing care and concern for living things and the environment
- Working together as part of a group
- Continuing to be interested, motivated and excited to learn
Physical development
- Moving spontaneously in a variety of ways
- Showing an increasing awareness of space
- Developing control and co-ordination
- Recognising the changes that happen to the body when active
Expressive arts and design
- Responding in a variety of ways to what they see, hear, smell, touch and feel - for example, twisting and turning in response to the wind
- Enjoying songs and rhymes linked to the seasons and living things
Communication and language and literacy
- Listening and responding to experiences using their whole bodies eg jumping up and down with excitement, and with facial expressions, gestures and expressive sounds
- Using descriptive language such as 'squelch,' 'soft,' 'cold', trickle, 'blustery'
- Exploring mark-making in frost, snow and mud
- Developing dexterity and hand-eye co-ordination through sensory investigations
Literacy
- Knowing that information can be obtained from books
Mathematics
- Exploring patterns and shapes in the natural environment
- Beginning to use mathematical language to describe shape, size and position
- Using language such as 'heavier' and 'lighter' to compare quantities
- Developing counting skills eg spots on a ladybird, falling leaves
Understanding the world
- Using appropriate senses to explore objects, natural materials and living things
- Showing curiosity by exploring surrounding environments
- Looking closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change
- Asking questions about why things happen
