Wednesday Group - Clay & Hammers

Then (July/August 2008) & Now

Returning to clay after almost 8 months melds together the children's previous experiences with their ever-growing cognitive, physical, and social abilities. I presented the clay in a similar fashion as I did previously, in one big block. This time I added hammers and scrappers to use in conjunction with the clay. As we again embark on discovering clay I wonder whether the tools will change the children's interaction with the clay? Will the children who were unsure of the material continue their cautious explorations? How will the newcomers approach this unknown material?

Caleb didn't miss a beat with the clay even though this is the first time he's seen it at group and started hammering away. He began with just one hammer but soon had two pounding away. He was really trying to figure out how to hammer on the side of the piece of clay.

Max ventured over to the clay after Annelise and Amy joined in the exploration. He was drawn to the round balls they had made. His first reaction was to throw it on the ground, like you would any ball but he soon discovered that the clay made a plop and didn't bounce. Once it was thrown on the floor it also wasn't as easy to pick up. Max also explored poking the clay with a wooden half of a play carrot, an item that he brought with him to the clay.



Theo was not all that sure of the clay. When he first touched it, he was giving the clay block a push but soon found something different on his hand. He then tries to wipe it off on his pants. He touches it a few more times before he finds the scrapper. The scrapper seems to be a more satisfying way for him to explore the clay. For children who are unsure of the feel of the clay on their skin, the tools still allow them to interact with the clay but not have to feel uncomfortable while doing so.



Zadie had a plan with the clay. She would pick up a piece of clay and wander toward the bathroom and, trying to contain the clay, we would encourage her to come back to the clay table. Finally her mom noticed that she wanted to take it to the sink. Well, this was a brilliant plan and I couldn't wait to see how it would unfold. When you work with clay, water is always needed to smooth and keep the clay moist and pliable. Caleb soon saw what Zadie was up to and joined in the fun. Watch the interaction between the two children and how Zadie motions for Caleb to return the piece of clay in his hands to the water running in the sink.



Sebastien was so excited to have his friends work with the hammers and clay but he was even more entralled with the fact that he finally figured out how to squirt the water bottle, albeit into his own face. His reaction is priceless along with Annelise's delight.