Stanford Creative Works (SCW) – Shapes and Lines

This week we explored shapes and lines in our early learning program. This enabled the children to understand letters for reading and writing activities in school. They need to acquire a set of skills. One of them is to understand and internalize colours and shapes as well as horizontal and vertical lines. We explored the different shapes in a variety of projects this week. We walked big round circles, triangles and squares on the school yard. We drew shapes in the sand and painted big patterns on paper and completed a colourful shaped tree. This helped the children to cut and paste different shapes and patterns into a big collage.

In the process the children not only learnt about shapes and colours but also widened their vocabulary by talking about the colours and objects compose within the pictures. They practiced their cuttings and social skills by working together as a group. For young children it is very important to learn words and build up their vocabulary in order to express themselves to the world but also to understand what they see and give it meaning through language. Any activity can be used to help children in the process to establish words. It can be a walk in the park, going to the shop, doing ordinary every day chores or playing in sand….just by spending time, speaking and interacting with children.

I end with a quote by the respected educational theorist, Maria Montessori: “The development of language is part of the development of the personality, for words are the natural means of expressing thoughts and establishing understanding between people.”

Regina Broenner