Pendulum Painting

On a Thursday afternoon, with a lower number of children, we decided to invite the toddlers from next door to play.  During our exploration time we were investigating with pendulum painting.  The children have been exploring motion throughout the year, but have not yet had an opportunity to use the pendulums.  We thought, why not combine one of their favorite art materials (paint) with a pendulum exploration.  So our adventure began.

At first the children seemed unsure of what to do with the paint bottle.  They noticed the paint dripping out, but were not sure how to move the bottle.  After a teacher modeled how to push the bottle to make it move the children soon jumped on board.

They were noticing the different lines and splatters the paint made as it moved across the paper.  At first we just used black paint, but later added in a few more colors.  The children then noticed the colors mixing to make new colors.  They were mindful after a few tries about the speed with which they pushed the bottle.  A few ended with splatters on their shoes or on the wall.  Oops J

As more children joined in the play, they had to figure out how to take turns.  Eventually the children began taking turns and passing the bottle across the paper to one another.  Everyone was so careful while working; they were mindful of their feet and no one stepped on the painting.

The children enjoyed collaborating with the younger toddlers.  It gave them a chance to act as a leader and share their knowledge and expertise.  They encouraged the children to engage in conversation and participate.  They were great about sharing and taking turns.  We had a blast during this exploration!

Sadly our finished work ripped (too much paint and not enough time to dry).  So we will be doing this exploration again very, very soon!  We definitely are looking forward to painting and collaborating with our new friends!