What are you making?
How are you getting on with the last Sunday Challenge?
The challenge was to make something using just some plastic cups, balloons, pipe cleaners and straws.
You can use glue to stick things together and a pair of scissors but remember you must ask an adult first.
Let's see what the Jumbles are making.
TuTu is going to make a person. She's using one balloon for the head.
I wonder what she will use for the body, arms and legs.
What do you think?
Georgie hasn't decided what to make. She is trying out different arrangements of plastic cups.
What do you think she could make with the cups in a tower like this?
Come back next Sunday to see what the Jumbles have made and for a new challenge.
You can email your photos to jumblefun@gmail.com
We will publish as many as possible here. Email addresses will not be shared. .
Only first name published.
Let’s Jumble
Jumbles don’t like throwing things away if they can use them again. Look what Georgie is making with her egg tray .
Sunday Challenge 21st February
Join ‘The Jumbles’ to see what they have been doing this week and for a new challenge.
Swamp Monster soup
Parental supervision is recommended for all cooking activities.
Join Maisie at Jumble House for another Fun cooking session. This time she is making a delicious vegetable soup which Alfie has named after his ‘Swamp Monster’!
Click on this link: Swamp Monster Soup
Yummy, Yummy, Good for your Tummy Bread!
My very popular recipe. It can be made in a breadmaker if you must …….. but WHY? ?
After all, who can resist the feel of all that sticky gunge between the fingers and a kitchen transformed into a floury winter wonderland!
But with a little kneading that sticky gunge is miraculously transformed into a silky, elastic dough that is just heaven to squeeze and stretch into interesting creations.
Apart from the actual baking there's not much a child can't do when making bread. Use your own discretion. You know your child better than anyone.
Let them be creative. Let them adapt the recipe. Be prepared for a few strange outcomes …. it's better that they experiment … they will learn from failures. Just make sure that they see a failure as something positive and the start of a new product and not the end. This will probably be more difficult for you than them when faced with a floury kitchen! But then, that's important too. They need to learn how to clean up even if it takes twice as long!
Ingredients
Strong Flour. 500grams A mixture of wholemeal and Granary is good. The coarser the better. I like to add a little black Rye flour too.
Fresh yeast …. much more fun than the dried stuff in packets! (That doesn't erupt!)
One medium fresh juicy carrot. ( Definitely NOT a limp bendy one! )
Nuts! A small handful of walnut pieces or crushed hazlenuts or cashews or go mad and mix lots.
One teaspoon of runny honey or sugar.
Liquid … half and half water and milk.300 mls
VERY important …. 3 tablespoons of Virgin olive oil
2 level teaspoons of salt.
METHOD
Measure out the liquid . It should be tepid. Warm but not hot.
Crumble a cube or yeast into a mug. Add honey or sugar and cream together with a teaspoon.
Then pour on half the liquid. Stir then watch in fascination for about 15 mins. while bubbles began to surface.
If you can tear yourself away from the bubbly volcano this is the time to measure everything else into the largest bowl possible. (less mess).
At the point when the yeast threatens to spill over the top of the coffee mug pour it and the remaining liquid into the bowl.
Gunge lovers can then stick their (clean) hands straight in and get mixing. The more squeamish (adults) are allowed if necessary to initially draw the ingredients together with a spoon. Shame on you!!
Then turn out onto floury board or baking paper and knead and knead and knead till it's a soft and smooth as a baby's bottom!
Put back in the bowl. Cover with cling film and leave till double in size. About 60 – 90 minutes depending on how warm your kitchen is.
Then out it comes again for another good battering.
Then …. well the rest depends on imagination. Will it be a round cob or a pirate ship? A loaf or a teddy bear!
Whatever … place on a greased baking sheet and leave to rise again for about half an hour till its springy to the touch. At this point the oven needs to be turned on and preheated ( check own oven instructions for this and baking times).
The smell will be divine even if the outcome is not what was expected !
Why is creativity important?
Creativity
Why is it important to develop a child’s creative thinking skills? Because it’s probably the most important skill they will ever learn!
Developing creative thinking is about developing self esteem and self confidence. It is about developing a love of learning. Of having the means to deal with the confusion, risks and failures that are part of everyday life. The confidence to lead and to be different from the crowd.
I believe that all children are creative by nature but, unfortunately, many lose their creativity before reaching adulthood. In our education and social system where examination success, conformity and peer pressure reign supreme, creativity is often squashed or at least buried.
Creative thinking is vital in all areas of life. It is a skill which will give your children the edge over others in their chosen career enabling them to be the person who initiates new procedures rather than one of the majority who follow already established routines. It opens the door to new opportunities and new inventions.
So how do we recognise a creative thinker?
A creative thinker is able to think 'out of the box'. They are curious and questioning and not afraid of making crazy suggestions knowing that there may be many possible answers. They make mistakes and learn from these mistakes being happy to try and try again. Creative thinkers don’t feel guilty about daydreaming knowing that often this is when the best ideas are born and when they realise these new ideas they put every ounce of energy into making them a sucess. They are optimistic, have boundless energy and, despite accomplishing a great deal, still have free time to enjoy their family and hobbies. Last, but not least. They enjoy life, their work and are never bored!
‘Jumble Fun’ aims at developing creative thinking by:
Asking open ended questions:
The stories and programmes from Jumble House use narrative which includes open ended questions which require more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. “What do you think we should use to make …?” “what would happen if …?” “What could we change…..?” “What choices do you have….. ?” They encourage children to think for themselves. To see that often there are many possible answers not just one. To think 'out of the box'.
Making choices
The programme encourages children to make their own choices. To make decisions and try them out. If their choices fail to achieve the desired result they are encouraged to try again. From this they learn to view making mistakes as a new beginning and not as a failure or the end of a project.
Story telling and dramatic play
There are opportunities for children to make their own ‘Jumbles’ and to weave stories around them. They are encouraged to daydream. To make up stories. To tell stories. To present their stories in many different ways , as story boards, picture stories, puppet shows or in video format. All the movies, pictures and stories featured on 'Jumble Fun' are produced using only an iPad and basic, usually free apps so children are able to obtain a similar product easily at home.
Creating
The ‘Jumble’ characters enjoy inventing and making things from well, …… jumble! In other words, from ordinary, everyday household items and objects they can collect in their local environment. Using the characters as inspiration and role models, children will become collectors and inventors, viewing ordinary objects as blank canvasses on which to stamp their own individuality. Hopefully they will also become more conscious of the environment and conservation.
Challenges
The Sunday Challenges present children with a range of challenges. They may be art and craft challenges like 'what can you make from ….. ?' or creative thinking challenges, ' Why was the fridge empty?' or “How many uses can you think of for ……” or perhaps a word association game to play. Whatever the subject these activities encourage children to think creatively.
Fun !
Fun is important ! Learning should be fun.
The JUMBLES are fun and they encourage your child to have fun being creative and being active in mind and body. To be inquisitive. To ask questions. To be independent and resourceful. To enjoy learning.
What can you see?
TuTu is looking out of the window but all she can see is mist.
But a misty day can be a source of inspiration to an artist says Freddie.
Watch the video and see what happened.
It’s Sunday Challenge time 7th February
Maisie, Freddie and Lorenzo present their pictures from the last challenge and introduce this weeks’s activity and a new game.
Beacons to unite the planet
Like everything in Singapore the Art Exhibits are enormous, colourful and striking . They have to be to avoid being lost amongst the huge and spectacular skyscrapers!
I was really upset when the friendly and colourful 'Hippo' pieces disappeared. They were fun and I really liked them!
They have been replaced by incredibly beautiful and equally colourful 'flower' exhibits in fibreglass by world renowned artist Ana Tzarev.
The collection is named 'Spring in the City' and the objective behind the pieces is to unite the world. Ana believes that art acts like a bridge by which to connect the world. She hopes that the flowers will act like beacons across the planet to bring people together and I think this is such a lovely idea.
PEACE. ( Water lily )
LOVE. (Poppy )
(lGRACE). Bird of Paradise
Creative Learning for Young Children 