Disclosure: We received these specimen mirrors from Oriental Trading to facilitate this series on getting ready for kindergarten through play. All opinions and ideas are our own.
Adding mirrors to playtime adds a whole new dimension and point of view. For this make-shift nature table, I used a large (shatter-proof) mirror, and some smaller specimen mirrors on top.
We gathered up some nature materials to explore. I added some ahead of time and Kay added more later. Then I left it out for her to find. (See the strewing method I'm so intrigued with!) There were dandelions, pine cones, seeds, tweezers and a magnifying glass to go along with the mirrors.
I also had a bird's nest I'd been saving since Kay was about 2 for her to be old enough to appreciate. I laid that on top of the mirror too.
She was interested in the bird's nest right away. It was built by a robin family, but had fallen during a strong wind storm. Fortunately the family had moved on by then, but the nest was too perfect not to hold on to. I asked her how she thought the twigs stayed together, and she mentioned mud. I told her they also used worm guts to help hold it together. ("Eww!")
She was interested in the bird's nest right away. It was built by a robin family, but had fallen during a strong wind storm. Fortunately the family had moved on by then, but the nest was too perfect not to hold on to. I asked her how she thought the twigs stayed together, and she mentioned mud. I told her they also used worm guts to help hold it together. ("Eww!")
We noticed that on the bottom of the nest was a string interwoven between the twigs.
Kay used the tweezers to remove some of the twigs and then examined them with the magnifying glass. (I had expected her to do this, which is good because otherwise I think I would have freaked out at her destroying "my" nest!)
Kay used the tweezers to remove some of the twigs and then examined them with the magnifying glass. (I had expected her to do this, which is good because otherwise I think I would have freaked out at her destroying "my" nest!)
She was also intrigued by how laying things in front of the small mirrors (I had taped two sides together so they would stand up easily) made it look like you had many more of whatever thing it was!
What we're working on here:
- Observation, an important science skill
- Nature appreciation
This is week 2 of our "Getting Ready for Kindergarten" series. Follow along as we prepare for skills needed to succeed in school, through play!
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