Printing with the use of Legos!

Here's a lego printing activity which I did with Le Xin.

 

It was really an enjoyable learning experience and she was very involved even with the cleaning up after the printing session!

 

Well done Le Xin, Mummy is so proud of you :)

 

Let's get the materials ready, Le Xin swinging her drum which Wai Gong bought for her.....

 

Dipping her brush into the paint...

 

Look how focused she was when she was painting the lego!

 

Giving it a gentle press.....

 

Observing the patterns form!

 

Giving it a harder press...

 

Mummy I want the blue lego said Le Xin showing her ability to express what she wants....

 

Taking pride in her work!

 

Helping to pack up, Le Xin picked up all the legos and placed them in her yellow bucket....then off she went to the toilet.....

 

Le Xin helped to wash the legos but wait what was she looking at?

Haha it was Mummy asking Le Xin to observe the colour of the water before she washed the legos...a great opportunity to learn the word/concept ---->"transparent" :)

 

Giving the lego a big rub using her little fingers...I kept telling her she was bathing her legos :p

 

Rinsing the lego.....

 

Mummy the lego still got paint said Le Xin Ohh you mean there is paint left on the lego, so what cleaning tool we could use to make sure the lego is clean? asked Mummy. Wash it again suggested Le Xin. Why don't we use a brush to clean it? suggested Mummy Use brush to clean Le Xin repeated after Mummy and started brushing her lego :)

 

Le Xin observing the water once again after she has washed all her legos....Le Xin look at the colour of the water, what happen to the water? asked Mummy. So dirty the water said Le Xin as she placed both her hands in to scoop the water and observe it closely.

 

The reason why I felt this was an extremely fun and meaningful learning experience for the both of us was because I value the entire learning process that comes with it. It's not just an art and craft activity because during the learning process, I observed how her fine motor skills was developing as she painted and printed the legos on the drawing board. I observed how she could make decision by choosing which colour lego she wanted to use. I also get to share with her the need to be responsible by getting her to pack the legos after she has used them.

 

Next, she was involved in the washing process, teaching her to be independent that she needs to be in charge of cleaning of her own art tools. Lastly, there was also some form of observation going on when she noticed how the water has changed from transparent to dirty grey.

 

 I gave her a glass bowl instead of a plastic basin because I wanted to teach her the need to handle glassware with care as it is fragile. It seems like incidental learning for her yet it was kind of  intentional on my part....In fact now Le Xin has a good understanding on what I have exposed her so much so that everytimes she sees something that is made of glass she says to herself becareful this one is fragile haha! For example when she is eating her apple sauce, she handles the glass bottle with care  which I think it's good because she is applying what she has learnt:)

 

 The reason why I am sharing the above is not because I want to proof to everyone who is reading this post just how capable my daughter is. Nope that's not my intention, the reason why I have such a reflection was because yesterday I went to Kiasu Parents Forum and read one of the post from a parent. Apparently this parent has enrolled her daughter in an English reading enrichment class (don't think it's nice for me to mention the name of the centre), and this was what she commented "I paid so much for her to attend those lessons, her teachers said she is weak yet they didn't focus on making her read and write, instead, they just engaged her in art and craft, I know it because she often comes home with all those art and craft work....isn't this a waste of my money and time! Should I pull her out or continue to send her for enrichment please advise?"

 

I guess every parent want to see some form of results at the end of the day. I am not sure why she sent her daughter to an English reading enrichment class yet her daughter came home with art and craft work only but what I feel like sharing with her is that Art and Craft is not a waste of time, certainly it is an excellent way to boost her daughter's self confidence. A child without confidence will not be ready to take on the world with the right learning attitude and mindset.

 

I hope this post helps parents out there to understand what it really means to have a child engaging in activity where learning does take place! It's starts from the heart......a happy child with a happy heart who craves to learn through exploration, fun, play, enjoyment and nothing else....I agree reading and writing is important but certainly it's not everything, once your child is ready she will be.....don't be too stressed, give your child more time to internalise the concept taught, eventually she will and can read and write.....

 

To that parent, thanks for making me understand how important it is to focus on what I need to focus and not what I want to.....Just like you, I also hope Le Xin can read and write soon, come on which parent doesn't have such a mindset but it takes time and lots of exposure......I believe when the time is right Le Xin will be able to do so, for now I hope I can still spend time to craft with her, to explore and to make learning an enjoyable process not a chore.....  On a serious note, I don't wish to neglect on Language and Literacy or Numeracy or Mandarin too so I will buck up on those areas :) So contradicting right hahahahha? Forget it, I just have to admit I am also a KIASU PARENT :p

 

Well the bottomline is

 

Treasure every moment you get to spend with your child because you can't turn back time!

 

Just like her little fingers won't always be this little right? Aww~ So cute :)