Background information:

It's hard to ignore some of the big-ticket colours in nature; a blue sky, a pink sunset, an aquamarine sea, a golden yellow desert, or a cool green rainforest. These really are the scenes whose colours can make you stop in your tracks. But there are just as many - if not more - colours in the small details of the ordinary everyday bits of nature. Look closely at a leaf, or at flowers on the footpath, or in the seedpods under the tree. While they may not be big, bold and brilliant they do help to remind us that we actually live in a world of amazing colour.

Activity: Colours in nature

Ages - 0 to 2

What to do:

Preparation: Collect a range of objects from nature that are in different colours. Place these objects on a sensory table or mat. Objects could include flowers, leaves, stones, sticks, seeds and nuts, grass, feathers, berries and fruit. Small items should be placed in clear tubs.

Ask children to look at the range of materials on the table. Talk to the children about what they see, what colours they are and where they come from.

Can you sort the objects according to their colour?

Provocations:

I wonder what these objects are?
I wonder where these objects come from?
I wonder what colours these objects are?
I wonder if we can sort them according to their different colours?
I wonder what other colours we can find in the room?
I wonder what other colours we can find in the yard?
I wonder what other colours we can find in nature?
I wonder why nature makes so many amazing colours?

Possible lines of development:

Sort according to texture, weight, size.
Other colours in the room.
How colours change when wet - experiment with getting some of the objects wet.
Look at the images of colour in nature - what can you see, what colours can you see?

Ages - 2 to 3

What to do:

Preparation: Collect a range of objects from nature that are in different colours. Place these objects on a sensory table or mat. Objects could include flowers, leaves, stones, sticks, seeds and nuts, grass, feathers, berries and fruit. Small items should be placed in clear tubs.

Ask children to look at the range of materials on the table. Talk to the children about what they see, what colours they are and where they come from.

Can you sort the objects according to their colour?

Once complete children can either work together or independently to create a picture by sticking the materials to pieces of cardboard.

Provocations:

I wonder what these objects are?
I wonder where these objects come from?
I wonder what colours these objects are?
I wonder if we can sort them according to their different colours?
I wonder what other colours we can find in the room?
I wonder what other colours we can find in the yard?
I wonder what other colours we can find in nature?
I wonder if we can make a picture using the colourful objects?

Possible lines of development:

Take children into the yard to find more colours. What colours can you find in the yard? Where can you find these colours?
How colours in nature change when wet - experiment with getting some objects wet.
Collect some leaves and seeds from the yard and make a large mosaic on the ground in the yard.
Look at the images of colour in nature - what can you see, what colours can you see?

Ages - 3 to 5

What to do:

Preparation: Collect a range of objects from nature that are in different colours. Place these objects on a sensory table or mat. Objects could include flowers, leaves, stones, sticks, seeds and nuts, grass, feathers, berries and fruit. Small items should be placed in clear tubs.

Ask children to look at the range of materials on the table. Talk to the children about what they see, what colours they are and where they come from.

Can you sort the objects according to their colour? Can you sort them into a rainbow? What are some other ways that the objects could be sorted?

Once complete children can either work together or independently to create a picture by sticking the materials to pieces of cardboard.

Provocations:

I wonder what these objects are?
I wonder where these objects come from?
I wonder what colours these objects are?
I wonder if we can sort them according to their different colours?
I wonder what other colours we can find in the room?
I wonder what other colours we can find in the yard?
I wonder what other colours we can find in nature?
I wonder why nature has made so many different colours?
I wonder if we can make a picture using the colourful objects?

Possible lines of development:

Take children into the yard to find more colours. What colours can you find in the yard? Where can you find these colours?
Favourite colours.
How colours in nature change when wet - experiment with getting some objects wet.
The most colourful animals.
Collect some leaves and seeds from the yard and make a large mosaic on the ground in the yard.
Look at the images of colour in nature - what can you see, what colours can you see?

Evaluation

Complete an analysis of learning listing evidence about:

Belonging	Finding something of interest
Communication	Expressing an idea or feeling
Exploration	Engaging with challenge and persisting when difficulty arises
Well being	Being involved

Embedding into daily practice

Encourage some colour in your garden by planting trees and shrubs that attract birds and/or butterflies.
Grow flowers containing nectar. Some birds, invertebrates and mammals need nectar for food.

Colours in Nature

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Activity Details

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