TOPIC: LIGHT AND DARK (SCIENCE)

Sand/ Water

  • Create a small world environment in the sand, e.g. lighthouse
  • Hide shiny object in sand / water. Use sieves, spoons, magnets, ladles to find them
  • Writing in glittery sand. Use different colours of glitter and sand
  • Put fairy liquid into water to look at rainbow spectrums
  • On a sunny day use mirrors in water to reflect on ceiling, walls etc.
  • Use convex, concave, spoons, etc.
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Small World

  • Use a play mat street sign, emergency vehicles and signs
  • Make little street lights out of materials
  • Use pirate ship in small world tray, hide treasure chests or put sequins in the sand
  • Make lights for the dolls house, lamps, outdoor lights
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Writing

  • Invitations, cards menus for different festivals
  • Writing in glittery sand
  • Postcards – Blackpool lights, firework displays.
  • Zig zag – information books, daytime, night time, lights at home, lights in the street
  • Making signs and labels to use at night
  • Write safety instructions
  • Posters for Fireworks, fire, matches, safety at nights
  • Lighting section of catalogues. Make own catalogues
  • Writing linked to role play areas, e.g. light shop, or lists for camping

Outdoor

  • Road and road safety play, dress up in fluorescent jackets
  • Play in tunnels and tents, use different torches, flashing lights, coloured lights
  • Use a big box and silver paper, or survival blanket to make a space ship
  • Treasure hunt - shiny objects. (Objects wrapped in shiny paper)
  • Visit to a specialist lighting shop, or DIY Store
  • Shadow tig playing with shadows. Making shadows using different objects
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Role Play

(Provide pictures of different real environments)
  • Kippers Monster
  • Lighting shop, catalogues, empty bulb boxes, lamps, spot lights, light curtains, chasing lights, outdoor lights, fibre optics…
  • Cave
  • Night area- spiders, bats etc
  • Prop boxes - shiny fabrics, torches, jewellery, mirrors, papers, spoons …
  • Large boxes to play in
  • Torches/ shadow puppets
  • Dressing up clothes to reflect cultural celebrations
/ Construction
  • Make Light houses – junk
  • Make Caves from lego, duplo, junk, wooden blocks
  • Use tubes, reflective and coloured paper to construct make believe torches, lamps, and lights
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Creative

  • Firework pictures/ bonfire pictures
  • Paint pictures of the street at night
  • Collage shiny/dull e.g. rainbow fish
  • Colour mixing
  • Black and white silhouettes e.g. profiles of children and objects
  • White/black Matisse
  • Cotton buds – dots of light(impressionism portraits)
  • Music day/night moods, haunted house, hairy scary castle

Health & Safety

Do not look at the sun, wear sunglasses. Stay Safe in the Sun
Wear reflective materials at night
Matches safety and candles
Firework safety /

Culture and Diversity

Festivals, Divali, Hannukah, Eid, Chinese New Year and Christmas associated celebrations, costumes and events
Recognising and being sensitive to issues surrounding visual impairment in the environment, e.g. noise on the pelican crossing, Braille on signs, surfaces

H:\Early Years\2004 Mixed Age Planning\Continuous Provision - Light and Dark (Science).doc