The Imagination Tree

Creative play and learning for kids

  • Home
  • Start here!
  • Welcome
    • About Me
    • Popular Posts
    • Play Challenge
    • Subscribe
  • Age
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Preschooler
    • School Age
  • Activities
    • Literacy
    • Numeracy
    • Creativity
    • Physical
    • PHSE
    • Science
  • Resources
    • Spaces
    • Toys
    • Books
  • Contact
  • Kindness Elves

Discovery Box 14: Rainbow Scarves

May 21, 2012 by Anna Ranson

Create open-ended, heuristic play opportunities for toddlers and beyond using gorgeous, silky rainbow scarves and lots of imagination!

It’s been a while since we had a new Discovery Box to explore and enjoy! If you follow me on Facebook you will know that I’ve been posting daily Invitations to Play, which are little play prompts designed to encourage investigation, creativity and imagination. If you have not read about our Discovery Boxes before, they are designed along a very similar principle and are used as a way to introduce new play materials. 
I’ve been making these for the girls since Cakie was 18 months old and had progressed from the heuristic play treasure baskets. I came up with the idea to extend the open-ended play opportunities for her by presenting her with everyday materials in a box or basket based loosely around a particular theme or motor skill (stacking, rolling,  posting, threading, weaving etc.) Then the idea is to step back and watch play unfold, without imposing adult expectations or designed outcomes and only step in to facilitate or extend play when invited to by the child.
This latest Discovery Box was a basket full of beautiful rainbow coloured scarves. I’ve seen these in lots of gorgeous natural toy magazines and they feature strongly in Waldorf and Steiner education. However they were extremely pricey, so I did some research and found these scarves on eBay being sold as juggling scarves from a circus shop! And at an amazing price!
After the initial “WOWs” from both girls, the first thing they did with them, of course, was to throw them around the room wildly! This apparently involved needing to stand on the sofa and jump off while throwing them overhead, then attempting to catch them. The scarves make a fantastic tool for practising throwing and catching (and therefore gross motor skills and hand:eye co-ordination) as they are so light that they take a long time to float back down, and are also large and easy to grab!

 After a while Cakie started to lay them over each other and asked me what colours I could see. She held them up to the window and tried hard to find new colours. After some discussion she agreed that red and blue made a purplish sheen and yellow and blue could be folded to look green.

 Next these were danced with around the room, trailing behind them or being flapped like birds wings. I am definitely taking these out in the garden for them to run and dance with in a larger space (the next time it actually stops raining here!)

Then, from out of nowhere, Cakie grabbed them all and instructed me to tuck them in around her neck. She said “I’m going to get married now like Cinderella, and this is going to be my rainbow dress.” I suggested she use the white one over her head for a veil and she ran to get some fake flowers to complete the look! Then plenty of independent imaginative play took place, with her as the central character and narrator, as well as lots more dancing and “floating” around the room. It was quite a gorgeous moment 🙂

At a later time these were pulled back out of the basket and added to their ever-extending imaginative play small world scenes, with the blue representing a lake, the yellow a beach, and green a forest.

I can’t wait to see where their imaginations will take them next with these scarves! They are going to be a staple addition to all independent play times in our home.


Learning Links:

  • creativity: using imaginations to tell stories, dance, sing and take on a role, creating dressing up costumes
  • physical development: gross motor skills: dancing using arms and legs in co-ordinated movements, circling arms, throwing and catching, jumping and landing with controlled movements
  • literacy: oral storytelling
  • knowledge and understanding: using everyday objects to represent other things in play, exploring colour mixing
Cakie: 3 years 7 months
Pop: 2 years 1 month
Bean: 12 weeks

Related Posts

  • Born to Read- Save the Children campaignBorn to Read- Save the Children campaign
  • Pumpkin Activities for Kids
  • It’s Playtime! Celebrating the Truth of EasterIt’s Playtime! Celebrating the Truth of Easter
  • Freezing and Melting Objects in IceFreezing and Melting Objects in Ice
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar Storytelling Basket
  • Autumn Leaf Spin Art GarlandAutumn Leaf Spin Art Garland

Filed Under: Creativity, Dance, Discovery Boxes, Gross Motor Development, Heuristic Play, Imaginative Play, Movement, Physical Development, Rainbows, Throwing and Catching

« Whisking Up Coloured Sensory Soap!
Patriotic Sensory Tub »

Comments

  1. potiondavril says

    May 21, 2012 at 6:40 pm

    so lovely

    • Anna @ The Imagination Tree says

      May 21, 2012 at 10:06 pm

      thank you!

  2. Rachel T says

    May 21, 2012 at 7:10 pm

    What a fab addition to your toys. Am having to physically stop myself from going straight onto ebay to order some myself! I have been eyeing up play silks for EVER but baulk at the price.

    • Anna @ The Imagination Tree says

      May 21, 2012 at 10:05 pm

      i think they were only about £8!

  3. Rebekah says

    May 21, 2012 at 9:27 pm

    We love scarves for play too. You are right that the Waldorf inspired ones are pricey, and I just have a variety of regular in different colors and patterns. My daughter uses them in so many ways and they are great open ended play material.

    The picture of Cakie dancing like a bird is priceless!

    • Anna @ The Imagination Tree says

      May 21, 2012 at 10:06 pm

      Isn’t it gorgeous?! Thank you 🙂 It’s a great idea to have them in various patterns!

  4. entertainingmonsters says

    May 21, 2012 at 10:33 pm

    What lovely photos, looks like they are really enjoying themselves. I too have been put off by the cost of Waldorf silk scarves. Using juggling scarves in a brilliant idea. I’ve just ordered some from eBay! Didn’t get quite as good a bargain as you, mine were £10.

  5. School Sparks Renee says

    May 22, 2012 at 12:14 am

    Yes the idea for juggling scarves is brilliant! Looks like so much fun. Renee

  6. Growing a Jeweled Rose says

    May 22, 2012 at 12:26 am

    Beautiful photos of a beautiful play time! Rosie is in a music class at a local child center, and they use scarfs like this to foster and extend dance and movement. I would have never thought to use them for small world play. Such a great idea Anna!

  7. Debs- Learn with Play @ home says

    May 22, 2012 at 10:35 am

    Lovely simple play ideas 🙂 My 3 year old goes to gymnastics and they do a scarf toss, turn and catch as part of the activities.

  8. Lynda Howells says

    May 22, 2012 at 7:24 pm

    great images. I bought some of this material in 6 different colours, from our local market and made huge scarves..the children really love them. I use them with children aged from 5 mths all the way up to 10 years!xxlynda

  9. anastasia @ healthymamainfo says

    May 22, 2012 at 9:56 pm

    So beautiful! We made a flower with silk scarves once: http://healthymamainfo.com/2012/04/flower-crafts/

  10. Chris says

    May 23, 2012 at 5:43 am

    Hi Anna, how adorable. I’m just stopping by to say how delightful your blog is. Thanks so much for sharing. I have recently found your blog and am now following you, and will visit often. Please stop by my blog and perhaps you would like to follow me also. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris
    http://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.ca/

  11. hermes bag outlet says

    December 13, 2012 at 5:03 am

    Designer louis vuitton online at mybagqueen are easily recognizable. The style and shape of designer omega watches for women is very attractive to anyone. One of the main feature of the designer handbag is light weight. This property makes the woman to carry popular christmas gifts comfortably. It is one of the things that any woman has to keep in her mind while she shops for an ideal and classic designer discount rolex watches.

The Imagination Tree on FacebookThe Imagination Tree on TwitterThe Imagination Tree on PinterestThe Imagination Tree on G+RSS feed from The Imagination TreeThe Imagination Tree straight to your inbox

Search The Imagination Tree

About The Imagination Tree Hello and welcome! I'm Anna, Mama of 4, early years teacher and play enthusiast from the UK! Click here to read more about me.

The Kindness Elves Store
Play Ideas on The Imagination Tree

Create with The Imagination Tree

Makes on The Imagination Tree

Sign up for our FREE emails:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2023 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT