When we think of sculpture, we immediately think of mediums like clay. For preschool, this often translates to playdough. In my preschool STEAM programs that focus on art, I make it a goal to introduce the children to mediums they may be unfamiliar with. For this program, we made sculptures, but instead of play dough molding, we used wire and foam to make our own toy manipulatives.
Station 1: Toy Manipulatives
Supplies Needed
- Floral foam
- Twisteez wire
- Wooden beads
- other fun shaped beads (optional)
- Scissors
Prep Work
You may need to cut the floral foam down to smaller pieces. I cut 5″ cubes.
During the Program
During the program, I simply assisted children with their sculptures. Some had trouble sticking wire through. All in all, this activity was very low maintenance.
Station 2: Paper Playgrounds
At my STEAM programs, I usually have at least two activities to keep everyone busy. My second activity here was a very simple one: make a “playground” with paper scraps. I provided the children with cardboard rectangles to stabilize their playgrounds and a ton of scrap paper, as well as scissors and glue. Easy peezy.
Conclusion
The toy manipulatives were very popular and held the children’s attention really well! There were some children who worked on their sculpture for the entire duration of the program (1 hour) which in my experience is pretty impressive!
