Rainbow pens

After seeing so many rainbow crafts on the internet, the idea came to me to attach felts tips together that were the colours of the rainbow. Bee loved this idea and enjoyed making rainbow patterns on her paper.

Product of the rainbow pens

                                     

Who can play?
Children aged 2 years plus. Depending on their age and stage of development

Safety:
Chose non toxic, washable pens.

What do you need?

• Red, yellow, pink, green, orange, purple and blue felt tips
• Cello-tape
• Paper

What did we do?
Firstly we had to attach the felt tips together with the cello-tape. This proved a little bit tricky for Bee, but with a bit of assistance we managed it. We ordered the felts in the order of the rainbow song:

Red and yellow and pink and green.

Orange and purple and blue.

I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow too.

Felt tip pens attached together in the order of the rainbow colours... excuse the pink and blue pens...they were the only ones I could find :-)

Bee, held onto the pens and dragged them across the paper, from one side to the other. At first the paper would move, so she asked me too hold it still whilst she moved the pens. When she reached the other side, she looked so pleased with herself and said "look mum, I made a rainbow!"

Bee starting her rainbow picture with the rainbow pens...

...and finishing it at the other side of the paper.

She was really happy with the finished product. She also sorted all the lids, so that they matched the corresponding pen.

Her rainbow picture

This activity encouraged Bee to draw her own rainbow later that day.

Drawing rainbows free style

 I also designed this rainbow to encourage Bee to develop not only her colour recognition, but pencil control too. She has not used it yet, but I place it in her writing area, for when she is ready.

Pencil control rainbow

What did we learn?

• Communication and language- Talking about the colours that she sees. Recalling personal experiences of rainbows.
• Physical development- Fine and large manipulative skills, hand-eye coordination.
• Personal, social and emotional- Asking for help when needed. Feeling pride from finished product.
• Literacy- Drawing from left to right, therefor developing the skills used for writing.
• Mathematics- Trying to space out the lines on the rainbow, so that they do not touch. Matching the correct coloured lids to the pens.
• Expressive arts and design- Creating rainbows with felt tip pens and attaching them all together to make a rainbow. Learning about colours.

What could be done next?

• rainbows with pasta, play dough and beads
• Making rainbows with primary coloured paint.
• Provide pictures to the drawing/writing area for inspiration
• Make rainbows outside with the hose pipe or water sprays.