Pipe Cleaner Sculptures

This week my Assistants and I have spent lots of time in the classroom reviewing lessons, looking over materials and getting things ready for our 'School Visit' morning.  This is a block of time for enrolled children to come in and get a sense of the classroom.  They find their cubbies, hooks, work bins, the restroom, and other components of their new environment.  During this time, I also set up some traditional play materials such as blocks, trains, and markers for coloring so that the children may identify with familiar materials.  One activity I thought would be exciting for the children to complete is a pipe cleaner sculpture.  This, I thought, would be something simple and fun which the children may take home with them after their visit.  Hopefully by bringing their sculpture home, they can continue dialogue about school with their families and keep the excitement going!

My assistants assembled the activity using remnants from the art closet - this is a wonderful way to use up extra beads or pipe cleaners you may have!  We thought setting it up at a large table would be ideal during the 'School Visit' morning where three to four children may be working together.  A large container holds a batch of play dough - a small piece of this will form the base of the child's sculpture.  A divided tray holds an assortment of colorful beads with many interesting textures.  The eye catching Turkish vase is the perfect place for an array of pipe cleaners.

Beads and pipe cleaners for sculptures.

After placing the pipe cleaners into the play dough base, the child may explore shape and dimension while bending the wires into the desired position.  Meanwhile, they can also thread their choice of beads onto the pipe cleaners to create one-of- kind, multi-dimensional sculptures!

Bending...

...and twisting...

Pipe cleaner sculpture!

We also set up a stack of parchment paper squares on which to place their sculpture and to write the child's name with a Sharpie marker.  It is our plan to have this activity available during the first days of school as well.

So fun and cheerful - just what we want the kids to feel!

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