Friday 31 January 2014

Outdoor Play Party - Bottle Babies

For those who know all about Bottle Babies you might just want to check out the other outdoor play posts hopefully linked up in this weeks OPP but perhaps there are some out there who still haven't heard about Bottle Babies.
A whole gaggle of Bottle babies, all lined up ready to be counted.
I first came across them over at Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School (TPCNS). I noticed lots of lovely bottles with coloured water in them in the background of lots of their photos but never really considered them as anything other than a quirky resource of TPCNS!
The TPCNS Bottle Babies - such delicious colours.
But then I got chatting with Lesley, the Director of TPCNS and she told me about how they came from a book called The Out-of-Sync-Child-Has-Fun by Carol Stock Kranowitz.
I first introduced to my nursery class of 3-4 year olds in September 2012 & they were an instant hit, the children just accepted them straight away & incorporated into their play. At the end of the school year they each got to pick one to take home & keep and so we started off in September 2013 with a whole new set.

They are the ultimate 'loose part' and best of all they don't cost money - just refill old 2 litre drinks bottles with anything you can find to hand. We have pen lids, lolly sticks, glitter, water beads, buttons, sequins, straws etc. - honestly try anything! The children use them as babies sometimes pushing them in prams etc. but they can also be salt & pepper when cooking, ice cream, nail polish, bricks, you think of it the children will build them into their play.


They are brilliant at settling in time, when the children don't know each other or don't mix easily. A child who is unsettled or finding it hard to focus on play can be won over by searching for a particular colour of bottle baby & then this is turn can end up as part of a larger group activity, helping to gel the class together. 
Walking on bottle babies is a particular favourite of my class each year too - it takes real skill to do this without them rolling from under their feet.
Once again there were so many great posts linked up in the last OPP but my favourite was from the inspiration for Bottle babies for me - Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School. I love what they have been doing with the old Christmas trees & I'm already planning what to do with some next January!

  • Any kind of children's outdoor play-related posts are welcome!



We'd appreciate it if you included a link back to this post (either in your post or sidebar) to help us spread the word about the importance (and fun!) of outdoor play! In return, we'll gladly further share your post on FacebookTwitterPinterestPlease feel free to grab the Outdoor Play Party button from the sidebar and/or include a text link back.

Please note that by contributing you are giving permission for an image and link to your post to be republished if featured.(If you have been featured, please feel free to grab the 'featured' button from the sidebar.) Share your ideas for outdoor play activities with us every other week!

10 comments:

  1. I've said it before but I really want to try the walking over the bottles thing! Must be awesome for balance and co-ordination!

    xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Charlotte & thanks for linking up. Must admit I haven't tried it in case I burst them! But another smaller staff member has xxx

      Delete
  2. Another recycled item bringing creative learning and fun into your setting! It must be so rewarding to introduce a loose part then sit back and watch the child led play unfold. Thanks for linking up and sharing your inspiration with Country Kids.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks you know early years people love recycling!

      Delete
  3. I love bottle babies. I'm going to pass this idea onto Little Man's nursery. They are fab :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes, do. Such a great resource & best of all it costs next to nothing so they won't fret if the children have periods of not playing with them or they get trashed!

      Delete
  4. Very interesting mega play concept on coloured bottles! Instead of using small ones for small world play, these provide a very physical presence of play. Thanks for dropping by Growing HeARTS! I've provided your OOP link on my blog. I am still very new to blogging. So need to learn the ropes of blogging etiquette. : )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi & loved reading your link up post.

      Delete
  5. I love this. Glad I found your blog.

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.