LaQ

LaQ is a creative, open ended, construction product unlike any other. With 7 part types and 12 colours, it is incredible that these simple pieces have such a variety of uses. Age appropriateness for a wide span of ages is something that is important to me when I'm considering learning through play resources. The fact that children as young as 4 years can use this building material, alongside older children, teens and even adults, is excellent. As I work as a teacher in a school, and have 6 children of my own, I have had the opportunity to witness the versatility of LaQ first hand. It is amazing to see 11 year olds just as excited and engaged with something, as a prep class of 4 year olds. This is unusual - but wonderful!

The basics

These pieces are very simple to use. Push them together to connect the pieces. Bend them at an angle to disconnect. Even without any assistance, most 4 year olds can figure out how they work in seconds. Henry and Daisy at ages 6 and 9 never required any help with how to make the pieces connect.

  

LaQ For Play Based Learning

Using LaQ simply as a freely available learning resource has huge benefits. Fine motor muscle development and fine motor control are built considerably using this resource. Children naturally want to engage with it, and so receive this benefit immediately. LaQ can be kept available in a tub, or wooden bowl, or can be set out on a shared table in individual cups/small bowls, as an invitation to create using a set number of pieces. Each of these options provides different opportunities to think creatively.

 

One benefit I noticed very quickly was the level of concentration that children apply when using LaQ. They are completely engaged and choose to stay with building even when things that normally distract them come along. In prep, students stay at the LaQ table longer than many other table options. With older students, I have witness the unusual sight of seeing students choosing to forgo laptop use, to play with LaQ! With my own child, I have observed an overall increase in the length of the time he can concentrate on tasks since his obsession with LaQ began. 

 

Making thinking visible is something teachers often ask of students. Thinking can be made visible in many ways, such as using drawings, writing collectively as a class discussion is happening, and through so many structured visible thinking routines. Thinking can also be made visible through the use of concrete materials, using anything from play dough to pipe cleaners, and LaQ as it so happens. Students can use this resource in a very literal way, building their thinking as an actual 3D object, OR the resource gives students the freedom to represent their thinking in a more abstract way, using the pieces unconnected, or building them in a way that may be very different. For students, both children and adults, having the freedom to create with their hands while thinking can very much help to extend, refine and develop ideas, aiding the thought process. There is just something really special that happens when concrete materials such as these are available to support the thought process.

Using LaQ in the Primary Classroom

There are a large variety of more specific applications for this resource in the primary classroom. Listed below are a few of these ideas:

• Patterning. Creating patterns using LaQ is fantastic. In this instance it would be perfect for certain children with special needs. Some students become frustrated when creating patterns with loose parts because the pieces move and their pattern doesn't stay as they would like it to. Meltdowns can result at times due to this frustration. As LaQ are held together and have 12 colour choices, students have all the patterning options, without the frustration of pieces 'moving.'

• Numeracy. The development of numeracy skills can be challenging for many students. As a former numeracy support teacher I can tell you that one of the hardest parts of my job was getting past a wall of "I can't," or "I'm not good at this so I won't try." It was heart breaking! The way I would make progress with the students who struggled so very much with numeracy, was to make it fun, and provide them with concrete materials and resources that were completely engaging. Making numeracy irresistible is certainly a challenge at times, but resources such as LaQ really do help. Below is one example of a child finding the answer to a multiplication question. Some children will prefer to use the resource loose, where as others may prefer to click the pieces together. The same can be done with subtraction, addition, division and even fractions and decimals. Some students may find a fine whiteboard marker helpful to write straight on the pieces (this wipes off).

• Position. Position grids are a great way to use LaQ. They can be made to any size, to suit student needs, which is helpful when students are working at very different levels within the classroom. Adding an X on the starting piece, then giving verbal or written directions to each other, students can work together on both giving and carrying out directions, all the while developing verbal skills as well.

• 2D and 3D shapes. Creating 3D shapes using LaQ can be a great way to explore the nets of solids. 2D shapes can also be created. Below Lucy turned her 3D shape into a cake!

• Drama. Students can create puppets or objects to support dramatic play or for more formal drama lessons. Below, a child had created a bird then proceeded to use it as a puppet in story telling.

• Writing. This resource can be a great way to develop writing ideas for narratives. Often at the starting point, when considering ideas, it can be difficult to refine and make decisions. Using a concrete material such as this can help students to work their way through this challenging step. It takes the pressure off, helps with creativity and allows students who struggle with writing to develop their ideas in a non-written format before putting pen to paper.

• STEM. There are a wide variety of STEM applications for this educational resource. Building towers, transport, bridges etc, are just the start. Students could be asked to use LAQ with other resources as well. The possibilities are endless!

 

Where can I Buy LaQ?

LaQ is available to purchase online at Smarty Pants Toys. The sets I recommend for school use are this one and this one, as these are what I use at school very successfully. At home either of these sets would be amazing too, or any of the sets aimed at specific interests (for example, dinosaurs) but Henry made me promise to mention the crystal set as he and Daisy love it the best.

As a bonus for being a follower of mine, you can use the code LAQLEARNING to receive 10% off! Perfect timing for Christmas gifts!!!

 

 

{A big thank you to St Peter's Anglican Primary School for allowing me to take and use some of these photos.}

Jen x

Prep: Learning Through Play

Last week Prep had an amazing week! They were really in the zone, and as their teacher I couldn’t help but stand back for a moment, so very proud of how far they have come this year.

Our unit of inquiry focus has taken off on a few different tangents, and I have chosen to encourage students to explore as their questions have directed. This week therefore led to a very unusual mix of play invitations, as you will see below. I actually really love this! It makes me so happy that I can allow and build into this exploration.

The thing they found the most exciting though, was something I was a bit unsure of at first. I went with my gut and did it anyway. With our exploration of culture, storytelling and expression, I have had students asking questions about the different ways building have been made and designed in different countries. Groups had attempted to make tall towers that they had seen, but wanted to see more. So I played a very simple YouTube clip that contained 100 still photos of landmarks found around the world. I was not prepared for the strength of their response!! It was incredible! They were all talking at once, discussing which were man made, and what they were made from. It was LOUD! And I loved it! They were so very excited! The focused play, involving incredible collaboration, and perseverance when their plans failed, that occurred afterwards was amazing. It was one of those days all teachers should have the chance to experience, and I was so grateful in that moment for the freedom to experience it.

*Exploring body painting using chalk.

*Storytelling with Aboriginal symbol stones, books, Australian animals and loose parts.

 

*Storytelling in frames.

Our focus letter sound of the week was /h/. 

*Hammers.

* Houses made from blue tak and loose parts.

*Houses for horses.

*Kinetic sand construction invitation to play. 

*Literacy centre.

*Mirror box numeracy centre.

*Patterning on contact.

*Washi tape dominoes. 

*Snow man making with play dough. Mats are a free download here.

*I loved this activity from the other prep class!

Any questions? I look forward to our final week of the term.

Jen x

Note: As we share ideas in prep, not all these ideas are mine. I also use inspiration from other sources and sometimes can't recall where from.

Learning about emotion

Learning about emotions is such an important part of early years education. Children aged 2 to 5 need plenty of play to do with emotion and how we can express ourselves in healthy ways. 

Here I have put together a range of resources and provocations to help students explore emotions, and a brief review based on my own prep class.

Book based provocations: 

❤️'The colour monster' + paintchips = our class feelings rainbow. They LOVED this and it was an excellent start to our look at emotion. All they had to do was choose one colour that represented an emotion for them. Our class TA and I wrote what they said on their paint chip, then I added the colours to pages as a rainbow. I added one yellow piece to finish the rainbow. I colour photocopied this for the students' portfolios. I wrote their name on the paint chip/s they chose so their parents can see which one they chose.

 

❤️ 'Mr. Huff' and 'The bad mood & the stick.' My class asked to have these read again, and 5 weeks on I still had children in the class looking at Mr. Huff. It really resonated with them. The watercolour feelings clouds were a beautiful representation of the feelings each child felt. 

 

❤️ 'In my heart,' the feelings books, and 'My silent world,' were other books we read. We had a class set of books I borrowed from the local library, which had an entire section dedicated to books about feelings!

Other activities:

❤️ Feelings eggs & paint chip colour matching. There was disagreement between some students as to which colours matched which faces. It was interesting listening to their discussions. Purple in particular was not agreed upon. All saw pink and yellow as happy, 'comfortable,' and 'cosy' colours. Most (except one child) saw blue as a sad colour. Black was a scary colour for them.

❤️ Emotion cards & play dough 🙌 Soooo much discussion at this table. Picklebums have free downloadable resources including these face outlines perfect for play dough feelings faces. I found the monster faces free as a download after I joined the mailing list of 'Counselor Kerri.'

 

❤️ Calm rice, and uplifting rice. This is just rice coloured with food colouring, and essential oils added. This is an activity for children well past the eating-sensory-materials stage. Note that I have not added buckets of rice here. A cup or two in each of these Kmart trays is plenty to keep two children happy. I used Young Living lavender and lemon oils. If you are interested in purchasing oils from someone who is a no pressure leader (I frankly don't have the time or desire to hound people, but am here for advice and help) contact me via my instagram Where Heart Meets Home account. 

❤️ Emotion puppets from paint chip skin tone circles with pop sticks. An absolute winner. A circle craft punch was used to cut the circles. Sharpies worked best on the paint chips to create faces, and PVA glue was used to stick them on.

❤️ Painting as a class - a whole table painting: free expression of our emotions. 

❤️ Emotional response to music: We listened to Flight of the bumblebee, drawing what we felt while listening, then listened to Cannon in D and did the same. I ended up recording their words onto their picture for the last one as their responses were so intense and beautiful, and a child even cried. Every class should do this! It really helped them make a connection to how things around us can affect the way we feel. The class then had a go at painting in response to back ground music the following week.

❤️ Feelings puzzles. There are plenty of face puzzles available. I liked this simple puzzle found on the same site as the monster feelings cards.

❤️ Taking individual photos of the whole class showing different ‘feelings faces’ then compiling onto one page for reference.

❤️ “I feel happy when....” picture.

❤️Dramatic play with wooden peg dolls. Adding a feelings prompt on the wall close by would be great, but even having this set up at the same time as some of the other activities will lead to dramatic play with a feelings focus. Peg dolls like these nins are perfect because there are no faces. The child decides how the doll is feeling.

❤️Calm dough. Play dough infused with essential oils, such as lavender, with loose parts, rollers and cutters are a great feelings acitivty.

 

❤️Water play. Simple water play, with discussions on how water makes us feel.

❤️Loose parts feelings faces. Round cork boards or placemats turned upside down are the perfect base for children to create faces. Prompt cards and mirrors can be helpful for this activity.

Additional resources:

The creative toy shop recent monthly subscription box contained an array of items perfectly geared to starting discussions about emotion. Their “Grow” emotion cards would be great as a starting point, along with the puzzle (Libby loved this). Calming play dough and the very loved magnetic face board were excellent additions. All of these items would be suitable for home or classroom use.