Building a mermaid house

I had one of those wonderful sessions with just a few children where it was calm, busy and concentrated and I got to interact and observe, mess about and be surprised all at the same time...

I sat together with three 2 year olds and a three year old and we made patterns on mirrors with gems, platic cups, tubes and geometric shapes and later small mermaids (designed as drinking glass markers at parties) and magnetic tiles...

The children were busy with their own creations and at the same time looking at each other and inspiring each other... the coloured geometric shapes making us giggle as we could transform each other into different colours by putting them in front og our eyes...

as I saw how busy the children were there was time for me to play too - I was also fascinated by the patterns that could be created by using the reflection as part of the construction...

the two year olds were very preoccupied with the feel of the gems, an moving them from the bowl, to the mirror into one cup and then into another...

the three year old felt that the mermaids needed a house and promptly built one. Once he had fixed walls all the way round I asked him if he wanted to try and build a roof. This he did. I was very sure that the large surface area would mean that he would have to rethink his design plan and put in some supporting walls... my eyes widened and jaw dropped as he placed the middle piece just after the piece he is placing in the photo above - it held - and he continued without one bit of awareness that I was sat poised waiting to say "how can we get the roof not to fall down?" It was not needed. He moved quickly on to discover that by opening a piece you could create a door and see the mermaids inside - it looked pretty magical in there....

Well today I have learnt a little more about the magnetic strength of these magnetic tiles!!