Unplugging the Kids

We try to keep TV, Videos, and Computers at a minimum in our house. We do watch TV and the occasional movie - in fact we do belong to Netflix and love the documentaries and family movie nights we have almost every Friday night - but as a family we engage in very little "media time." Each year we participate in the annual Turn TV Off Week, which is probably harder for the adults than the kids!

Recently I stumbled upon the blog Unplug Your Kids and I was intrigued. I especially loved the idea of the weekly Unplugged Projects. This seemed like a fun way to help create some more learning opportunities and put some different, and planned, creativity in our lives. So, armed with this week's theme, we set off to do a project or two.

This week's theme is SQUARE

I told the kids about the Unplugged Project idea, what this week's theme was, and then asked them what thoughts they had on how to approach it.

Kids' Idea: Make Squares with K'nex

Ziggy was at Girl Scouts, so she did not participate. But the 2yr old and the other 5yr old I watch during the day did. They all loved the idea of playing with K'nex, and we had some good mathematical discussions. This was the first time any of them had really played with the K'nex. Of course it is too complex for a 2yr old, but he had fun playing with the larger pieces. Gherkie had fun trying to break down large squares and shapes into smaller squares. I tried to make a cube, but couldn't. Not sure why, but I could not find the right pieces to connect everything correctly. So much for *my* part of the geometry lesson.

All three kids played with the K'nex for almost an hour. It was a success!

Mom's idea: Art History Application - Mondrian

My first thought went to pop-artists Piet Mondrian. I was going to have them create an art piece in the style of Mondrian, and also talk a bit about his works and the influencing forces of his time. But I forgot to look for a book at the library, and when I visited their school I noticed that the art class had already done a Mondrian project. OK, time to revisit the idea.

I decided to still talk some about Mondrian and the influences from that period in time, (figuring that the art teacher did not talk much about the social and political forces in play at that time)but to let them do something creative based upon the idea of squares. Sort of like Mondrian, but without a grid. So, I cut up some scrapbook paper into various squares, and had them glue them onto a piece of construction paper of their choice.

Oddly enough the history part kept their interest, and they were intrigued to learn about Mondrian's life. But the actual art part. Well, apparently gluing squares onto paper was not too much fun. They spent about 15 minutes on the project and then ran off to play with their fairies.

I did enjoy their interpretations. Gherkie had a very free flow to her work. One square was turned around to hide the pattern of the paper and show the white back. And, she had a few squares off to the side some, as if they were running away. I always enjoy the flow of her art work.

Ziggy's work was more orderly. Of course, no shocker there. She also stacked her squares one on top of another, and played with the "square" relationship. You can see some of her quilting influence in her piece.

Mine, oddly enough, was very orderly. I was trying to show, without using words, the concept of constructing larger squares with smaller squares, and deconstructing squares into smaller square parts. Or at least that was the concept in my head when I started out. I don't think you can really tell that in the finished product. Oh well.

After "living" with this thought in my head for a week, and in their head for a few days, it is amazing to see how often they are noticing square related activities or objects, and they are talking about square stuff quite a bit. I find that interesting. Just a small focus on one topic really influences their thought process for the week. Just helps confirm my ideas on adding in some planned, themed activities, yet also letting it be child led.