Sustainable Art

At Rachel Keeling Nursery School we have considered our privileged position as influencers in our community.
We know that we can support not only our children's thinking but also that of our families too. 
​Our children, staff and family have been looking at ways we can be sustainable in our water use and plastic when shopping. We have now started to reflect on resources in school. Our children have a rich history of working with recyclable materials to model and our families a long history of donating materials. On top of this our skip-diving staff have rescued many a pallet to use for woodwork. 
Over the past three weeks children have been supported in developing weaving and sewing skills using items reclaimed from the nursery. 
They started using old bike tyres: winding wool, ribbon and string on a large scale. Children worked in pars and collaborated, supporting each other and sharing talk. Next they began to use strips of fabric to sew through holes and develop an understanding of threading and working with needles. Smaller frames with netting were also used. Adults commented at end of day evaluation meetings how the children sustained for long periods, talking and highly engaged. Some adults commented on the therapeutic nature of the experience and calmness in the space.
During this time lots of different fabrics and materials have been used, from fruit packaging to abandoned painted canvases. A variety of sizes: large and small scale utilised with many children having opportunities to explore and return to master.
Some children were further supported to extend their learning by designing bags and adding detailing with thread, fabrics and objects. This has taken some perseverance to ensure you don't sew your bag shut!!!
Even as I type this, children are proudly coming to my office to share work they have created using old paper which was painted on but no child claimed. These have been cut up into strips so children can fashion their wares using them.
We continue to promote a process led ethos and not an end product! 
WATCH THIS SUSTAINABLE SPACE.
NB. We were thrilled when today we took part in a fabulous workshop here with Maud and Veronica from Sunny Jar Eco hub who are helping launch tote bags for the shops around the Globe Town area and are looking at supporting a Plastic-free Roman Road.
Contact Becky here if you would like to be involved. 
Details of their work will follow later this week.