::: shell sorting in a shadow box
We love this shadow box and shell sorting activity we saw at Ringwood Uniting Preschool last week.
Laying flat on the table …
or up on it’s end …
the shadow box allowed for many different sorting opportunities including into size, shape, colour and texture.
The addition of the shell poster positioned at the back of the activity …
meant the children could match the shells in the basket to the shells on the poster.
It also provided a wonderful opportunity for some intentional teaching.
Or simply some good old fashioned PLAY!
Tags: shadow box, shell poster, shells, sorting
Yes, shells are such a great natural element to focus on – but I haven’t seen such a nice poster – could you tell me where it came from? TIA
::: Louise, we’ll have to check with Elizabeth on that one – will get back to you when we know.
What a great twist on the boring old sorting toys. Each shell becomes a separate detailed object for close examination… It promotes interest in nature, has potential as a “found” objects toy (if you visit an area where washed up shells are common, or just a coastal gift shop) and inspires all sorts of unrelated play. I’ll definitely be setting up one of these for my son as soon as he’s old enough to not try and eat the shells. Do you have a source for the poster, or did they make it?
::: Meagan, we think they bought it, but it would be easy enough to make one if you collect your shells (we need a licence here in Oz to do that), photograph each shell then print them off.
Hi girls – I did post a comment but it doesn’t seem to have gotten through – just saying I liked the setup esp the shells poster and wondered if you knew where it had come from?
::: We love it too Louise – just waiting for a reply from the girls and we’ll let you know.
::: For those who are interested, Elizabeth bought the shell poster from a shop here in Melbourne called “Windmill” quite some years ago:
http://www.windmill.net.au/
On the back of the poster it says,”Copyright 1992 Frank Schaffer Publications, inc. All rights reserved-Printed in the U.S.A.”
We hope that helps.