Many preschools ask the children to create rabbits in response to the Easter celebration. Jude (5 years old) has helped to demonstrate three different ways of creating a rabbit picture. I have added the learning opportunities each activity offers. You decide which activity contributes the most to the early education of young children.

1. Provide a printed copy of a rabbit and ask the children to colour in the picture (photo 1).  Jude practiced his  fine motor ( colouring in) and attention skills.

2. Provide a variety of open-ended materials, a blank page, glue and scissors, and ask the children to create their own rabbit (photos 2 – 3). Jude practised using his imagination, memory, attention, and problem-solving skills (Jude had to think:  What does a rabbit look like? How  to make a rabbit from the materials in front of  me?). Jude also used his critical thinking and early science skills by thinking about the essential characteristics of a rabbit (What makes a rabbit a rabbit? How is a rabbit different from all other animals?). Jude exercised his maths skills (What shape and size are the parts of a rabbit? How many legs/ears does a rabbit have?),and  his fine motor skills (cutting). Jude enjoyed being creative because he used his own ideas.

3. Provide a blank page, a variety of paper triangles, glue and scissors, and say to the children “Oh dear  … we are making a rabbit today but  we only have triangles to use. What can you make?’  (photos 4- 5). Jude used all the skills  listed above  i.e. his creativity, imagination, memory, problem-solving, critical thinking, maths and  fine motor skills but at a higher level because the task was more challenging and the  materials (straight lined, pointy cornered triangles) are at odds with the idea of a rabbit (rounded, soft, fluffy). Jude had fun exercising his ingenuity!