The Clay table is one of our children’s favourite spaces to be at Nurture Through Nature. This natural material provides children with authentic art experiences. Our younger children use this as a place of exploration and our older children use the clay to create and construct different objects such as sculptures. The clay is soothing and is always available for children as they commence their day, helping with the initial separation between the family and their child. One of the children delights in the clay, self-soothing he carries the clay with him all day as some children would do with a cuddly toy or security blanket.
Clay strengthens children muscles in their hands, improving dexterity, fosters mathematical understandings including many opportunities for early numeracy including sequencing and tactical experiences of size and weight differences. Our clay table is strategically placed next to the children’s mud pit to encourage the connection between mud and clay.
“ The clay is soft and squishy on my face “
– Alyssa aged 4
“I made a big circle and a baby circle “
– Ryleigh Aged 2