Flowers

A flower
"A flower" (5 years).

Flowers are a natural material that produce seeds and help plants reproduce. They come with many different colours, shapes and smells. Children are attracted to them because of their intricate and delicate beauty.

Many childcare services have flowering plants in their outdoor areas, which can provoke questions and investigations into flowers. The changes in outdoor environments teach children about seasons.

EYLF learning outcomes

The Early Years Learning Framework learning outcomes for flowers are:

  • connecting with natural materials (4.4)
  • learning to respect the environment (2.4)
  • curiosity, imagination and creativity (4.1)
  • inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating (4.2).

Learning experiences

Add flowers to water play

Flower petals can easily transform a simple water play experience. Add the petals to a trough of warm water, which will help release their scent.

Alternatively, provide small cups of warm water with a separate tray of flowers. The children can sprinkle flowers into their cups to make "magic potions".

Talk to children about the colours, scents and textures. How does the water change the flowers? Do the flowers change the water?

Press flowers

The easiest way to press flowers is with a heavy book, like a thick dictionary or encyclopedia:

  1. Use fresh flowers and remove the stems and leaves.
  2. Place the flowers between the pages of the book. Leave space between multiple flowers, so they don't press into each other.
  3. Close the book and place a brick on top of it.
  4. Leave the book for at least a week before removing the flowers.
  5. The flowers can now be used in an artwork.

Wear flower crowns

Educators can help children make crowns by wrapping strips of paper around their heads. The ends can be glued, stapled or taped together. Once the crowns have been made, the children can glue flowers on them for decoration.

Resources

Picture books

Footpath Flowers by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith

Websites