Masking Tape Three Ways

I've blogged before about how much we love colored masking tape and how we use it for all kinds of things. Recently my class has used tape in three different ways.

First, we made letters. Well, the kids didn't use tape for this one; I did. I made letters on the floor. They used lids and blocks to outline the letters.

However, I could have given tape to the kids and they could have created the letters first. Hmm. May need to do that next time.


Next, we used tape to create a poster. I had printed a featured word on paper. They decorated around, on, and over it.

My kids love to use scissors, so this activity was a bonus. We used tape AND scissors. I enjoyed seeing how each child would approach the task and use the materials in his own way...with his own ideas.


Then, we did our all-time favorite use of tape - we made roads for our cars. This time the road system went from the carpet to the tiled area of our room. We even had water and lava created, dangerous roads certainly.

A discussion broke out when one boy was using the tape to create the sides of the road ("Drive between the tape") and another one was using the tape for the roads ("Drive on the tape"). The difference was worked out and cars traveled around safely.

We love tape. It's one of our favorite things. We use it all the time. Sometimes we pull it out and use it in unplanned ways.

Here are some other ways tape has been used in my classroom---

• Paint Over Tape
• Tape and Scrap Paper
• More Tape Roads
• More Building Letters

Do you have new ideas for us?

Cutting in the Blocks Center

When working with the kids in my church kindergarten class, I have a couple of rules for myself. I try to be interested and involved in what the kids are doing without interrupting or changing things to be my ideas. I try to follow their interests and allow them to explore their ideas. And, while I will tell kids my own intent behind an activity (if they ask), I always encourage them to think and explore as they choose.

And, oftentimes, that means that my plans give way to their plans. And that's okay.

This week, since it was Palm Sunday, I set up materials in the blocks center to think about that particular story. I had some small coat shapes (cut from felt) and some leaf shapes. I had figures of Jesus and the crowd. My intent was for kids to explore and play out the story, if they chose. Also I thought they could build structures for the city and so forth, if they chose.

One boy laid out a coat shape. He looked around the center for a minute. Then he asked, "Where are the heads?"

Now I was confused. I asked him to repeat the question. Then I thought I got it.

I asked, "Are you looking for something to make a head on the coat figure?" He nodded.

I told him that I had not planned for that. "What do you think we could do?" I asked.

He and his friend pondered what to do. They talked about a few possibilities for what they could use. Then he said, "We could use paper."

I said, "Paper. How would we use that?"

He said, "We could cut paper to be heads."

"So," I said, "if I put out some paper and scissors, you could make heads?" He nodded.

So out came paper and scissors. I emphasized that cutting should only be for the paper. Not the coats. Not the leaves. Away they went.

After a while, they cut and cut. They cut shapes. They cut robots. They cut arms and legs.

"How will we get it together?" they asked.

"What could you use?" I asked.

They first decided to use glue. I only had glue sticks. Then another said, "Tape." I pulled out the masking tape.

They moved to a table to work, mainly because they wanted to add color and needed the markers in the writing center.

What resulted - the concentration, the conversation, and the final products - would never have happened without the scissors and manila paper appearing in the blocks center.

I continue to be amazed by the power of yes in my classroom. I'm glad I can say yes to these great ideas. And I must continue to remember that I'm not the only one with ideas in my classroom.

The kids have pretty great ideas, too.

Just the Doing of It

I've heard it. I've seen it. And I never ceased to be surprised by it.

Process over product.

I saw it again recently. I pulled out an old favorite for the kids a couple of weeks ago - masking tape roads and cars. Just like always I put out the colored tape, scissors, and small cars. Just like always, the kids began to cut tape and make a network of roads.

But I noticed something as they worked. It has happened a little before but was very clear this time. The kids enjoyed using the tape and making roads, parking lots, and more roads. But the cars stayed in the tub. No one used the cars to drive on the roads.

Now, I'm fine with that. But cars are usually generate a lot of interest. Especially when we have lots of boys in the room, like this year.

But more parking spaces and more roads appeared while the cars stayed put away.

After a little while, one boy began arranging cars on the roads. But the cars were basically props, final touches to the road creation. They didn't really drive them around on the roads or create "car scenarios" like others have done.

They did drive them a little...but mostly just arranged them in meaningful ways around the roadway.

One boy took the tape and did his own thing. He created a house.

This generated a lot of discussion, mostly about the lack of windows.
"How will you get light?"
"Duh, there are lights inside."
"What if there's only one light?"
"What if that light goes out?"
"Dun...dun...duunnnn" (dramatic music)
"What if there were no light bulbs? You must have windows."

One boy explained that windows were needed so you could look outside and see your dog and see if there was bad weather so you could bring the dog in. "You must have windows!"

All in all, I noticed that the doing was the important part. The process of cutting tape, figuring out how to keep it from sticking to itself (and trashing what did do that), creating colorful road designs, and thinking about what to add.

My favorite addition - this device that will punch you back on the road if you fly off.

So often in working with kids, we (adults) are too concerned about what they are making or what the end result will be. Often the kids are learning and discovering and enjoying just the doing of it.

Just the doing of it. I think that's how I will think about my teaching now. I'll just enjoy the doing of it and not try to get too stressed out about the final outcomes. (Those are important - but I don't want to miss the joy.)

Past Tape Road Posts---

We Love Tape
Roads on a Tablecloth
V is for Vehicles

"Good for Me!"

One of my favorite benefits in working with younger kids is to see how capable they are. Sometimes they surprise themselves. Sometimes they could always do it but did not have much opportunity. Sometimes I just enjoy seeing them do the things they do.

This week we made shakers - clear bottles, rice, masking tape, stickers. As we set up, we realized that we did not have a funnel. Pouring rice into the small opening of the bottles can be a little tricky. And messy. Now, I don't mind mess but try to minimize it whenever possible.

Cindy saw a small scoop in the rice bin. Perfect, she said. We'll just use that over the bin. 

It was great. The kids focused on pouring the rice in. Such concentration. They were very capable.

After getting rice into the bottles, they were ready for the outside. We had stickers but few wanted to use those. They wanted to use the colored tape!

Cutting lengths of tape can be tricky. Especially when using scissors may still be a developing skill.

A couple of times, I would offer to hold the end of the tape, to make a firm cutting line. Once, I said, "Would you like for me to hold the end of the tape?" Just then he snipped the tape off. "Good for you!" I said. "You did it."

Another boy quietly working nearby said, "Good for me!" as he continued to work.

Many eventually adopted the gravity technique. Hold the end of the tape and let the roll fall down; snip across the tape (and hear the roll hit the table!). 

While I would like to think that making a shaker was the activity here, I think cutting sticky tape was the real achievement. Sometimes the tape got folded on itself and was rendered useless. 

Our tabletop trash cans got lots of use. But that's okay.

I can always purchase more tape. I will not always have the opportunity to help kids develop competence and confidence. 

That sounds rather lofty. But I think that's just what was happening. 

And we got some really great shakers to play later with our music!

Envelopes + Tape + Markers

Envelopes + tape + markers = creativity.

Sometimes the basics are the best.

Dots Collaborative Artwork Revisited

After we worked on our dots collaborative artwork, I kept putting it out every week. Little to no interest has been generated after the first big rush. We've had it upright and flat, but not many takers. (I guess there are just too many other interesting things in the room to do.)

This week I decided to add some small masking tape in addition to the dots. (The kids noted that the tape matched the same colors as the dots. Mr. Scott does think about these things!)

Things started off a little slow but then they took off.

If your tape is too long, just wrap it around to the back.

The kids were working hard and almost getting in each other's way. I asked if we needed to move the board from against the wall to the floor. A great idea! Things really got busy again.

In fact, we used up all the tape I had put out. (None of the rolls were full rolls to start with.) So it was back to the dots. "We're going to cover up all the white," they said.

We didn't cover all the white but we did work hard. When the tape first went on, I thought it may have been a mistake. But now I love the final results.

Favorite Accessories in the Blocks Center

This week I'll be posting links from the blog archive about blocks and the blocks center.

My kids love to build and love to use all kinds of things in the center. Here are posts that have our favorites in the blocks center.

Tape and Cars - We love to make roads with tape - and drive the cars long the roads.

Furniture and Family Figures - We like to play out family. Both boys and girls enjoy this in the blocks center. And sometimes we even have a tornado.

Animals - We sort animals. We build zoos. 

Clipboards and Tools - The kids trace blocks, draw buildings, and use tools.

Paint Over Tape

A while back we explored painting over tape. The kids explored for a while before seeing the possibilities. We had to try a couple of kinds of paper before we found the right combination. (The tape wasn't as "easy release" as I'd hoped.)

Here are some of the explorations and results.

One boy decided to keep the tape on his picture.

And one girl decided just to explore the process instead of think about the end product.

Some kids just ignored the tape and created their own designs.

I love an activity that allows kids to explore in lots of different ways.