Over the past two weeks, we introduced a Makerspace table during Open Time. Open Time is a part of the day when children move freely throughout the classroom, choosing where to play, when to join an experience, and when to move on. Some children stay with one experience for a long time, others pass through briefly, and some may choose to observe from a distance. All of these choices are welcomed.

The Makerspace is a place where children are invited to explore materials alongside a teacher. We are using this space to lean into shared inquiry, exploration, and collaboration before beginning small group work later in the year. Children can come and go, return again, or watch nearby.

Week One: Tape in Motion

Monday, January 12, 2026 

This week, the Makerspace held a large sheet of paper taped across the surface. As the paper was taped down, children noticed in different ways. Some came over right away to touch the paper. Others paused nearby and watched. A few continued playing in other areas of the classroom.

Pulling tape across the paper became the first invitation. The tape stretched long before ripping and was pressed down to form a line. Children watched closely, eyes tracking the movement as hands began to reach out and some sharing, “I want to do it,” “Me me me,” and “Mine.”

Children were invited to pull the tape together, with one child holding each end. They took turns pulling as the tape stretched farther and farther across the table from different angles. Together we said, “Pull, pull, pull,” noticing how the lines grew longer before pressing it down. Over time, lines began to meet and intersect as children worked alongside one another.

Some children were drawn to shorter pieces of tape. They worked on their own, choosing where to place each piece and patting it down carefully with their hands. Long pieces and short pieces began filling the surface with lines moving in many different directions.

Later, tempera paint sticks in purple, blue, and green were introduced. Children explored coverage in their own ways. Some followed the tape closely, sharing, “I follow the line,” and “I color tape.” Others focused on filling the white spaces they noticed between the tape.

As children continued exploring, familiar songs became a part of the work. Paint sticks moved to the rhythm of songs like “ABCs” and “A Ram Sam Sam,” allowing sound and movement to guide their marks. A few children paused to notice paint on their fingers before pressing their fingers and palms onto the paper. Some narrated their work, sharing comments like, “I make a big circle,” “A line,” and “Dot, dot, dot.”

Towards the end of Open Time, peeling the tape became part of the experience. Fingernails scratched at the edges, and hands pulled carefully as the tape lifted from the surface. As the tape came off, children paused to look at what was revealed. Comments surfaced around the table: “I did it!” “What’s this?” “Tape go up.” “Big one.” Some also lifted the peeled tape up high and smiled, showing their sense of pride. Together, we noticed the lines and colors that remained, sharing, “Big line,” “No tape,” and “It’s blue.”

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

The next school day, we returned to the same paper. Some children recognized it right away and made their way back to the table. Others who had not joined the day before came over to try the experience.

Tape was layered again on top of earlier lines as children took turns pulling and pressing it onto the paper. The surface began to look busier as old lines met new ones.

Warm colored tempera paint sticks in red, yellow, and orange were introduced. Children worked over previous marks, moving colors across lines. A few paused to notice the changes as new colors covered old ones. Some shared their observations: “I see green. Now it’s yellow.” “I go fast.” “That’s red.”

Then, children peeled the tape and observed the different lines, shapes, and colors below.

Week Two: Sticky Collage Work

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

This week, the Makerspace offered children the opportunity to lean into some independent work. A table filled with a variety of materials welcomed them each day — corks, bottle caps, and multiple photos of each child. On the first day of the exploration, as children settled into chairs at the table, they had a choice to make: Did they want to work on a cardboard or styrofoam surface? With their chosen medium, they got to work, figuring out how to make the various materials stick to the surface. And, that is where the magic of glue came into play! Fascinated by the sticky texture, they openly explored with the included brush, their fingers, and even their hands. Others simply poured the bottle, wanting to experiment with its viscosity.

Friday, January 23, 2026

The next day, the same materials were offered, but children had another choice to make: Did they want to add on to their work from the previous day or begin a new piece? The responses were varied, and it was interesting to watch individual processes unfold.

And, what resulted was a variety of work that essentially became self-portraits. Some simply wanted to create a collage of their own photos alongside the offered materials, while others chose to include their community of peers. A ‘me’ to ‘we’ moment expressed through process art!

Ask Your Child

Did you play with tape? What happened when you pulled it? Did it get bigger or smaller?

Did you play with the wind tunnel? What happened to the scarf in the wind? Did it go up or down? Fast or slow?

Did you cook in the play kitchen? Did you use playdough? What did you make?

Did you play the drums with Kyleigh? Did you use your hands or your feet to play? How did your body move?