Oh wow, was this a huge hit!!! Removing the kernels from a cob of Indian Corn, one by one. The idea for this actually came from this great book, which is Waldorf Inspired.... but lends itself so nicely to both schools of thought. The first time I put this out for Aurora, she sat and worked for nearly 45mins and finished the whole cob! I've left the activity out, and she's gone back to it several times.... and carried the kernels off for all kinds of other activities too: cooking in the play kitchen, filling various containers, putting some into two duplo blocks to make 'maracas' (loved that one!), several have also made their way to the nature table.
I have many other activities planned to expand on this (hopefully we'll get to at least some of them before we lose steam- things have been moving pretty slowly around here):
~grinding the cobs together to make dust.... then using her little sweeper set to work on sweeping skills
~ using the mortar and pestal to grind some up. I don't think we'll get them fine enough to use in baking, but I plan to print out cultural pictures of stone grinding corn and then using some store bought masa to make corn tortillas.
~putting some in rice and then using a slotted spoon to sift them out and transfer to a bowl
~ soaking some overnight then using a blunt tapestry needle to string them into bracelets.
Any other ideas??
6 comments:
can you make popcorn with indian corn?
hmmm.... I'll have to look into that... but I don't think so- the kernels look pretty different.
Gosh, I need to call you soon.... how's the babe?
I just realized that I once bought indian corn at the pet store for my parrot. you had to put it in the microwave and it got tiny little popcorns on it. Lilly is doing great. She loves to nurse, especially in the evenings when she uses me as a pacifier.
I just bought some indian corn for the same type of lesson today!
Just saw this in my new art book - you can roll the empty cob in paint and then have them roll the cob over paper, kind of like a corn cob "print." We'll be doing this activity this week, so I thought I'd pass it on. :)
ahh... yes! Aurora was just doing this at preschool actually---- but I guess a few days before they had had the corn out for display, and of course she set to work removing the kernels. they weren't upset at all, of course, but I explained what we were doing at home... the next time we went, they had an activity set up of removing the kernels- she loved it!
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