At this challenging time, the world has adopted the rainbow as the symbol of hope.
Using the theme of the rainbow, these learning activities suit a variety of ages. Older children could support learning for their younger siblings, and many of the activities can be used as family learning opportunities.
Let’s start by looking at the rainbow and why it has become the symbol of hope at this time!
T-T-26535-Building-Bricks-Rainbow-STEM-Activity
- Can the children learn ‘I Can Sing a Rainbow’ ? Here’s a clip to help – https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/school-radio/nursery-rhymes-i-can-sing-a-rainbow/zn3tqp3
- Make a rainbow – using stones which you can find in the garden or when out for a family walk. Paint the stones and make your own rainbow. Put it in the garden for everyone to see
- Build on the discussions which have taken place around rainbows – what does it mean just now and why are people putting them in their windows? This clip might help as a starter https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51953553or https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-leeds-52008155/families-decorate-windows-with-rainbows-to-cheer-people
- Look at some of the messages which came from children to other countries – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-52117854/coronavirus-always-think-positively-we-are-all-with-you who they would like to send a message of hope to – It might be a friend, a grandparent, the people in their neighbourhood or even a stranger in another country. What would the message be?
Investigate how rainbows are formed – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm9ZkYTnCNE
More challenging-
- You might want to use https://live.firstnews.co.uk/or https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround#more-stories-2 to help us learn about a bit more about why we are self-isolating and the virus.
- Time to be reporters –interview your family members to find out how they are feeling, what they like most about self-isolating and what they like least. Have they had to do this or anything similar before in their lives?
- Think about the colours of the rainbows – look at the artist Kandinsky and create your own Kandinsky styled pictures – https://www.projeccom/kandinsky-art-for-kids-chalk-pastels/ or https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=kandinsky+for+kids&qpvt=kandinsky+for+kids&FORM=IGRE
