Read this blog to find out how to create a Poppy Sensory Puzzle and a Poppy Suncatcher with @playful_porter.  

Poppy Sensory Puzzle  

Incorporating a sensory puzzle with Remembrance Day can be a great way to spark conversation with children. Here are some examples of a Poppy Sensory Puzzle we created; you could also encourage children to find other sensory resources that help them to resonate with Remembrance Day, such as wool, fabric, leaves, and much more. 

To make this Poppy Sensory Puzzle, children can use various materials; in this case, my 4-year-old decided to use rice and paint, which can be brought from TTS. She asked if we could research poppies, so we used the internet (with supervision) and looked at different poppies, amazed to find that not all poppies are red! By communicating with each other and using their new-found knowledge, the children bent and attached the cardboard together with PVA glue to create a giant poppy.  

My 4-year-old proceeded to mix the paint of her choice with the rice in a bowl; she liked how squidgy the paint felt when it mixed in with the rice and was happy to see the rice was changing colour as she mixed it all together. Once she was happy with how the rice looked, and after waiting an hour for the paint to dry, she proceeded to pour the rice into the poppy cardboard cut-out; she commented on how funny the rice sounded when it was being poured. I watched as she split the different colours into the different sections of the poppy and asked her the thought process behind why she chose to put the black rice in the middle.  

Poppy Suncatcher  

These eye-catching suncatchers are great for classroom windows or windows at home to encourage children to show their respect for a day close to our hearts. They are so easy for children to make! 

I created a guide for my 4-year-old to follow and together, we printed out some pictures of poppies she liked to help inspire her when creating her own. Using paper, she drew a poppy shape and created an outline which she then carefully cut around. On either end of the poppy, she attached contact paper (this could also be strips of Sellotape) and began sticking the tissue paper to the sticky side of the poppy. We talked about different colours of poppies before she decided she wanted hers to be red. She enjoyed ripping the tissue paper into lots of different shapes and sizes. 

After covering the poppy in an array of tissue paper, she held it up to the window and smiled as the sun shone through. She had lots of questions about why the sun was shining through the middle and not around the edges. 

This is a fantastic activity to do with children and encourages the expressive arts and design element of the #EYFS. Children can use different colours, create different shapes and use a variety of materials to create their very own poppy suncatcher or something else that symbolises Remembrance Day.