Technology.....

[redtiger21]

Hello,

could anyone recommend some good activities I could do with my LOs to build knowledge and skills in technology? This is one area of learning I actually feel I don't support well enough (possibly because it wasn't really an area of learning when I was a child, so it's always the last thing I think of!). My children range in age from 18m-4y.

Many thanks x

[FloraDora]

Play with resources that 'work', switches, work by pressing something.
My best resource is a box of 20 years plus Macdonalds toys....all move in different ways, push, pull, press, flick, wind etc....
Play with pretend real things: tills, hairdryers, hoovers, lawn mower, home corner toaster, coffeemaker, kettle, microwave etc..
Use real technology: printer, CD player, laminator, grater, smoothie maker, mixer, camera, ipad, laptop to name a few...
Cooking offers lots of opportunities, building things using electronic screwdrivers etc..
Programmed toys, remote control, speech recorders, musical instruments, keyboards....
I have a box of batteries and crocodile clips and bulbs and switches - my 3 year old free plays, often clipping together and making things work. My DH is retired technology teacher so he puts together bubble makers, cards that move with levers, hammers, made a water play track, he puts the cot up in the morning and LO presses the real drill and uses his pretend one to put it together..... Construction: pipes and connectors, any duplo lego, knex, stickle bricks, ....
We plan before we build....scribble on a paper really but introducing language and process.
Processes: pretend play factory making an item, fav play is a box that they draw on, stick bottle tops on for knobs and make cars....making lunch, things needed, putting it together, making games with older children, piece of material wrapped draped to make an outfit.....

Just a few suggestions that I encourage....

[Vikki5531]

Play with resources that 'work', switches, work by pressing something. My best resource is a box of 20 years plus Macdonalds toys....all move in different ways, push, pull, press, flick etc.... Play with pretend real things: tills, hairdryers, hoovers, lawn mower, home corner toaster, coffeemaker, kettle, microwave etc.. Use real technology: printer, CD player, laminator, grater, smoothie maker, mixer, camera, ipad, laptop to name a few... Cooking offers lots of opportunities, building things using electronic screwdrivers etc.. Programmed toys, remote control, speech recorders, musical instruments, keyboards.... I have a box of batteries and crocodile clips and bulbs and switches - my 3 year old free plays, often clipping together and making things work. My DH is retired technology teacher so he puts together bubble makers, cards that move with levers, hammers, made a water play track, he puts the cot up in the morning and LO presses the real drill and uses his pretend one to put it together..... Construction: pipes and connectors, any duplo lego, knex, stickle bricks, .... We plan before we build....scribble on a paper really but introducing language and process. Processes: pretend play factory making an item, fav play is a box that they draw on, stick bottle tops on for knobs and make cars....making lunch, things needed, putting it together, making games with older children, piece of material wrapped draped to make an outfit..... Just a few suggestions that I encourage....

Wow FloraDora, some great ideas here - thanks for sharing

[redtiger21]

Yes thank you so much, that's amazing!!! :-)

[Lal]

Ikea do a fab wind-up torch. Could you get some solar powered garden lights?

[FloraDora]

Ikea do a fab wind-up torch. Could you get some solar powered garden lights?

Great ideas On the light front. Also lots of the construction kits are solar powered too. We have remote controlled candles, on, off, change colour. I haven't got one but I have read lots of people on here have a dark tent with all sorts of light things to switch on and off - we have a big blanket over the indoor tent, but can't get it dark enough for the solar system light show yet.

[shortstuff]

some mobile phone shops give away old dummy phones if you ask. Mine get used every day.

Also I managed to get DS a working clock which you build with the cogs and everything in a shop named Hawkins Bazaar?

[Maza]

Amazing ideas already suggested!

Also, point out technology in the wider environment - cash machine, scanners in shops and the library, traffic lights, doorbells...
Mine love making simple 'machines' (or I sometimes make one and leave it for them to discover). A typical one would be a cardboard box with cardboard tubes attached to them in different ways and then leave a bowl of pom poms for them to post. They come up with all sorts of ideas about what kind of machine they have. I also cut little slits in the box and a bowl of coins - again this gets their imagination going.

[Daisy1956]

I got some solar powered butterflies. LO loves standing in front of them to stop the butterfly from moving. Then moving to the side to make them go again.Moving them around the garden from shade to sun to see them work

[FloraDora]

some mobile phone shops give away old dummy phones if you ask. Mine get used every day.

Also I managed to get DS a working clock which you build with the cogs and everything in a shop named Hawkins Bazaar?

We have one.....DH And future engineer LO loves it!

I was completing an analogue clock shape wooden jigsaw with a lo this week ....and thought ....she probably will never use one or see many!! In this world of digital clocks on..microwave, tv, cooker etc..and nobody wearing watches- just carrying phones...her house does not have an analogue clock..anywhere ( but there is at great granmas I am told) Quite interesting. ..some thing disappearing in my life time!

[hectors house]

My mindees use my daughters old karoke machine with a microphone, they change the CD's and fiddle with the buttons and knobs, the other day I thought they had broken it, but my daughter pointed out that they had just flicked the button across to tape cassette - I really must go to Spec Savers!

One mindee always wants to see the photos as soon as I take them on the digital camera, the other day I was taking a video of the mindee playing with my grandson, the mindee stopped playing and came round the back of the camera, looked at the screen and said "Where's X", I said you can't be in the video if you are stood round the back! I have an old digital camera i'm going to put batteries in it for the kids to use sensibly rather than just put it in the role play box like I do old mobile phones.

[FloraDora]

My mindees use my daughters old karoke machine with a microphone, they change the CD's and fiddle with the buttons and knobs, the other day I thought they had broken it, but my daughter pointed out that they had just flicked the button across to tape cassette - I really must go to Spec Savers!

One mindee always wants to see the photos as soon as I take them on the digital camera, the other day I was taking a video of the mindee playing with my grandson, the mindee stopped playing and came round the back of the camera, looked at the screen and said "Where's X", I said you can't be in the video if you are stood round the back! I have an old digital camera i'm going to put batteries in it for the kids to use sensibly rather than just put it in the role play box like I do old mobile phones.

As a photographer..I take loads of photos which the parents love and I get to do my hobby whilst working...but we bought several children's cameras on ebay ... So they take as many as I do....mostly just enjoying the process...but I do have a lovely display of their shots....photoshopped slightly so that you can see a little bit of the blur... Great technology ...

[hectors house]

As a photographer..I take loads of photos which the parents love and I get to do my hobby whilst working...but we bought several children's cameras on ebay ... So they take as many as I do....mostly just enjoying the process...but I do have a lovely display of their shots....photoshopped slightly so that you can see a little bit of the blur... Great technology ...

I was painting my grandson's foot last week for his father's day card and obviously couldn't take a photo for the LJ, so gave the camera to a 3 year old, the first photo she chopped my head off, the second photo she had moved back too far, but the 3rd one was wonderful.

I love your battery, crocodile clips and bulbs suggestion in your first post - I have a 4 year old going to school soon who would love that - he is fascinated by things like magnets etc

[KatieBlueEyes]

Really like the crocodile clips idea! I am going to try it as well and report to you here.

[blue bear]

Remote control car, rechargeable torches, talking tubes (or cups on a string work just as we'll) , wind up cars or other toys, electronic weighing scales, pelican crossing, automatic door opener buttons, vacuuming (one of mine loves my mini dyson)