I wonder if one can actually pinpoint the fascination of wind-up glue sticks! It is interesting to note that whenever such items are on the craft table at a Little Dragon session there is a steady stream of little people who delight in experimenting in the art of sticking things together. The intricacies of making a mouse finger puppet are made doubly exciting by the need to form and glue a finger ring out of card before attaching it to a small mouse picture. However, this can be done (with some help), although the amount of glue used is somewhat out of proportion to that actually required. Care has to be taken to ensure that the tiny hands which have managed such intricate steps don’t become permanently attached to the table or other furniture.

In addition to making finger puppets, another of today’s activities involved ‘marbling’ – a large marble well covered with thick paint is rolled randomly across coloured paper which is resting in a tin tray. When several different colours have been tried (with the odd marble escaping from the said tin as it is tilted, thus rolling across the floor) a very pleasing result ensues, worthy of Pollock or Picasso. The sense of fascination and delight displayed during this activity is the stuff that dreams are made of.

During the 20 minutes or so before our session starts – before the pre-session cup of coffee – Senior Dragon helpers have their speedy on-the-spot art lesson in order to be able to lead our budding artists towards a satisfying result. If the sense of fulfilment felt by an adult on achieving their mouse finger puppet or marbled painting could be bottled and sold towards church funds, we could raise a substantial amount in a very short period of time.

As one who has long been involved in education of young children I find that while working with our LDs, assisting them in their art or craft work, I am automatically assessing their development as learners. Questions such as, “How does the glue come to the top?’ and, even more interestingly, ‘How does it go down again?’ aren’t put into words but one is able to recognise the queries expressed in eyes and in busily working fingers.

Likewise, while rolling the marble in paint, the realisation of how to manage this uncontrollable object comes quickly to a 3-year old, less quickly to a 2 year-old, and not at all to those who are younger. Observing a just-3 Little Dragon it is fascinating to interpret the thought processes involved as the tin tray is tipped too far, then not enough, until an effective balance is eventually achieved. Thinking back to classroom experiments when working on Forces, brings back the memory of great fun in doing tasks which enable an understanding of gravity and friction. I like to think that today, by means of a simple art activity, a young child may be making initial learning steps in this area.

Enough philosophical thought for one day! So - what are we doing next week?

Val Butterworth