This week I had finally acquired some mirrors and set them up on the craft table, along with six small mason jars filled with new paint colours I had mixed together from the basic paint colours we already had.

Just as I was finishing the last paint colour, Liam came over to investigate, “what are these for?” he inquired about the mirrors. I explained the concept of painting on them and cleaning them off when you are done, want to paint another picture, or if you make a mistake. Liam then sat down at the table in front of one of the mirrors, “hey, guys, come check this out!” he hollered to his friends. Nate, Blake, and Kaden then joined him at the table and began painting. It was great to observe the boys trying something new and creative, and they really liked the idea of being able to wipe away mistakes. It was interesting to see what each child painted, expressing their emotions and interests through their artwork. Liam painted a landscape with a rainbow, Kaden painted an image of him and his Mom, Blake painted his sports team logo, and Nate painted the Blue Jays logo, referencing an image from Google. The boys were quite proud of their artwork, asking me to take photographs of their paintings and then to email them to their parents. It was a great opportunity for the boys to engage in a calm activity that encouraged them to be kind to one another as they complimented each child’s artwork.

When we went outside for the morning, a few of the children requested we bring the mirrors and paint out with us and I was thrilled to see children immediately sitting down with them when we got out to the yard. I was also excited to see the boys still demonstrating an interest after they had played in the water for a bit. The children explored various painting techniques on the mirrors, splattering, squiggling, mixing, and creating abstract art. When I saw a mirror not being used, I sat down with the other children and began painting a scene of hills with a tree, flower, and sun in the corner (the same one I have been doing since I was a child). Addison then decided to replicate my painting, stating that different elements in hers were better. She then requested that I paint another one for her to try and copy. This time I painted a beach scene with a palm tree. Again, Addison compared the paintings and voiced her opinion on which parts of her painting were better and which parts of my painting were better. Addison then requested that I paint another image, but this time I suggested that she paint one for me to try and replicate. Xavier joined us and also tried to replicate Addison’s painting of shorts.

On Thursday I set up the mirrors on the craft table again, but this time I put out black paint, along with unsharpened pencils. I painted a mirror black and then used the eraser end of the pencil to etch an image onto the mirror. Cassidy and Addison soon joined me and mimicked my actions. Addison chose to use what was left of the blue/grey paint to cover her mirror, rather than the black, which I admired her freedom of expression. When we went outside for the morning, the girls requested the mirrors and paint, wanting to use them in the fort in the mini forest. I absolutely love that the children have really been enjoying the exploration of the mirrors and the endless possibilities they provide. It’s exciting to observe their creativity ignite and expand as they explore various painting techniques and styles. By Friday, the children were gathering the mirrors themselves and sitting down to paint whenever they felt inspired.

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