ABSTRACT
The activities in this chapter have all been tried out in primary schools and nursery/foundation stage settings. Some topics have been instigated by teachers and nursery nurses, and the children have developed them with often surprising results; others have been stimulated by children’s drawings or ideas raised in chats and discussions. Sometimes older children passing by the developing project have brought in extra resources – for instance, in the bear scenario one child brought in pictures of koala bears and a piece of bamboo – and some have negotiated time to make or search for props. In all of the activities the purpose is to encourage logical thought through problem solving and creative/ imaginative thinking. This is to stimulate the frontal cortex of the brain. The children also learn to listen to each other and treat ideas with respect.
