During March we explore the country of Iran with my own children and the preschoolers. Since Nowruz occurs on the first day of Spring, it is the perfect time to learn and explore about other aspects of the country. Here are other invitations that explore both Nowruz and the culture.
This invitation explores the lavish Golestan Palace. It is the sparkling jewel at the Heart of Tehran, Iran and one of the oldest buildings. It became a centre of arts + architecture and has remained a source of inspiration. It represents a new style incorporating traditional Persian arts and crafts and elements of 18th century architecture and technology.
After reading the story My Iran by Katia Fradkina and Illustrated by Anastaiia Kompaniiets, looking at photos of the beautiful palace, and talking about it, we invited the children to recreate the building with inspired materials. Acrylic mirrors (square, small +large rectangles, circles, hexagons) sticker tiles, and loose parts ( flat marbles, iridescent white + blue mosaic tiles, glitter mosaic tiles, grapats).
Acrylic mirrors are an excellent source of visual sensory input and provide a lot of visual feedback as they create. Children are naturally drawn to the exploration of reflection, perception and appearance and it is a rather calming experience as they explore the materials. Adding loose parts to decorate mirrors like the palace, inspires the children to think more creatively while providing endless opportunities to continuously stimulate their curiosity. Since loose parts are dynamic in nature, it brings about the authenticity of formulating ideas and you can see a child's creativity shine in their creations.