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An immersive world, full of possibilities
Introducing the children to the Immersive Projector and the environments created was a magical experience. As practitioners, we love seeing the children get up close and personal to this wonderful dome of light. They are truly intrigued and excited to explore and learn. Some children want to touch the light and connect with the dome. Many are mesmerised by the different shadows created, and others look on with awe and wonder reflected on their faces.
One of the main things observed is how the Immersive Projector brings another dimension in to the children’s play. One of our children has a real interest in dinosaurs. Using the same dinosaurs and props as usual, but with the addition of the Immersive Projector, their play is suddenly taken to a whole new level and they interact with them in completely different ways than before.
A versatile resource with endless learning opportunities
We love the versatility of the dome. We have provided window clings which the children enjoy sticking on and peeling off. They also love making marks with chalk markers and gazing at the projections on the walls and ceiling. Practitioners use acetate sheets to make different shapes that can be placed around the dome for the younger children to explore. Some children enjoy creating their own. Due to the translucent nature of the clings and acetate sheets, the colours are transferred along with the shadows onto the surrounding surfaces.
We also observe children expressing their feelings and thoughts in different ways. Some get excited, others want to start investigating straight away, whilst some quietly watch, taking it all in.
Fostering curiosity and critical thinking skills
The Immersive Projector has brought out the inquisitive nature of the children. They are curious about the light and want to know how the shadows are created. They ask questions that lead them down different paths of inquiry. It is lovely watching some of the children working collaboratively to find answers and discuss their findings and ponder on some quite complex concepts which support their critical thinking.
Children’s interests and provocations
We use the Immersive Projector in a variety of ways. We follow our children’s interests (especially younger children) and set up provocations such as Dinosaur land, space landscapes, Autumn scenes and Christmas workshops. Other children lead the learning themselves. We use it on a 1:1 basis and with groups of children, using our in depth knowledge to cater for their individual needs.
Creating an area for the Immersive Projector
We use the Immersive Projector in different areas of the building, moving it around accordingly. Sometimes we use it in the corner of a larger space and have also emptied a small storage room to create a magical learning environment.
And finally….
As practitioners, we all know the importance of communication and language and this resource provides golden opportunities to help support language enrichment along with many other areas of development. A simple but effective resource that is a great addition to our nursery setting.