Encourage children to explore the endless possibilities of using string as a resource for creative activities.
Preparation
Assemble a collection of string made from different materials in a range of colours and thicknesses. Display different lengths in shallow containers sorted by colour. Encourage children to explore the lengths of string and talk about how they look, smell and feel.
Painting with string
* Put a pile of string in the centre of a table and provide trays of thick paint and some paper. Encourage children to investigate the resources freely.
* Soak a piece of string in paint and trail it along some paper, or twirl it round so that it drips on to the paper.
* Fasten a clothes peg to one end of the string to give children more control.
* Soak a piece of string in paint and lay it in a curly shape on one half of a piece of paper with the end of the string hanging over the edge of the paper. Fold the other half of the paper over the top of the string and press it down while pulling the string out with the other hand. Open out the paper to reveal the pattern made.
Gluing with string
* Encourage children to save their favourite pieces of string by gluing them randomly on to thick card.
* Glue glittery string to shiny star shapes and hang them up.
* Create patterns by gluing string in rows, spider's web or star shapes.
* Glue string around three-dimensional shapes such as wood blocks and cardboard tubes and use them to print repeat or rolling designs.
Threading with string
* Experiment with threading different materials to lengths of string, for example, leaves, shells and buttons, and hang them up as mobiles.
* Make necklaces by threading shells, pasta tubes or buttons to string.
* Pierce holes in a paper plate or square of card and thread string in and out to form a pattern.
* Thread string in and out of garden netting and hang it on a fence.