Playing with uku (clay)
Playing with uku (clay) is fun, creative, and educational. Finger painting is just one of the many ways in which tamariki can engage in messy and creative uku play.
Why do it?
- Enables tamariki to explore in te taiao .
- Turning uku into painting materials teaches tamariki some simple science skills. They’ll learn about physical change, and cause and effect.
- Making painting materials out of clay will encourage tamariki to think outside the box, developing their problem-solving skills.
- Tamariki will use their hands to make shapes, paint things, and explore textures, sparking imagination and learning.
- Painting with clay will help build creativity.
Playing with uku (transcript)
[Music]
[Text on screen: Playing with uku (clay)]
[Text on screen: What you’ll need. Different types of clay. Small trowel and container. A stone and container. Water and paper.]
[Text on screen: Go on a hīkoi to collect clay.]
[Video shows children using a trowel to dig up clay.]
[Text on screen: Use rocks to grind clay into dust.]
[Video shows children using a rock to grind clay in a stone mortar.]
[Video shows children sifting the fine dust through their fingers.]
[Text on screen: Add water to make it sticky.]
[Video shows children playing with sticky balls of clay in their hands.]
[Text on screen: Start painting with your uku!]
[Video shows a tray with several different colours of clay paint. Children dip their fingers in the clay to write and drawer pictures on paper.]
[Graphic: Tākai logo.]
How to do it
You’ll need
- Different types of clay
- Small trowel and container
- A stone and container
- Water and paper
Tikanga note: Always be mindful of where you source your uku from.
Steps
- Go on a hīkoi to collect clay.
- Use rocks to grind the clay into dust.
- Add water to make it sticky.
- Start painting with your uku!
Using more te reo Māori
| Te reo Māori | English |
|---|---|
| uku | clay |
| hīkoi | walk, hike |
| kohikohi | collect, gather together |
| peita | paint |
| māku | wet |
| kopenu | crush |
