Potent Potions in Year One

Wretched Recipes 

This week, the children have stirred, squirted, mashed and whisked together all types of concoctions at the Potion Station!


We have been reading lots of books this week on crazy recipes, such as 'Professor Puffendorf's Secret Potions' and this has help spark the imagination of the children in Year One.





Once the Potion Station was set up, it was important for the adults to sow the seeds of imagination. Not all of the children were keen to try at first and some just needed the sensory experience of interacting with the equipment before they got going. It was through considered and timely interactions with the children that the best learning was achieved and the development of language was central to the creativity of the activity.






At first we played alongside the children, modelling the language of thinking aloud. Some of the following statements could be heard:


“I need to put some soil into my potion and get it wet so I’ll need some water.”

“I’m mixing it all up until the big lumps dissolve and my potion is runny.”

“I’ll fill up my jug then add in the dry leaves.”

“My potion’s going to make me turn into a dragon. I’m going to add the crispy bat wings (leaves), two scoops of dried blood (soil) and lots of water from a smelly old well.”

“I need three eye balls (stones) and a prickly hedgehog (pinecone) and some magic dust (dry sand)."

I’m sprinkling it on. Then I’m going to stir, stir, stir, stir like this to mix it all up. When you drink it you will turn into a beautiful princess.”