Meeting the Mark Makers- Swirlo!

Meet Swirlo!

In this blog, we will be meeting the mark makers! Today we would like to introduce you to the lovely Swirlo! The Little Learners’ magic mark-maker. Little Learners classes are all about learning through play and getting super messy, but they also have an educational side to them. We teach mark-making. Each week the children are introduced to one of our fun characters and how they make their marks. This in time leads to your child learning their letters, numbers and shapes relevant to each colourful character!

Swirlo loves to make circles and swirls. She makes circles, ovals, spirals and snake like shapes! We always start Swirlo week by using our scarves and ribbons to make these shapes in the air. Making these big movements really helps when your child starts to make the smaller marks needed for writing. Once your child starts to learn these basic shapes, you will eventually be able to write letters like s, c, o and a and numbers such as 6, 8 and 9!

How do I make Swirlo marks with the Mark Makers?

Big Movements

There are so many activities you can do with your little one to help them to make circles marks. Start with making the big circles in the air with a ribbon or tea towel. Can they make giant circles, small circles, fast circles? You can spin your whole body around in a circle and draw circles on different parts of your child’s body so they can feel the mark.

Songs to encourage Swirlo marks

Putting music to your movements is always fun! Here is a list of songs and nursery rhymes that will encourage your child to make different circle marks…

Wind the Bobbin Up – moving your arms around and around

The wheels on the bus – making circles with your arms

Ring A Ring A Roses – Moving around in a circle whilst holding hands

Round and Round The Garden – Drawing circles on hands and feet.

We have great fun singing and dancing to these songs in classes. Do you know any more?

Making Circle Marks with Fingers and Tools

You can make circle marks in anything really. Your little one can use their pointy finger or their whole hand. You can also give them a spoon, paintbrush, pen, washing up brush – any tool they can grasp and move – the possibilities are endless. Here are a few ideas below!

Making circles with Wheeled Toys

You can use cars, trains or anything that moves to make circles too. Push trains around a circular train track. Make a circle shaped car track on the patio with chalk and drive your cars around it. All of this will encourage that circular movement and improve your little ones fine motor skills!

We hope you enjoyed meeting the Mark Makers and learning more about Swirlo and her mission! There are so many more ways to encourage and teach the making of Swirlo marks, using the Mark Maker characters is a perfect way to promote learning in a fun and relaxed environment. They will be having so much fun! Come and meet Swirlo and the other Mark-Makers at one of our classes and set your child up for the best possible start to early writing skills!

Kate (Little Learners Lewes & Brighton)