New Indigo Dyeing Practice Proposals and Reading of Children’s Learning in Childcare Facility 5-year-old class

Abstract

We made a practical proposal for childrenʼs activity, and discussed what children learned through genuine indigo dye by using chemical agents which compensate the limit of dyeing by such methods as “tatakizome (beating raw leaves for dyeing)” and “namabazome (dyeing with squeezed juice from raw leaves)”. We adopted such activities as (1) indigo dye using raw leaves and chemical agents, and (2) indigo dye using chemical agent adopted originally by the center. We also discussed educational values and significance of the indigo dyeing in the two activities mentioned above. Furthermore, through the discussions, we associated the activity with “Expression” which seems deeply associated with the theme, “Ideal goals to be achieved by the end of early childhood”, views of the childcare workers involved in the indigo dyeing, and experiences and learning of children through indigo dyeing.