Episode Description: Mum must get Bluey and Bingo out the door in time for a playdate, but they can’t leave before they finish their game – waiting for a sticky rubber gecko to drop from the ceiling.
ACTIVITIES:
- I’m pretty sure I threw away all our sticky geckos after realising they’re magnets for dirt and fuzz. Seriously, so gross. So if you’ve got ’em, play with ’em. If not, let’s make some.
- Geckos are commonly featured in Aboriginal art, so why not give dot painting a go and make one. Use this print-out plus some cotton buds and paint.
- Watch Aboriginal artist Bronwyn Ferguson demonstrate dot painting technique.
- And meet some more indigenous artists in the NT
- Or visit an Aboriginal art gallery online
- There are over 1,500 species of geckos! Check out this video on some of the coolest looking ones. You could tie in a bit of geography, researching countries like Madagascar and Indonesia that are home to many of these cool creatures.
- Want to know how geckos actually stick to walls? Find out how gecko feet work! David Attenborough takes a closer look at the sticky reptiles here.
- While we’re getting sticky, why not make a sticky wall? All you need is contact paper and some masking tape, but there’s no shortage of ideas for how to use a sticky wall.
- Make a collage – with bits of coloured paper, wool, flowers or other natural materials, magazine pictures – anything goes.
- Make an alphabet wall – perfect for beginning readers
- Or use it for counting and number recognition
- In all the chaos of “Sticky Gecko” they never really talk about how or why Bluey and Bingo seem to have created an elaborate pulley system, but it’s a cool project you could do with your kids.
- First, you’ll want to learn what pulleys are of course.
- There are heaps of pulley projects to try at home, but I like this one because it resembles the ones the Heelers use (and I actually have ribbon spools to make it – though you could also DIY one from cardboard)
- BUT WHY? Look, as this episode shows, life can be hectic – even if we’re no longer rushing out to playdates. Take a little extra time to connect with your child(ren). Maybe make a list of five reasons why you love them. Make it a cutesy project or just a simple list.
looseparts.com.au 