The children have been using their imagination and coming up with suggestions about what they would like to explore and play with in the water tray. The majority of the suggestions have been about dinosaurs, so we have created various water tray experiences to allow the children to explore their imaginations and lead their own role play and characterisation within the water tray.

The children suggested using green paint to mix into the water to create a dinosaur swamp, we used various equipment and objects to bath our dinosaurs and used bowls as water for them to drink out of after a busy day of roaring!

Then, the children decided they wanted to add more materials for role play and small world exploration into the water tray. We gathered natural resources such as rattan balls and mini tree logs and we even found some green shredded paper that absorbed in the water to make some swampy mush for the dinosaurs to eat.

”It feels a bit yucky”

”its so squishy the green stuff, my dinosaur is eating it yum yum”

The children decided on blue water for our underwater animals, they even wanted to add some bubbles to it…the bubbles made it smell like lemons!

We used the jugs to explore pouring and filling, using different sized apparatus to explore different ways to fill our containers such as spoons, mini ladles, tea pots and a mini gravy boat!

”I’m making you a frothy coffee, the bubbles are all the froth”

”its full up to the top”

Water play provides many benefits for children in their early years. By exploring different objects in the water, it allows children to practice their hand eye coordination, their ability to hold and grasp objects which develops the fine motor movements in their hands and fingers.

We have also been exploring early measurement through water play. By adding a variety of different sized containers, children are able to explore volume, even if they aren’t quite aware of it yet. They are able to observe which container fills up with water the fastest and to provide challenge, count how many containers it takes to fill up another.

 

Article 29 – I have the right to an education which develops my personality

Article 15 – I have the right to meet with friends