The easy answer to this is that sand, water and messy play provide sensory responses and learning opportunities that stimulate early learning. Water play can also be seen as highly therapeutic and brings a sense of ZEN. How many of us as adults enjoy sitting by the river, or dream of being sat on a beach listening to the waves? The predictability of water trickling through a funnel or lapping against the sides of a trough can bring the same benefits to our children.

Through adding jugs or buckets to your water play you can support gross motor skills through pouring, filling, and transporting. In group scenarios children can challenge their imagination, build relationships by taking turns and test their own ideas as they carry the buckets into the jungle or as the hose down the fire!

Water play also allows lots of opportunities to learn about the natural world through introducing small world characters, treasure chests, creatures, and boats. Children can learn new words and vocabulary through naming animals or describing features as we work together to build habitats or learn how to take care of the natural world. 

Did you know through adding ribbons to your water play or scoops for pouring this helps children build their levels of concentration and engagement as it is a tranquil and repetitive experience?

The children at Banana Moon Stirchley have extensive opportunities to explore water play through their water trays, tuff spots, and outdoors water wall. We will always ask for lots of spare clothes as the learning is endless and the independent water wall means learning has no limits! Whilst we will encourage the children to save water and turn off the taps when not in use the boys and girls love to fill the buckets, pour into the water wall, use the pump to accelerate through the pipes whilst we trace the water shooting down the wall, water the herbs for exploration in play or adding to our meals and creating puddles so we can jump just like Peppa!

So next time you see a child Splish, splash, sploshing, tipping out drinks or running through the rain – stop and think of the learning the child is exploring!