Splash and squirt!
Water play is an accessible activity that your child can learn a great deal from. Asking your child to help you with routine tasks is fun and meaningful.
Many of these tasks involve water:
- washing the car
- washing the bikes
- cleaning the doors
- washing the dog
- washing the dishes
- bathing the baby or dolls
- bath time
- watering the plants
- filling up the paddling pool
- cleaning the windows
Water play involves experimenting and understanding the properties of water like how it flows and feels, and the tools they use such as:
- squeezing out the sponge and bubbles
- manoeuvring the hose pipe
- carrying the bucket of water
What do we need?
- buckets
- sponges, cloths or soft brushes
- hose pipe (if you have one)
- washing up liquid
What to do:
Be prepared to get wet! On a warm summer's day children can wear swimsuits, on a chilly day children can wear waterproofs.
If you have a hose pipe, explore the different effects the nozzle will have on the water. Talk to your child about the force of the water and how far the water will travel. On a sunny day the fine mist nozzle option sometimes creates rainbows! Now hose the dirt off the car, bike, or outdoor toys.
Ask your child to fill their bucket with warm water. Can they fill the bucket half full so they can manage to carry it? Introduce the language of maths – measure (half, full, empty).
How many capfuls will you need? Can your child measure this out? Now using the sponges, clean away the dirt with the bubbly water.
Skills your child will learn
Water play is brilliant for introducing new mathematical language to your child. Here are a few words for you to focus on whilst washing the car:
- empty, full
- before, after
- heavy, light
- shallow, deep
While playing first-hand with the water your child will be building scientific concepts. They'll be learning about forces, energy, and the properties of liquids.
Physical skills are being developed:
Large muscles will strengthen as they lift buckets and lift sodden sponges, while they fill, empty, and clean up the water area. Mops or brushes for cleaning up drips and splashes also support large muscle development.
Small muscles in your child's hands will strengthen as they squeeze and wring out the sponges and squeeze the bottle of soap. Strengthening these small muscles in your child's hands will get them ready for writing when they start school.