Water Play

Our children LOVE water play. 

There are so many benefits to playing with and in water. So many reasons, water play needs to be available in those crucial early years.

Water is a truly natural resource, providing engaging, fun and development filled learning opportunities, offering hands on play, that children are eager to explore.

Water play offers both calming and exciting play, depending on which way the activity is presented, with options to splash and kick, offering amazing opportunities to release pent up energy, supporting children to have fun and let off steam simultaneously. 

Water play supports the emotional well being of children, it doesn't have to be loud, it can also be calm and relaxing, allowing children to quietly absorb their play, which is super beneficial, connecting children to nature, repetitive, relaxing movements, scooping, pouring and running their hands through the water.

Children can get lost in the gentle water play, supporting them to unwind, gather their thoughts and relax. 

Water play supports the development of fine and gross motor skills, across all age ranges, from young babies reaching out to touch gently poured water, to a toddler scooping, tipping and pouring. These actions develop the muscles in the whole hand, from pincer grip movements, to the development of wrist movements, what's more, these movements are paired with hand eye coordination, a harmony of intertwined learning and development.  

Gross motor skills develop large muscles, children must stretch and develop these physical skills to grow.

As water play evolves children can begin to play with heavier pots and buckets to transfer water, developing score strength, coordination and stamina. 

Water play supports the development of social skills, giving children opportunity for sharing and turn taking, sharing not only items in the water but their physical play space, supporting those crucial first steps of developing from 'playing alongside someone' to 'playing with someone', sharing and following ideas, working together to reach a shared goal, developing those all important foundations for friendships.

Water play also builds and develops language and communication, being so versatile, you can add anything in to water play, dinosaurs, sand, mud, cars, sponges, bubbles, the possibilities are truly endless!

Every new item, each new way of playing, brings with it a whole new vocabulary, evolving their play scenarios, naturally evolves their language.   

This naturally supports the development of imagination and creativity, offering exciting new items, stimulates children's discovery, promotes curiosity and aids learning and development, this can be as simple as adding dye to water to change the colour, or bubbles. 

So if you are ever stuck with ideas to entertain your little one, get the washing up bowl and fill it with soapy water, other great ideas are buckets, deep baking trays and planters!