With our Summer unleashing some very hot weather this year, what better way to cool off than with some water play! Whether your child can get soaked from head to toe, is able to stir and scoop with water tools, or simply be positioned on a sensory water mat, water can decrease the heat for everyone!
Water play is a wonderful activity as it not only allows your child to explore and learn about water, it’s also a great way for them to cool off. Water play targets multiple sensory systems, from imaginative type of play that can foster problem solving skills to improvements with fine and gross motor skills, the regulation of emotions, and encouragement of social and language development.
Water play can be accessed by all children regardless of ability, making it an all-inclusive activity.
While we may need to be more creative for some of our children to access the play, it doesn’t mean they can’t participate.
Like in all play situations water play encourages the development of many sensorimotor skills often without the child even realising they are learning.
While pouring, splashing, and stirring water provide opportunities for our children to refine fine and gross motor skills, sensory water play also introduces fundamental concepts such as volume, buoyancy, and density, as well as the opportunity to explore different textures, temperatures, and consistencies.
Children can experiment with objects that float or sink, fostering an early understanding of basic scientific principles. As with all play opportunities children engaging in a group play situation, enjoy shared experiences, fostering communication skills, cooperation, and the ability to negotiate and take turns.
Water play can also provide a calming and therapeutic sensory experience. Water is well known for its ability at help children regulate their emotions. The soothing and tactile nature of water promotes a calming effect assisting the child to regulate their emotions. You can change the sensory experience by combining water with diverse materials like sand, bubbles, or ice. Water play can be as simple or complex as you want to make it, giving our little one’s hours of exploration and fun.
There will be lots of water fun at Play this term! We look forward to welcoming some new faces as well as our playgroup regulars. We saw some amazing milestones met by our team last year and I can’t wait to see how far they all progress in 2024.
Play really is a lovely was to connect with other families and foster friendships for both the children and their adults.
