The 2-3’s children have been having an amazing time in our water play area. The benefits from water play are fantastic for the children’s development. Water Play gives many opportunities to develop fine and gross motor skills across age ranges. Children will increase their fine motor skills and hand eye coordination through actions like pouring, squirting, scrubbing, stirring and squeezing.
It’s an amazing sensory experience introducing them to textures (slippy, slimy…) and temperatures. It will also help master the pincer grip which will enable them to hold a pencil correctly at school.
Water play allows children to explore a substance and make discoveries about it.
Observing a branch or paper float or sink will teach them, in a very practical way, how and why things happen. But above all it encourages them to use their imagination, develops creative thinking which plays an important role in problem solving.
The children are learning new words while having fun with water and having conversations about it! Basin, Damp, Depth, Drain, Flow, Drenched, Drizzle, Sieve. It also increases their ability to concentrate on one activity when presented as a tranquil and repetitive activity (scooping, pouring and running their hands through the water). Gentle water play allows them to unwind, order their thoughts and relax. It also encourages role play and crucial social skills like cooperation and sharing.