Who doesn’t enjoy a hot sunny day at the beach, lake or river? Unfortunately, because of our busy lives, we don’t always have the opportunity to take our little ones to refresh themselves. But don’t worry, because here at ScuttleBugs we know the importance of water in our lives – and expose and teach the children accordingly. An example is how critical it is to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. We have BPA free water dispensers in all of our classrooms and playground, and it’s a handy fine motor skill/self help tool to encourage in the children by serving themselves (assistance provided when needed of course).
Not only do we learn all about water, we also do plenty of water play through certain art activities, sensory tables, or sprinkler play outside etc. Our team members love to do water play with the kids, especially to see the pure joy on their smiling, saturated, sun kissed faces! The kids get a real kick out of getting themselves and each other wet. Playing with and experiencing H2O may seem like a simple activity (like taking a shower or soaking in the tub), but children actually develop many different skills, such as socio-emotional, gross and fine motor skills, not to mention the sensory elements.
Always with careful supervision, children learn to participate and interact by being safe and aware (water conservation), sharing an environment, and taking turns at the water table or with incorporated toys and equipment. Even something as basic as having them pour water from a vessel into a cup (hand eye coordination) teaches them a life skill. Playing with water provides an introduction to experiencing components like texture and temperature, and yet another setting and manner in which they can experience the world around them.
Check out the video above and our Facebook page to share in lots of Summer time fun at ScuttleBugs.
Stay cool!
