You may find some serious sillies happening during your bedtime and or morning routine involving water. Some days, you might enjoy the splashing and giggles, and others, you may just want to brush your teeth and get on with it.
Incorporating water play a couple times a week throughout the day will help teach baby the appropriate time to play with water while still allowing him or her to enjoy the benefits of this sensory play, like development of hand-eye coordination, motor skills, understanding of mathematical concepts and problem-solving ability, as well as sensory exploration and increased focus.
You can play with water in many ways — some big, some small. Enjoy an afternoon at the pool or the beach, or keep it simple at home with these activities:
- Make a pouring station out of random cups and pitchers.
- Stir up some citrus soup with water, oranges and lemons.
- Play with sponges and bowls
- Give your toy cars a bubble bath in the sink
- Find a fun Jello mold and make some ice
- Grab random objects and a big bin to predict if they will sink or float
No matter how you choose to incorporate water play into your routine, know that lots of learning is happening — and you get to be a part of it!
THE BENEFITS OF WATER PLAY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
• They develop fine and gross motor skills through actions like scrubbing, splashing, stirring, pouring and squeezing.
• They develop problem-solving skills as they think creatively, observe and explore.
• They learn about science and math as they compare, measure, count and see concepts such as volume and weight demonstrated in a fun way.
• They build social and communication skills as they engage in water play with others, learning how to share, cooperate, play a role in a team and work toward a common goal.
• They enhance their ability to concentrate as they become immersed in the activity — a skill that will serve them well in the classroom.
Mallarie Wiese is owner of Color Me Monti, a Montessori-inspired lifestyle and interior decorating studio born from her love of design and the Montessori method of education. Reach her at mallarie@colormemonti.com.
