Water play can have a range of important benefits in early education, helping your child develop many important skills to support them in childcare, school, and beyond.
Playing with water is fun and educational, promoting physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. Children can engage with natural resources and learn new concepts relating to math, science, the environment, and more.
Here’s how water play in childcare to support healthy child development!
Introducing math and science
Water play is a great way to introduce children to basic math and science concepts that will help them engage with new learning opportunities at school.
When taking part in water play programs, children are encouraged to think critically and ask questions. How much water can a bucket hold? Does a toy float or sink in the water? Water helps children learn about volume, weight, and more.
Water play is a great introduction to analytical skills, and it also requires children to apply numeracy skills, like counting and measuring. Children can make many scientific observations and understand problem-solving.
Promoting focus and concentration
Engaging with water play in childcare can also improve children’s ability to focus and concentrate, with these skills proving valuable in other learning programs.
Children can spend long periods of time taking part in water play programs, improving their attention span. In the long term, this can help children develop skills needed for more formal school-based learning.
Water play can also help children engage with academic concepts in a fun, informal context so that these concepts are already familiar when they begin to learn in a classroom setting.
Supporting motor skill development
At childcare, water play provided excellent opportunities to support motor skills development. Children are able to build both gross and fine motor skills.
Water play allows children to lift, carry, pour, run, and coordinate activities. This helps them to build muscles that can help with other activities, from running and climbing to writing and drawing. Water play is also a great chance for children to improve fitness!
The motor skills that children improve during water play activities are important in fostering healthy child development. These skills can support children in school and throughout their lives.
Building important social skills
Water is a chance for children to develop social skills. Working with their peers, they can learn to communicate clearly and apply teamwork principles.
During water play activities, children may be required to practice cooperation and collaboration. They may need to work as part of a group or help their pees with play-based tasks. As children work together and communicate ideas, they learn valuable social skills.
Water play is fun for children and allows them to build friendships with their peers. This can help to promote inclusion and belonging at childcare and at school later on.
If you’re looking for a great childcare centre for your child, MyXplor can help by providing location-specific listings. Search for childcare centres near, and find a centre with a great water play program, like Whiz Kidz Early Learning Centre in Craigieburn!
