Studies show that water play offers tremendous benefits to children. The idea of being "in our element" often refers to being in our comfort zone, and is at times associated with positive, natural experiences, such as being outdoors with sand, rocks and water.
Water play is beneficial for childhood development because it is an open-ended activity, offering opportunities for social interactions and personal development. With these come imaginative play, experimentation, and conceptual development.
Here are some key benefits:
- Personal science-based discoveries
- Soothing sensory exploration
- Connection with natural elements
- Full-body sensory engagement
- Hand-eye coordination and balance
- Understanding math and science concepts, i.e, volume, elemental properties
- Problem-solving
Water play activities can be small or large scale. They can take place indoors or outside, in the summer or during the winter.
Here are a few ideas:
Splashing in rain puddles
Sand and water play at the beach
Community water park
Watering the plants
Water tray activities
Bath tub play
Curiosity leads to imagination. Comment and/or add more to the list given and share stories about how your kids play with water.
