Water Play

Kids love playing with water. But it’s not just about the fun of splashing around and getting wet. Kids experiment, explore and discover while playing with water — Does this object float or sink? How does water flow through this funnel? What happens if I fill a cup with too much water? Here are some ideas for building a water play station at home.

What You’ll Need:

Water
Shallow containers
Small toys (cars, figurines, etc.)
Safe kitchen items (turkey baster, funnel, measuring cups, etc.)

What You’ll Do:

Fill a shallow container (or multiple containers) with water
Dump in a variety of toys so kids can fish them out
Provide kitchen utensils so they scoop, pour and more

Added Fun! Give them a clean paint brush or roller and let them “paint” (using water, not paint) the sidewalk, driveway or fence.

What Kids Learn

How to Support the Play

Try looking at how a child is doing something. Then describe what you noticed. “I see that you tried three times” and “I noticed you did it differently that time.”
Try focusing more on the way a child is playing — the process and the doing — and less on the outcome. The magic of play happens during the journey.
If a child gets frustrated, give them time to work through challenges before stepping in.

HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES

HANDS-ON ARTICLES

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Winter Break Play Activities (Part 2)

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Playful Parenting: Bringing Play to Every Day