Playing in the Puddles

Today we played in puddles.  When it snows, we play with snow, when it rains, we play in puddles.  I remember doing this as a child and I think children do not get enough opportunities to do these things in today's fast paced world.  We took out orange cones and blocked off part of the parking lot that had puddles from the mornings rain showers.  The children took off their shoes and rolled up their pant legs.  We talked about being safe (Paws Laws) and staying inside the area marked by the cones.  We worked on skills such as jumping with two feet, following the leader, balancing on one foot, running, galloping and skipping.  We also worked on expanding our vocabulary by describing how the sidewalk and parking lot felt on our bare feet (smooth, rough, bumpy, warm, cold).  We talked about how the water felt (wet, cold, warm) on our feet.  We talked about making splashes, ripples and footprints.  This is an example of learning through play.  Many cognitive, social, physical and language skills were explored and practiced during this play activity.  Children learn best through play.  They stay engaged longer, remember the skills better and expand on the activity independently far better than when they are just drilling skills or working on worksheets or flashcards.  We hope these pictures help to give you a glimpse into the fun and learning we experienced today.

Getting ready to go and play in the puddles.



Feet, are you ready?



SPLASH!

Footprints and Shadows

Where does the rain come from?  Where does it go? Ask open ended questions (questions that cannot be answered with a "yes" or "no" response) to really get a child thinking, reasoning and using a variety of new and complex words.



Research shows that children learn best when they have multiple opportunities to be involved in gross motor activities.  This is why recess is so important to the curriculum though out a child's educational career.



Follow the Leader!

Friendships are often formed during quiet times of exploration.



All in!  Puddles aren't just for your feet.  Sometimes you need to explore them with your hands too.



Poetry  in Motion

I believe I can fly!



I love this picture.  I think it captures the wonder of the world from a child's perspective.  The reflections of the world around the child, the shimmer of the water, the purposeful stride of the child as he explores the feel of the water under his feet.  A child's world is truly an amazing one, isn't it?



Ripples in the water caused by the child jumping into the puddle.