7 replies to this topic

[Linda McDowell]

Ok so we've done sand ideas but what about ones for the water play? I'm looking for ideas where they can just get in there and get on with it without much adult input-other than making sure they don't drown!! We have the obvious stuff like funnels and jugs and various sized bottles, floating and sinking, coloured water, bubbles etc. Has anybody else got any ideas that are less than obvious!
Linda

[jo365]

We somtimes put the t set in with washing up brushes and bubbles.
And sponges and different J-cloths the ones that soak up loads of water are great.

Also shells and sea creatures, I did turn my water tray into a rock pool with seeweed and other real beachy bits, (had to use salty water and it did go smelly quickly lol)

Small world toys dolls house people with plastic junk etc.

I did hear of an idea using small off cuts of guttering, great for creating gulleys and channels. Probably best done outside !

Sometimes use the water tray for messy play, shaving foam and corn flour play on a grand scale.

I guess you can put anything in !

[Jean Webb]

Hi
A few thoughts for the water tray

Bathing babies - dolls, sponges, shampoo/bubble bath bottles, small pieces of soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, brush and comb, and lots of towels!

Pirate Island - I think this is made by Playmobil, and can be a bit costly but if you have the funds - and you only need a small amount of water

Mixing bowls, whisks, bubbles and coloured water are great. We used to reuse the small bottles the food colour comes in, with diluted colour for the children to pour in themselves. Soon got mixed together.

Funnels, tubing, jugs and containers.

Regards
Jean

We used to alternate an imaginative type activity with a more maths / science type one.

[doris]

Marble run works very well in the water tray, lots of science, technology, cooperation, problem solving and of course GREAT FUN :D

[juicy lucy]

What about adding scents, we added straberry escence and coffee, peppermint too. The children love it. Use sieves to sort things. We have sea creatures as Jo describes but we put boats and people in it to for like a harbour play.

A new one I tried this week was using constuction (duplo) and people to build bridges in the water for the people to walk over.

Dolls clothes and bubbles/ Whisks and bubbles

Whiches broth is a nice one, coloured water, and insects with wooden spoons

Hope these are of some help

[oldtimer]

Cooked spagetti with measuring jugs was a bi g hit with the children and jelly was another popular one!!

[Mimi]

You can use a small piece of coloured crepe paper to colour the water so you can see levels of water in bottles.

[horsechestnut]

We've got a construction kit called 'Build a boat'. Rather unhelpfully I can't remember where it came from, but it's good. :D
We use film cannisters and coloured water to explore capacity. Mark off 'cannister fulls' on a clear plastic bottle with a permanent pen. Even very small children enjoy filling the cannister, pouring in the water and seeing it come up to the mark. You can extend the activity by using different shape containers.
Arctic animals are good in the water, especially if you a add ice. We add ice made in balloons, as the big lumps take longer to melt.