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Young children can spend countless hours playing with Water Play/Water Study
water: pouring it back and forth, watching it spill over
the edge of a container, blocking its stream, directing its Water and a few inexpensive tools can provide a sen-
flow, splashing gently, making waves, and pouring some sory and learning experience of immense proportions.
more. When a water table is not available, they can often What is it children get out of their water study, which
be found “washing their hands” in the bathroom for long looks so much like fun? Free play with water can build
periods of time, mesmerized by the water. Sometimes it is the foundation for understanding of a multitude of sci-
hard for adults to encourage them to leave the sink. entific concepts, including those in
• physics (flow, motion),
• chemistry (solutions, cohesion),
Few children can • biology (plant and animal life), and
resist water’s • mathematics (measurement, equivalence, volume).
Nancy P. Alexander
food coloring or paint is added to
the soapy water, they may be sur-
prised at what they discover. Again,
children will need time to play with
the colored bubble solution before
they conclude that bubbles are Free play with water can build the foundation for understanding of a multi-
always transparent, except for the tude of scientific concepts, including those in physics, chemistry, biology, and
rainbow at the edge. The rainbow mathematics.
is the color spectrum created by the
reflection of light on the bubbles. Find a few sturdy funnels. Ask chil- Children are delighted to learn these
dren to help prepare bowls of salt, oil, technical terms. Of course, enjoying
To record bubble shapes, blow them water, or other substances. big words is not necessary to chil-
onto plain paper or use the paper to dren’s understanding of the concepts,
catch them as they fall. What happens Record responses as children pre-
dict whether the two substances will but learning them now adds to the
when the bubbles pop on the paper? integrity of the learning process.
blend together, and then mix and see
what happens! Which items dissolve, Children can mix water and
Mixtures and Solutions which mix while being stirred but cornstarch to play with, the concoc-
Other mixtures and solutions, equal- then separate (are suspended), and tion many teachers are familiar with
ly easy and safe to form, can become which do not mix at all. known as Oobleck or Goop. Is
fodder for children’s exploration
process. This work leads to the ideas At another time, after much expe- Oobleck solid or liquid? One princi-
rience with mixtures, solutions, and ple of scientific investigation is that,
of emulsion and suspension, in ad- if teachers refrain from teaching/
dition to further understanding of suspensions, children can make may-
surfactants and more (see Table 3). onnaise. They will discover that some telling answers to questions like this,
seemingly unblendable substances, children will continue to explore.
To offer children ways to explore so- such as oil and egg, can mix and After an answer is given, exploration
lutions, first ask families to help collect stay mixed when added slowly while and learning often come to an end.
clean, clear recycled plastic bottles with stirring. Offer the word emulsion, Sustain learning by refraining from
tops, such as water and soda bottles. which describes this type of mixture. the urge to answer such questions!
Water Flow
Flow is another concept that
children can understand through the
simple process of playing with in-
tentionally chosen materials. Provide
transparent plastic pipes and con-
nectors, found in a hardware store.
Children can build pipe systems, and
then pour water and watch it flow
down through their system into the
water table or a bucket (Dinwiddie,
1993; Sible, 2000).
Children are fascinated by making
water flow. Provide them with op-
portunities to understand how flow
works and what stops it as they solve Figure 1. Water flow device that includes a mechanical pump to push the
problems over and over in different water upward, flexible pieces of transparent piping so the flow can be seen,
ways at a water table or outdoors. a wheel to continue the water’s progress, and containers to catch the water.
One school offered these materials
outside so children could make lon- each container when they are of tion for children from 4 year olds to
ger systems all over the playground. different shapes. at least age 7.
The teachers then took children to When children are ready to con-
the school basement to see the pipe sider more precise measurements, Evaporation
system. A more complex water sys- add marks on plastic containers Young children can explore evapora-
tem that children can help design is with fingernail polish for half- and/ tion in numerous ways through play.
shown in Figure 1. or quarter-full places to extend the As mentioned earlier, they can inves-
mathematical learning. Measuring tigate it while washing the table after
Measurement cups, in various sizes, will also enable lunch or any messy activity. They can
Children can, of course, learn much children to use more accurate explore it outside in summer, with
about measurement through water measuring and introduce both the paint brushes on warm bricks or other
play. The simplest materials for this are metric system and fractions. dark surfaces where they can watch the
containers of various sizes for pouring. water evaporate almost instantaneous-
Teachers can ask which container has Pouring alone provides practice in ly. Children can examine evaporation
more water, which has less and which is counting, one-to-one correspondence, inside by painting with water on a
the same, or equivalent. fractions, volume, conservation, and chalkboard and watching it evaporate,
many other math and science con- albeit a little more slowly. The risk of
Then, children can be asked how cepts. Young children may not yet
many of one container or baster it a slippery floor can be eliminated and
understand the concept of conser- evaporation can be observed again
will take to fill a larger bottle. They vation, but their experiences with
will often do this over and over, while mopping. Make sure to have
water play will move them closer small mops so children can participate.
comparing their answers with each toward that comprehension. This
other. They will be surprised if they play/study will fill hours of explora- * * *
notice that it is the same number for
10 Vol 40, No 2, 2012 Dimensions of Early Childhood
Science Concepts Young Children Learn Through Water Play
For a responsive, intentional, and muscle strength. Goltsman, S. (1997). Designing playgrounds for
children of all abilities. School Planning and Man-
reflective teacher, these concepts are Water play is particularly useful agement, 36(10), 26-29.
only the beginning of the science and therapeutic during the learn- Havu-Nuutinen, S. (2005). Examining young
that children can learn from water ing of children who have special
children’s conceptual change process in floating
and sinking from a social constructivist perspec-
play/study. needs (Dodge, 2002; Goltsman, tive. International Journal of Science Education, 25,
259-279.
Water play can branch into so- 1997; Texas Department of Human
Hendrick, J. (1997). First steps toward teaching the
cial studies for older preschool and Services, 2001). Water often helps Reggio way. Columbus, OH: Merrill, Prentice Hall.
elementary children in investigations children with behavior problems Katz, L., & Chard, S. (2000). Engaging children’s
minds: The Project Approach. Stamford, CT: Ablex.
of waves, rivers, lakes, oceans, the calm themselves. It is multisensory
Lewin-Benham, A. (2011). Twelve best practices for
environment, and even natural disas- for children who have vision and early childhood education. New York, NY: Teachers
ters (Davis, 2005; Dove, Everett, & hearing impairments. It is a more College.
Preece, 1999; Frost, 2005; Hendrick, forgiving, less frustrating material Malaguzzi, L. (1993). For an education based on
relationships. Young Children, 49(1), 9-12.
1997; Maynard & Waters, 2007; than other media, especially for chil- Maynard, T., & Waters, J. (2007). Learning in the
Trisler, 1996). dren with learning disabilities. outdoor environment: A missed opportunity. Early
Years, 27(3), 255-265.
Children can use experiences with Children’s learning from water play/ Montessori, M. (1967). The discovery of the child.
water as opportunities for art and study clearly is multidisciplinary. It New York, NY: Random House.
creativity, as well (Dove, Everett, can help children further their un- National Research Council. (1996). National science
education standards. Washington, DC: National
& Preece, 1999; Szekely, 2003). derstanding of how the world works, Academy Press.
When children paint with water on a where things come from, and how Sible, K. (2000). Water, water everywhere. Young
chalkboard and it evaporates quickly, things are made. Water study belies Children, 55(1), 64-66.
Szekely, G. (2003). Water artists. Arts and Activities,
they can easily change their work or the notion that young children have a 133(5), 42.
try another technique. Painting with short attention span. Exploring with Texas Department of Human Services. (2001).
water on a chalkboard is also a good water is captivating, engaging, en- Explorations with the sand and water table. Texas
Child Care, 25(1), 28-35.
introduction to art and painting grossing and absorbing to almost all Tovey, H. (1993). Re-appraising nursery water play.
before children ever use paint, or as a children and even the adults who care Early Child Development and Care, 92, 29-35.
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Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society: The develop-
the possibilities of movement with References ment of higher psychological processes. Boston, MA:
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A
tant skill. Identify children who can share tasks
bc bubbles, use and introduce terms such as cohe- and help children who need help making these
sion, solution, mixtures, suspension, sphere, dissolve, decisions. Recognize different tasks that children
and transparent. Children enjoy using these complete to reach a goal.
terms and families are pleased to hear the terms.
Janie H. Humphries, Ed.D., Early Childhood Professor Emeritus, Louisiana Tech University, Immediate Past
President of the Southern Early Childhood Association, and an early childhood consultant.
12 Vol 40, No 2, 2012 Dimensions of Early Childhood