Come Sail Away

Spring is finally here! And that means sailing season! Our talented designers developed some very unique boats to test out.

Bits and pieces and loose part materials were set out for the children to create with. The children experimented with different designs trying to develop a ship that would not capsize or sink.

We observed the children making conclusions about why their designs would stay afloat. Some children concluded that their ships would not sink because they were heavy enough not to tip over. Others concluded that their boats were light enough that they would not sink. We tested a few boats out in the wind (a few of us blowing air from our mouths) to make sure they were sturdy enough.

There were some very modern boat designs. I'm sure we will start to see these fabulous designs out on the Ottawa River any time now.

The alien bowling pin was one of the first passengers to bravely board a ship during the test runs. Luckily, he was a very good swimmer. 

Setting up a water table encourages the children to explore cause and effect, provides them with sensory opportunities, promotes sharing and turn taking and also helps them foster their problem solving skills. 

It may seem like they are merely splashing around in water but don't let the splish-splashing fool you; so much learning takes place around sensory table. Water play fosters key cognitive skills such as observation, conceptual understanding, examination and problem solving. Water play also provides opportunity to expand social skills like developing relationships, compromising, negotiating, turn taking and discussion. Water often draws a large crowd and provides an opportunity for children who don't normally play together to  get to know one another.

For many people, water represents a sense of peace. Maybe water is being at the cottage by the lake, swimming in the pool in the summer time or finding a waterfall after a long hike. Many children find wonder in water and it has a natural calming effect. We often forget that young children are under a lot of pressure and that they too can feel stressed sometimes. Water play can be very therapeutic for children as they can pour out a lot of their worries and tension.