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.  

Cloud Nine

This week, our focus shifted from big, hungry dinosaurs to soft, fluffy clouds. The children had the opportunity to figure out what they already know about clouds to extend their knowledge about through some fun activities!

At an activity station that was organized by our student Jenna, the children got to experiment with how rain clouds work.  

Each child was provided with a sheet of paper with a space for a hypothesis for what they thought would happen during the experiment and then a space for a conclusion after the experiment. Although this may seem simple, this very basic structure for investigating and acquiring knowledge is a stepping stone for more complicated scientific methods.

By providing writing materials in this experiment, Jenna allowed for the activity to go from what could have been a simple exploration of materials into a writing exercise for the children. 

Intently watching as the rain falls from her cloud! The clouds were made of shaving cream and the rain was made of food colouring. 

Each child had a chance to squeeze colour into their own cup allowing them to strengthen their very important fine-motor muscles. Fine-motor muscles are crucial for proper pencil grip and buttoning buttons. Refined use of small muscles allows young children to gain more independence. 

Some children decided to explore clouds another way; through art. As a class we read the book "Little Cloud" by Eric Carle which provided the children with a little inspiration for their clouds. 

He really felt funny about using his fingers to paint. At first, he would only use the tip of one finger. Then I encouraged him to try two fingers, five fingers, one hand, two hands. Each time he added a new finger, he would call me over to see how messy he was getting. 

On a very windy Wednesday, we decided to fly some giant paper airplanes!

Someone's ready for take off!

We had a few dedicated volunteers filling the planes up with gas.

Directing traffic.

And they're off!

She spent the entire outdoor time flying that giant paper plane. She figured out that in order for it to fly higher and further she had to launch it in the same direction that the wind was blowing.

I reminded her that standing in front of where the airplanes were being launched might not be a great idea so she decided to casually lie down.

The planes took some serious beatings from the ground. I watched the children fixing the tips of their planes to keep them aerodynamic. 

We needed some guides for smooth landings.

Nice shot!

A layover at Churchill to fill up the tank!

An ants-eye view!

What happens when you launch against the wind! I love the shadow!