| Sand and Water Tables are excellent for early | | | | children closely and you will see them working |
| childhood development and education. Through | | | | things out together and yes sometimes fighting as |
| free play, games and projects, Children will | | | | their view of this play world may clash with the |
| experience growth in sensory, motor and social | | | | view of other children. Free play helps them learn |
| skills, and have a broader understanding of spatial | | | | to share, not only toys but also space and a |
| relations and natural science. Sand and water | | | | collaborative view of their ocean world. |
| tables are also tons of fun indoors or outdoors. | | | | Sensory Games are also excellent ways to use |
| Watch their imaginations soar as they play for | | | | your sand and water activity tables. One idea is |
| hours pretending all kinds of things. | | | | to first make the water cloudy with paint or even |
| Sand and Water Tables are a perfect addition to | | | | mud. Then place different object at the bottom. |
| classrooms, daycares, playrooms or backyards. | | | | Then have the children form a line and one at a |
| Really, anywhere there are children with adults | | | | time try to guess, by using their sense of touch, |
| interested in their education. There are literally | | | | what is at the bottom of the tub. Aside from |
| hundreds of ways to elevate the level of learning | | | | random objects, have each child bring something |
| for your children by coming up with different | | | | from home. Send them home the day before |
| projects, or using different material, even | | | | with a ditto explaining the project so their mom |
| conduction experiments with your sand and water | | | | can help them find something suitable. Then have |
| tables. Children will experience development in | | | | them bring it in concealed in a paper bag and |
| sensory, motor and social skills, and have a | | | | brought to you. This project is fun to watch the |
| broader understanding of spatial relations and | | | | kids try so hard not to tell the others what they |
| natural science. Oh yea, and an amazing amount | | | | brought in. And they all get pretty excited when |
| of fun! | | | | their object gets picked. Another variation of this |
| When choosing a project for your class or your | | | | is to find three dimensional letters and numbers |
| kids be mindful of their ages. For example, if you | | | | and have them feel what symbol they are holding. |
| are going to substitute sand with dry noodles | | | | After they have guessed their letter correctly |
| make sure small children are being supervised | | | | have them hold on to it for a project to do latter |
| closely to prevent choking. For older children lay | | | | where you can reinforce their understanding of |
| down some rules and give them some | | | | the alphabet, now from a platform of pride and |
| responsibility over their sand and water table. If | | | | accomplishment. Children always learn better when |
| you take the sand and water tables out regularly | | | | they think its their idea or that they have |
| get the children into a routine of set up and clean | | | | somehow earned it. |
| up. This not only makes your life easier, but this | | | | Sand and Water Table Experiments are other fun |
| teaches them to work together and as you | | | | educational activities. By using your sand and |
| praise them for a job well done they will learn to | | | | water table, children can learn about |
| take pride in work. | | | | photosynthesis, metamorphosis, erosion and |
| Free Play requires little preparation on your part | | | | countless other laws of natural science. Try filling a |
| and is one of the greatest ways to use your | | | | clear tub with healthy soil and divide the tub in half |
| sand and water table. There are very few | | | | by placing an opaque tub over one half , so as to |
| limitations on what your children can experience. | | | | block out light on that half. Then have each child |
| Try setting your children up with sand, water and | | | | place two seeds in the soil, one each side. Make |
| toy sea creatures. Throw grass in there for sea | | | | sure they place their seeds close to the outside, |
| weed. Not that children need much | | | | half the fun is watching the roots grow. As they |
| encouragement before they play pretend, but | | | | see the plants growing you can explain |
| sometimes its fun to teach them about the ocean | | | | photosynthesis by teaching the kids how plants |
| maybe let them color in an octopus or shark | | | | need to eat soil, water and sunlight like they need |
| before letting them go. Free play is a highly | | | | to eat breakfast, lunch and diner. |
| educational time for children, it is not simply a way | | | | While sand and water tables are built for the |
| to keep the kids occupied, though it does | | | | convenience of having a portable and secure tub, |
| accomplish this well. During this time children learn | | | | many of the same projects, experiments and fun |
| to create their own worlds which gives them a | | | | can be had by using large plastic bowls, baby |
| sense of control over their environment. Children | | | | bathtubs, or any container that can hold water, be |
| are young and their imaginations are powerful and | | | | easily dumped and is not in danger of braking. |
| this little tub is like a melting pot. Watch your | | | | |