Making a Splash: Simple and Fun Ideas for Sensory Water Play

Water play is a fun and engaging activity that children of all ages enjoy. Whether it's a simple sensory bin filled with water or an invitation to play at a learning table, there are endless ways to play and explore with water. Not only is water play a great way to cool off on a hot day, but it also offers a multitude of benefits for children's development. Explore water play with us!

The Benefits of Water Play

Water play offers a wide range of benefits for children's development. From sensory input to social and cognitive development, here are some of the top benefits of water play:

• Sensory input
• Encourages social skills like turn taking
• Practice gross and fine motor skills while building focus, concentration and decision making
• Creativity (pouring, scooping, and using their imaginations) - Hello, hand/eye coordination!
• Boosts language skills
• Releases energy
• And most importantly, so fun!

So many valuable life lessons and opportunities for making memories!

Ideas for Water Play

Water play can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. Here are some easy and fun ideas to get started. 

• Take it outside!
• Add floating flowers or sliced citrus to a sensory bin filled with water - that will smell so good!
• Create rain gutters off to the side of the learning table for endless pouring fun. This really gets kiddos excited!
• Use food coloring to dye water and provide pouring vessels, ladles, and droppers for children to practice color mixing. Dye will usually last you a while, too!
• Set up a water obstacle course with sensory bins, containers, sponges, and spray bottles. Ask questions like "What do you think will happen?"
• Have a water balloon toss or water fight on a hot day
• Add bubbles to the water for an extra sensory experience... perfect segue/transition for an exit: say, "Ok, when the bubbles are all gone, time to clean up!"

Keep Water Play Simple and Fun

The most important thing about water play is to keep it simple and fun. Children's imaginations will run wild with just a sensory bin filled with water and some basic tools for pouring and scooping. As they play and explore, they'll learn valuable skills and mostly remember all the fun! So grab a sensory bin filled with water and let the exploration begin!