“It is incorrect to conceive of play as an activity without purpose; play is a purposeful activity for a child” – Lev Vygostsky
This is true. All kinds of activities act as a learning platform for kids. So are water-based activities! Kids love to play with water. From swimming, splashing, and stomping to pouring and stirring, playing with water is splishy sploshy fun for kids.
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Psst: Did you know that all our Intellitots preschools have water-based activities as a part of the toddler’s curriculum!
Here we have five ‘learning with fun’ water-based activities that your toddlers can benefit from. These activities will keep little ones entertained and learning for hours!
Safety Measures
Wait, hold on! Before jumping into water-based activities with your little one, keep these safety tips in mind:
- Try to conduct the water-based activities outdoors in the garden or balcony, as there are high chances of water splashing out of the container.
- Do not leave your toddler unattended, even if the activity is simple.
- Keep the water level in check. There is no need to add in extra water just for fun.
- Avoid using any sharp objects in the activity.
- Ask the children to wash their hands after the activity with kid-friendly soap.
- Keep an eye on your little one. You don’t want them to drink water or swallow any items involved in the activity.
Water-Based Learning Activities For Toddlers
Note: Do not leave the child/children unattended at any time during the activity.
1. Float Or Sink
Things you need:
- Tub/Bucket
- Small plastic toys
- Fallen leaves/Flowers
- Small stones/Pebbles
- Coins
- Crayons
What to do:
Take a tub/bucket and fill half of it with water. Ask your child to put the objects, one by one, into the water. Ask them to observe if the object sinks or floats in water. You can also ask your child to guess whether the object will sink or float before placing them in water, and then they can see what really happens.
Learning:
This activity helps your child understand the concept of floating and sinking. It will also make them understand why some objects are referred to as being heavy or light.
2. Pool’s Eye (Bull’s Eye)
Things you need
- Inflatable pool
- Pool tube
- Colourful balls
What to do:
Add water to the inflatable pool and add a pool tube to it. Make children stand at a distance, away from the pool, and hand them each a ball. Now, ask the toddlers to throw the ball inside the tube. Ask them to say “pool’s eye” if the ball lands inside the tube. The one with maximum pool’s eye wins the game.
Learning:
This activity will help your child work on their fine motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination. It will also help to build your kid’s interest in sports activities like archery, shooting and more.
3. Water The Alphabet
Things you need
- Water bottles
- Transparent containers
- Colourful pens
- Plain white square paper
What to do:
Write one letter on a piece of paper and place a transparent container on top of it so that the letter is visible to kids. Similarly, write a few more letters and place containers on top of them. Now, gather the children around and hand them half-filled water bottles. Say a letter, and the toddlers have to find that letter and pour 2-3 drops of water into the container placed above that letter. After completing the activity, ask the kids to pick up the containers and pour the water into the plants.
Learning:
This activity will help the kids recognise the alphabet and their pronunciation. With the help of this activity, you can also teach them about the importance of plant care.
4. Sponge Water Play
Things you need
- 4 containers
- 2 big pieces of sponge
What to do:
Place two containers each in front of two children. Fill one container with water. Now, hand each toddler a sponge. Show them how to dip the sponge in water, and squeeze it into the second container. Now ask the children to do the same. This activity will keep them busy for some time while giving you some downtime!
Tip: You can add food colour to the water to make it a little more fun!
Learning:
This activity will help toddlers understand the concepts of wet, dry, full, empty, and even the concept of squeezing while working on their fine-motor skills.
5. Foil Race
What you need:
- Foil paper
- Straw
- Inflated pool (small size)
What to do:
Fill the inflated pool with some water. Now, make a big ball using foil paper and place the ball in the water. Hand a straw to your child and ask them to blow through it to move the foil. The goal is to make the foil ball reach the other end of the pool. You can perform this activity in a big rectangular container as well.
Learning:
This activity will help your child work on their ability to control breathing while blowing through the straw. There will also be movement of the muscles in the mouth, jaw, tongue, lips and cheeks, which will enhance the kid’s oral motor skills.
Which activity are you going to perform with your little ones? Do comment below and tell us!
