We have had a lot of rain recently in Melbourne much to the delight of our children. Rain is never a deterrent for us, in all-weather, we head on out and enjoy what the seasons have to offer. And really, what more could two little friends want but a wonderful puddle to jump in and a stick to poke and prod about with.
Do they feel the cold? No, not like we do. Will they catch a ‘cold’? Very unlikely. Children acquire a ‘cold’ due to a virus invading their body, not from cold weather. In fact, they are more likely to catch a cold from being locked up in a crowded room where air-borne viruses can be recycled through the heating system than they would be in the outdoors.
In my experience, young children are irresistibly drawn to puddles and sticks. Like ‘metal to a magnet’, a puddle has great pulling power. To ask a child to refrain from jumping in a puddle is a little bit like taking them into a ‘Lolly (Candy) Shop’ and saying, “Don’t touch!” A virtually impossible request! The temptation is simply far too great!
The water squelchess, the leaves slip and slide, the mud is sticky and the clay ‘sucks’ against the soul of your boots. What a wonderful sensory play scenario!
And just a little extra water might be needed!
Through this type of play, children learn at first-hand the impact water has on the environment. Team this experience with some ‘intentional teaching’ as a way of introducing the ‘water cycle’. After all, this is what emergent curriculum is all about!
