During this session I included a little bit of everything we've explored in the water thus far. Sea animals, balls, containers, and rocks were just a few of the items included. I'm happy to say that the children really enjoyed the water table this week and revisited some past explorations along with embarking on some new discoveries.
Observing children while they engage in a material can show just how much children learn from one another. In the following video, Max carefully watches as Sebastien hauls up a container full of water (which ends up spilling all down Max's legs). Later, Max returns to the water table and recreates the experience for himself. What I love about including bigger containers is the increased amount of water being displaced. This usually leads to heavy work by physically challenging the children to move larger quantities of water.
Zadie also recreates an experience she began exploring two weeks ago. The last time she was at playgroup she experimented with putting a ball inside a container of water. This time the container she choses empties water as she picks it up and this visibly delights her, and then she plinks her ball into the container. The second time she tries to put the ball in the same container there is no plink as the water hasn't finished draining out. She watches as the water goes out and when she moves the now empty container she hears the 'tink' of the ball in the container and proceeds to shake the container more.
Sebastien also continues an exploration from a previous week. Last week he brought a long tube container to the water table and experimented with flinging water. This week he works on trying to get a stone into and out of the tube but first he has to make it clear to Zadie that he is using the stone.
Recently another mother asked me how much Sebastien understood of a long explanation I gave him. I told her I couldn't be sure but I feel the more information and descriptions you give toddlers the more they begin to understand that you respect them enough to explain what's going on even if they don't understand everything you say. Well here's an example of one of my explanations and I have to say even I was impressed by how much Sebastien understood and followed through with my request.
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