Korikori Wai Water Play

Water Play | Korikori wai

Water is a soothing and fun play that is important to our communities and a part of everyday life. It is a medium for learning that children are naturally drawn to from a young age.

Learning and Development

Children naturally love to explore the texture and properties of water.
Babies learn cause and effect through water play, such as splashing and feeling water on their bodies. Adults support this by describing the sensations and outcomes using simple language.
Our centres thoughtfully place resources near water to encourage exploration. Pouring water into containers helps children develop hand-eye coordination. Offering different sized vessels refines children’s fine motor skills and helps them master their movements.
Water play introduces maths concepts like measuring, estimating and understanding volume.
Children learn science concepts such as weight, density, depth and absorption. Through hands-on play, they discover how water moves, cleans, evaporates and freezes.
Deciding where to direct water and figuring out how to achieve their goals help children build thinking, problem-solving and reasoning skills.
Water play promotes core social skills as children interact with peers and teachers, learning to share and cooperate.
Natural experimentation with water and various objects encourages creativity. Teachers enhance this by providing materials and setups that provoke curiosity.
Water is a valuable resource in our communities. We teach children to respect water by discussing conversation, collecting rainwater, recycling water where practical and using smaller amounts for play.

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How water play relates to the primary school curriculum

Continuing Learning at Home

Water play setups:
A water trough with toys makes a great base for water play.
Encourage exploration:
Collect a variety of objects to stimulate exploration and learning.
Materials to consider:
Wood, metal, plastic, sponge, shells, driftwood etc.
Items to consider:
Cups, spoons, jugs, colanders, sieves, small plastic boats, funnels, water wheels, hose/pipes, plastic sea animals etc.
Dramatic play:
Use a baby bath for bathing baby dolls to incorporate imaginative and dramatic play.
Add in bubbles and colour:
Add soap or detergent to make bubbles, and food colouring to change the water’s colour for extra sensory exploration.
Water painting:
Let children ‘paint’ fences or concrete using water and a paintbrush.
Ice exploration:
- Freeze water to teach concepts such as freezing and melting.
- Build language skills by describing sensations (e.g., cold, slippery, melt).
- Freeze small objects in ice moulds to add curiosity and engagement.
Eye dropper activities:
Older preschoolers can use plastic eye droppers to explore water droplets. Add food colouring and drop it onto ice to combine science with creative expression.