Enabling Environments: Making Spaces...Sand & Water Play

We are a packaway group running three days a week in a church hall with a small yard for outdoor play. Sand and water play is a big issue for us, as we have to be very careful about mess and water damage. We have one small tray, in which we alternate sand and water from week to week, but we know this isn't enough. The children squabble over it and the quality of sustained play is poor. We need ideas to provide more of the right experiences, despite the limitations of our setting.

Children enjoy sand and water play because they instinctively seem to know it is good for them. Water is an elemental, natural substance, as is sand (and earth). To play with them is to explore their properties - to find out what they can do, how they move, how you can change them and, most importantly, how they feel.

Children seem to be instinctively drawn towards the sensory experience of playing with potentially messy substances like sand and water, because such play fires activity in the brain that builds neural pathways. And this kind of play feels good, not only because it is stimulating, but also because it has the potential to soothe. So, children want to play with sand and water again and again, which helps make those neural pathways stronger. This effectively helps to build the brain and shape its architecture.

When an activity that children are naturally drawn towards is scarce, then there is anxiety. The activity might be scarce because it isn't always available, or because there are restrictions about who and how many can use it. The 'anxiety' around it might be displayed in different ways.

The obvious way is for children to squabble over it because they need to claim it (or anything connected with it) as theirs, to ensure that they will be able to get enough of it. For some children, at certain times, it might even feel life-threatening not to have access to it, so they are prepared to fight for it! If something feels really good, then it is hard to give it up, or to have too little space in which to fully enjoy the sensory experience. Other children may give up quickly if an activity is scarce, or problematic, so never discovering just how good it feels and missing out on the valuable sensory experience.

If an activity is freely available, however, then the urgency (and anxiety) decreases. The certain knowledge that there will always be sand (or water) if not now, then at least quite soon, reduces the insecurity around it and any related behaviours. The opposite of scarcity is abundance and when children freely recognise the abundant availability of an activity, they don't even need an adult to 'police' it for them - as in restricting how many people can be round the sand tray at one time. There will be a natural ebb and flow around the area as children find room for themselves and accommodate each other, taking responsibility for the space and problem solving when necessary.

SUPPORTING PLAY

Having recognised the importance of sand and water and the impact it can have on behaviour and the quality of play, then clearly it needs to be a priority.

Trays and bowls

Budget for sand and water play, raise some money and buy at least one more tray. Look for one that is multi-purpose and includes storage to help with clearing up and packing away. But also look for creative ways of providing sand and water. Builder's or other shallow trays filled with sand work well on the floor or on low tables. Household basins and bowls are good for playing with water.

Always supervise small children playing with water on the ground. Be prepared for children to want to transport and mix sand and water together, so have spare empty bowls on hand to follow children's interests.

A clean sweep

Wet sand tends to be easier to sweep up and control than dry sand but it is still important to try to provide both. Have child-sized brooms around and keep by the sand lots of brightly coloured dustpans and brushes that children are keen to use and play with so that tidying up is part of the fun.

Capitalise on the weather and make the most of puddles. Create your own on dry days, making the most of natural dips. Puddles are good for splashing in, but they can also become imaginative 'wet worlds' for small toys and figures. There is also a lot of fun to be had sweeping the puddles away. Brushing and sweeping with large and small brooms is a good physical activity that builds muscles and proprioception.

Water sources

Look for places where rainwater collects naturally on the ground and on top of equipment outside. Our recycling boxes have lids with an indent that means they always fill up when it rains - an inconvenience that can be turned into a natural water play opportunity and something to look forward to after a shower of rain.

Find a large camping water bottle with a tap and show children how to flip the tap on and off. The more experience they have, the more efficient they will become at judging when to turn off the tap so that containers don't overflow.

Scoops and funnels

Resources for sand and water trays are easy to collect from household and recycling materials as well as the commercially available containers, funnels, scoops, etc. They are best kept to a minimum so they don't clutter up the space, but let children know what you have available and where it is stored if they need something specifically for a self-initiated task. Finally, don't forget to spend time playing in the water and sand yourself and remind yourself how good it feels.

COMMUNITY PLAYTHINGS: MAKING A SPLASH

Sand and water trays that will provide the perfect fit for your setting are available from Community Playthings. Trays large (£360) and small (£270) come with adjustable legs, storage racks and water-resistant lids. To extend learning, there's the Extras Kit (£28), including a pulley, funnel and hoses, or invest in a sand and water centre that incorporates a playshelf, storage rack and flow pan. Also available on the website is advice on arranging, equipping and supporting sand and water play.

This feature is sponsored by Community Playthings

www.communityplaythings.co.uk