Sand is a wonderful substance for experiments. When it is dry it flows like water, when wet you can mould it - and when very wet it forms a slurry and flows. You can run a stick through it to leave a temporary trail. It can be used to build castles, or roads for his cars. In fact its the perfect I made that happen toy for a small child.
The beach
The beach offers so many opportunities it is hard to know where to start!
* A hole to sit in. If he is not quite sitting firmly dig him a small hole and wedge his bottom. He will be able to sit- but put towels all around him so he does not eat the sand.
* Make sand castles. Fill buckets and upturn them or simply pile up the sand and mould into walls. A little wet sand dribbled over the walls makes it look a bit creepy. Decorate with sea weed, lollipop sticks and shells.
* Make a sea wall. Best played when the tide is coming in. Dig a hole for him to sit in, make a wall around it, and pile up the sand to stop the sea encroaching.
* Make holes and channels from the waters edge up the beach- when the waves reach the channel the water flows.
* Dig channels from rock pools and watch the water flow.
* Slide down banks of soft sand
In the garden
It is possible to buy sand pits with lids. Do cover it when not in use to ensure no stray bits of rubbish or stones get in. Do not use sharp sand (as the name suggests the grains are sharp). It is possible to buy finer soft sand by the bag.
* Make sand castles give him bucket and spade or different household containers like Tupperware tubs
* Make rake patterns have a game of making patterns with a rake or other objects.
* Make roads use a tool or stick to make roads in the sand for his cars
* Pouring -Scoop it up and pour it in lumps from a jug.
* Mixing - Mix water with sand to make a slurry and pour this from a jug.
In the house.
There are lots of ways for creative play with sand indoors, you can use ordinary fine sand, or buy coloured sands, or even just use similar substances such as sugar.
* Touching Sand or sugar feels good for him just to run his hands through.
* Pouring Sand or sugar can be poured through a funnel. This is great fun and is also great for developing his dexterity as he gains control of his wrists.
* Making Pictures Give him a tray and then fill a bag with sand or sugar. If you seal it with an elastic band and then snip a small corner off, he can play at pouring it out and make sand pictures on the tray.
* Weighing Weigh sand with scales, is wet sand heavier or lighter than dry?
* Sand in water - A spoonful of sand can be added to water and stirred- the grains swim around and colour the water but some settles at the bottom, if more sand is added he makes a slurry that can be poured and which will flow into interesting shapes..
Construction is great for developing hand-eye co-ordination and also for building confidence and a sense of achievement. There are lots of construction toys available in a variety of formats but you can also use boxes and items from around the home.
Over the counter play sets
These come in a wide variety and in all sizes.
* Sets which do not need to be put together in very precise ways are best for the very youngest children.
* Sets that require more precise positioning but come in big pieces are best for the middle age range Pop Onz are suitable for children from 18 months.
* Sets with small parts that require precise positioning can be used to make more realistic models and are best for older children.
* Some sets are based on bricks - others on rods. A child who loves constructing will enjoy any kind of building play.
Collecting bits and bobs
Instead of throwing out all your packaging collect it in a bag that he can rummage in for inspiration for todays construction. Useful items include;
* Bits of stiff card to make a firm base.
* Boxes of various sizes.
* The inner tubes from toilet rolls.
* Bits of wool and string.
* Sticky backed paper.
* Paper plates.
* Card cut into circles for wheels (or foil milk bottle tops if you can find any).
* Cotton wool balls
Prepared items (to make things easier)
* Tubes these are always difficult because very little of the tube is in contact with a flat surface. Cut the base of the tube in four or five places and fold these out. Staple these to a card. Prepare both ends of some tubes so he can use them as pillars.
* Wheels - make a small hole in the centre of the plate and pass a split pin into it. She can use this to attach the wheels to a large box.
Find what you need to fix things
* PVA Glue is best for most things but flour paste can be used to stick paper.
* Paper clips and rubber bands hold things together until the glue dries.
* Split pins for fixing wheels (she may need help with these)
* Staples help the stability - but do this for her.
Tip!
How to make flour paste
* Take a handful of plain flour, a pinch of salt and add water slowly.
* Stir continuously.
* It is ready to use once it becomes gooey.
* You can add food colouring to this if you wish. (it makes it easier to see where he has spread it)
Like scientists small children investigate and experiment. Many of the activities children love - from rolling balls, scooting around on bikes or playing with bath toys - teach them basic scientific principles (about solids and liquids, forces and acceleration for example) although it will be quite a few years before they can put what they learn into words or understand scientific theories.
Growing
There are lots of things you can grow together from big things to small. Growing things helps him to work towards a goal, builds a sense of achievement and helps him develop his caring and nurturing side.
Cress cross
* Tear off about a dozen pieces of kitchen towel and put them on a plate. Soak the paper by pouring or spooning water onto it.
* Lay a pastry cutter on the paper. Sew the cress seed inside the cutter. Carefully spread the seed out with the back of a spoon making sure it goes right to the edge.
* Lift the cutters. Use a spoon to water the seeds each day.
* Watch the cress grow and when its ready eat it!
* You can adapt this game to build in letter play use letter cutters or a steady hand to sew seeds to spell out his name or initials.
Real instant garden
Help him to make his own instant mini garden.
* Take one large plant pot
* Fill with compost or earth
* Give him a selection of things (or help him to find his own) that can be used to construct an instant garden. Use moss for a lawn, mirror for a pond, mini plants that can look like trees and bushes.
Using the scraps
* When preparing vegetables, like carrots, parsnips or beetroot, save the tops.
* Put these in a plate and some water and leave on the windowsill
* Within a couple of days these tops should have shoots.
Big
Children love growing big plants. Especially if they have a measuring stick to see how they are growing. Plant sunflower seeds in pots. Water and care for them and when they are about 4 inches high plant them out into the garden. Measuer them each week. You can try the same with bamboo.
My herb garden
* Buy small herbs pots from the supermarket and grow these together. He can explore his senses with these. He can taste them and smell them.
Nature Play
There is lots to explore when youre out and about in the countryside or garden. Looking out for tiny details really helps him to learn to pay attention and to look for the detail in things an important pre-reading skill.
* Footprints. Can you tell which are birds and which are animals?
* Whose had lunch? Look for leaves that have been eaten by small creatures. Can you find the creature near by?
* Look who lives under small logs and stones.
* Look who lives under leaves.
* Look who visits flowers.
* Snail trails.
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Play & Learn activities reprinted from "Preschooler Play & Learn" with permission of its author, Penny Warner, and its publisher, Meadowbrook Press (2000.)
