Enabling environments: Around the Nursery - Water Area - Splash out

Young children are attracted to water play both at home and in nursery. They love to wash up in the sink, watch and feel the flow of water from a tap, splash in puddles, paddle in the sea and play in the water at bath time. This area of provision in the nursery, when well resourced, will offer exciting opportunities for exploratory investigations and a lot of fun experiences. It can also be a fertile context for imaginative play and role play, and particularly rich in mathematical learning opportunities.

Resources
Settings should aim to provide:
- a water tray - large and deep enough for satisfying investigations to
take place, and a stand (at child height)
- a plank or shelf to rest across the tray
- waterproof aprons
- containers (varied in shape, graded in size - some transparent), such
as jugs, cylinders, buckets
- plastic bottles with holes in the bases and sides, slotted spoons,
colanders, tea strainers
- waterproof tape (for marking water levels)
- pumps, tubes, water wheels, siphons
- squeezy bottles and soap dispensers
- tea set: tea pots, cups, bowls, spoons, whisks, ladles
- pans
- small-world equipment - for example, sea creatures, boats, people
- natural materials such as loofahs, driftwood, pebbles, sponges, pumice
stones, shells
- watering cans, fishing nets
- plastic letters and numerals
- ice shapes containing materials and objects - for example, glitter,
sequins, sand, pebbles, buttons
- food colouring to colour water
- pertinent information and storybooks displayed in a waterproof stand
- towels