The weather has the potential to play a huge part in the opportunities and experiences we offer children. The rainy weather especially can often be considered by some as limiting and our options for play tend to be restricted. ‘Wet weather’ experiences almost exclusively involve being inside, out of the elements – and totally and completely OUT of the wet weather.
This is a shame because there is so much potential for learning that the rain and wet weather provides.
This morning when the rain began Archer and Penelope were overly eager to go outside. Before I had a chance to gather the raincoats, Penelope had already made her way, rather covertly, outside. Penelope made it very clear to me through her actions and reluctant-ness to return to the verandah to put a raincoat on, where she wanted to be and what she wanted to be doing – her communication was outstanding! Archer observed Penelope’s delight in the rain and soon joined us – by this point we had managed to get the raincoats on!
Penelope and Archer discovered puddles on the ground and explored their properties – Penelope with her fingers and Archer with a stick.
Penelope then noticed the water dripping from the bottom of the drain and into the drain on the ground. Archer quickly came over, assumingly to see what Penelope had found. They both dipped their hands in and out of the dripping water, again and again. This is what i absolutely love about toddlers – they remind us to stop and notice the things that we as adults almost always overlook. They are incredibly mindful!
Archer also discovered two more places where water collected- on the balance beam and in a dip in a rock. He inspected the puddles closely… So close in fact that he drank the water!
It is so important that children get the opportunity to experience how the weather can affect and sometimes completely transform their environment. It introduces them to the ideas of earth and space science but also important scientific inquiry skills including investigating and observing using the senses. This is precisely why you won’t find us running away from the rain here at Halifax Street, rather we run straight into it!
Documented by Charity.
