Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Children investigate water, including why we need it and how we can use it. Younger children play with water, exploring different states of water such as ice or spray, and add natural and colourful materials to water to see how they interact with water. Older children read a story about water and think about why we need water and where we can find it. They use water as the basis for creating an artwork on the theme of water.

This activity is designed to help connect children to the wonders of the natural world through sensory and play-based learning.

Faber-Castell have long understood the importance of creativity to all people, especially to young people. They are also continuously searching for environmentally friendly processes and high-quality materials to enhance children’s creative experience throughout every development phase. For more information about Faber-Castell, click here.

 

EYLF Learning Outcome

Elaborations

Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world

4. Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment

Outcome 4: Children are involved and confident learners

1. Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity

4. Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies, and natural and processed materials

Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

1. Children interact verbally and non verbally with others for a range of purposes

3. Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media

 

Resources required:

Ages 0 – 2

  • A range of different containers that can hold water; place colourful materials around these containers, including coloured balls, different coloured strips of fabric, flowers and petals, leaves etc.
  • Optional: ice cubes, spray bottles, cups and spoons nearby for children to use.
  • Optional: watercolour paints, such as the Connector Paint Box, or watercolour pencils.
  • Optional: towels and dry clothes.

Ages 3 – 5

  • The Waterhole by Graham Base
  • Art materials such as watercolored paints from the Connector Paint Box or watercolour pencils. Plus materials such as spray bottles, brushes, paper.

The team at Cool Australia continually reviews and refines our Early Learning resources in line with expert advice and current educational practices.

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Background information

Content information about water: All life on Earth depends on water, and for much of this life fresh water is essential. Although water covers three quarters of our Earth’s surface, fresh water only makes up 1% of this water – just a tiny sliver scattered on this Earth to support us all.

In Australia, we live in the driest inhabited country in the world. It is critical that young children learn to appreciate and conserve water. Exploring water through play and creativity has an important role in educating children about the importance of water, its various properties and states, different types of water, where it comes from and where it goes, what it is used for and who uses it.

Children will benefit from frequent water-based activities, through which they will grow to appreciate its value and understand all of its uses. If your service is in an area where water is particularly scarce, consider limiting the amount of water provided to children for play (e.g. a

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