It's no secret that kids love to play in the water - even on the foggiest days we're bound to see at least one kid splashing in the stream in Tot Spot or the Rocky Shore in Lookout Cove.

Most adults also have vivid memories of early experiences playing in and with water. Whether you co-design a water play area with your children at home using a hose, some buckets and tubs or you visit a local stream or beach, water is fascinating and has a strong educational properties. Water can be splashed or poured, used to sink or float objects; it can be routed into fast-moving streams or dammed to form ponds.

Playing with water helps children develop respect for nature as well as for basic safety rules and procedures. It also teaches social skills and cooperation, experimentation and problem solving.

We're all concerned with saving resources - especially water, here in the West. Here are a couple of tips for saving water when you play with your kids:

• Invest in a spray nozzle for your hose - and look for one with a 'mist' setting. Not only will you save water from running when you don't need it, but it uses very little water to 'mist' your kids - or have them mist you!
• Playing in the bathtub is one of the easiest, year-round ways to enjoy water with your children. But you only need an inch or two, not a full tub which can hold 30+ gallons. Fill the tub a bit, pull the curtain closed (most of the way!), and let your child splash to their hearts content!

This entry was posted on August 14, 2008 and is filed under Jennifer Caleshu.
Tagged: creativity, parents
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