Cameron, aged 2 years and 6 months, has long been interested in animals but it was a whale (confusingly called Sharky!) that really intrigued him and has led to lots of fishy goings on at Busy Bears Nursery
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Cameron’s fascination for the whale began when he one day explored all the sea creatures in the water tray. After that, Sharky went everywhere with him, even to bed at naptime. Clearly, it was time to respond to his interest with some special activities.
I started by creating a marine world in the water tray, complete with tinfoil on the base, blue water, rocks and sea creatures.
I wanted to attract both Cameron and his three closest friends to the water tray as each had benefited from Cameron’s interest. As soon as I lifted the lid of tray, all four boys ‘dived in’. Each responded differently to the marine world. For example, one wanted to create waves and splash with the rocks, while another acted out battles between the fish.
In the days that followed, I watched as Cameron and his friends started to carry fish everywhere with them, seamlessly integrating them into their play. I decided to plan something really special for them, so I brought in a real salmon and crab for the children to explore. Unfortunately, Cameron was absent that day, but I went ahead and placed both the salmon and crab unannounced into our investigation tray. All the children gathered round to inspect and while some were overwhelmed, others were fascinated. One child was so intrigued she wouldn’t let go of the salmon and really enjoyed stroking its scaly skin and poking her finger in its mouth. Overall, I think the experience helped build the children’s confidence.
EXTENSIONS
I have tried to extend the boys’ interest in the sea creatures in various ways. For example, to ‘celebrate’ and develop the children’s understanding of water, we explored different shades of blue, first through collage, then separately using blue paint on another canvas.
I also reinforced their learning by continuing to provide small-world sea creatures for role play and by hanging up a bag of water filled with small-world fish as a reminder of all the experiences that they have participated in. Cameron loves me to pick him up and to show him the turtle, that he has named Keith and is perched on a tressle.
It has been a joy developing the children’s interest in sea creatures, and one of my favourite experiences since starting work at Busy Bears.
Steven Edward Pitt, nursery practitioner in the Honey Room (2-3 years), has worked at Busy Bears Nursery for almost three years
BOOKS
There is a plentiful supply of non-fiction books about the sea aimed at very young children, but available too is a great selection of picture books that portray the sea as a place of fun, danger, adventure, mystery or calm, providing a starting point for discussion and inspiration for children’s play.
One Smart Fish by Christopher Wormell (Red Fox) – A tale of a very bold and clever fish who wants more than anything else was to walk upon the land. A prize-winning story that bravely tackles the complex subject of evolution.
The Sea Monster by Christopher Wormell (Jonathan Cape) – A boy is swept out to sea when he tries to retrieve his toy boat.An old fisherman tries to rescue him and receives help from an unexpected quarter.
The Big, Big Sea by Martin Waddell and Jennifer Eachus (Walker Books) A child and her mother walk in the moonlight beside the sea in this powerful story that portrays a bond between parent and child and makes even the dark sea safe and serene.
Oliver Who Travelled Far and Wide and Oliver Who Was Small But Mighty by Mara Bergman and Nick Maland (Hodder Children’s Books) – Oliver sets sail on fantastic journeys of the imagination.
The Little Polar Bear series by Hans (North-South Books) – stories providing a gentle introduction to the concepts of friendship, family, courage, nature and environmentalism.
The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (Macmillan Children’s Books) One tiny snail longs to see the world and hitches a lift on the tail of a whale. Together they go on an amazing journey past icebergs and volcanoes, sharks and penguins, and the little snail feels so small in the vastness of the world. But when disaster strikes and the whale is beached in a bay, it's the tiny snail who saves the day.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed the Sea by Pam Adams (Child’s Play) – A great prequel to the much-loved classic ‘There was an old lady who swallowed a fly’. Here the old lady swallows more and more creatures from the sea to try and catch the initial fish.
