Nursery World - Water play: rain

Young children love to play outside and for many, this is an important place for learning. In order to benefit fully from the outdoors, children need long periods of time outside every day all through the year. Jan White takes a month-by-month look at how you can make the most of your outdoor provision. This month: how you can turn rain into a valued resource as part of your provision for year-round water play.

This month: how you can turn rain into a valued resource as part of your provision for year-round water play.

Outdoor water play: playing in and with the rain The key that unlocks this wonderful resource is for every child and adult to have suitable clothing, combined with enthusiasm from staff that matches the children's.

Take every opportunity to experience and investigate other forms of water that colder weather brings us, including dew, frost, ice and snow.

Resources

* Rainwear with hoods or sou'westers * Wellington boots * Large and small umbrellas * Brooms, brushes, bikes * Builder's tray, containers for collecting rainwater * Paint, plastic sheet, chalks * Tarpaulin, tent or gazebo * Big plastic containers, wooden and metal spoons * Camera, Dictaphone * Wet world by Norma Simon (Walker Books) * Splosh! by Mick Inkpen (Hodder Children's Books) * What is weather: rain by Miranda Ashwell and Andy Owen (Heinmann Library)

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