Irresistible Ideas for play based learning » Make It Irresistible

make it irresistible – install a rain water tank

admin — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 14:01:54 +0000

Water play is irresistible to children!

Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring our children ask for water to enhance all kinds of different play.

Water is irresistible when playing in dirt …

tanbark …

and the sand pit.

Fortunately, due to a very hard working and supportive committee we planned well and last year installed a 5,000 litre rainwater tank at kinder so our children would not be deprived of their water play.

As Melbourne has been experiencing drought for a very long time, rain water tanks are becoming a way of life for many Melbournians. (Melbourne’s average rainfall to June is 308.2mm currently we have had only 242.2mm and last year at the same time only 124.00mm!)

Due to our low rainfall, even with a water tank we only allow our children to fill this tub once each session. In order to save the children from confusion and to educate them in water conservation we follow this rule all year round!

That’s one tub of water between twenty seven children and only if tank water is available!

We are teaching the children to respect every drop of rain water we collect, especially as our tank water is needed to support our ever expanding hush garden as well as our play!

Now our water wall is up and running …

the children are being encouraged to recycle as much water as they can.

Our water tank was our saviour during our dry summer months. Now that winter has arrived and the weather has been very wet over the last week our water tank is full to overflowing once again. Regardless, the children are aware the one tub rule still applies and understand they are not permitted to fill it without adult permission and supervision (having a removable tap handle is added insurance!).

But when the rain stops and the tank is empty … … no more water play until it rains again!

make it irresistible – build a music frame

admin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 14:01:02 +0000

Thanks to some incredibly inspirational and generous bloggers we have added some wonderful learning experiences into our kindergarten program from which our children benefit immensely!

Our latest addition is a music frame …

for which the inspiration has come from people like Jenny, Kitten Muffin, and Tom.

With the simple addition to an old climbing frame of assorted pots and pans …

straight out of the sand pit …

and a couple of wooden sticks …

we have created a fun, interesting, noise generating play space.

Of course not every one appreciates the noise songs and music being created at the music frame …

but we knew it wouldn’t be too long …

before she came to the party!

make it irresistible – with a water wall

admin — Sat, 29 May 2010 14:01:22 +0000

By now you probably know that when we find a good idea we love and want to follow, we don’t just talk about it, WE DO IT!

Our water wall is a really good idea we picked up from Jenny over at “Let the Children Play“

From this …

to this, the children were very involved the whole way!

They loved the opportunity to handle Donna’s drill …

and were so exited to be able to drill the holes in the fence themselves with Sherry’s help!

The children then attached assorted plastic containers to the wall using screws and wing nuts …

which was a brilliant fine motor exercise!

Once all the work was done …

it was time to play …

and play …

AND play!

As we are very conscious of the amount of water we use in our play at kinder …

and, the children are encouraged to attach, and detach the containers to experiment with different water paths …

we remind them to place a solid container at the bottom …

so they can tip the water back into their buckets …

and recycle it!

Our wall will continue to evolve over time with the addition of more containers and funnels and hopefully some hoses like the children at “Woodland Park” have on their water wall!

The children had such a great time with the drill, we have many more places to fill!

This post is part of the “We Play” link up over at

the wonderful Aussie blog “Childhood 101″