Keeping Children Safe During Water Play |

Health & Safety in Early Childhood Education, Learning Environment, Outdoor Play, Professional Development, Sensory

Keeping Children Safe During Water Play

Water play is play that involves water as well as using tools such as buckets, containers, and toys etc. that allow children to splash, scoop, pour, submerge and explore their senses. Water play in Early Learning settings usually involves a water table or large tub that children can stand around while engaging in their play. This makes for an exciting and social experience for children as they splash, play and have fun together.

3 young children playing in water table outdoors

Benefits of Water Play

Playing with water not only keeps your child feeling cool and having fun, but you may be surprised to learn that water play has so many amazing benefits for childhood development, making it one of the most popular activities in early childhood education

There are several benefits to water play for young children.

Develops hand-eye coordination
Introduces math and scientific concepts
Enhances concentration and focus
Develops motor skills and sensory exploration
Water play builds social and communication skills

Making Sure Water Play is Safe

Make sure you have access to water for refills.
Have plenty of towels for drying off, and splashed.
Make sure there is adequate supervision.
If you have a pool, make sure you have a life jacket for each child.
If you are using sprinklers, make sure the surface is resilient. You want to ensure safety for slippery surfaces.
Make sure you have plenty of accident reports and a stocked first aid kit.
Don’t forget to hydrate.. .Water play doesn’t mean no water intake.
Change of clothes.. Everyone needs them, even the adults

Safety Tips for Water Play

Water play is so beneficial for children, and as the weather gets warmer, and longer, the opportunities increase for children. We can create the safest environment by being intentional in our planning, preparation, and supervision while children are busy investigating the world around them.

As you prepare for water play make sure you:

Are aware of where ALL water is located.
Keep a watchful eye
Enforce safety rules
Don’t forget life jackets if you are using any body of water, including a wading pool
Remember resilience surfacing
Avoid hot tubs
Eliminate distractions
Understand the safety around using water beads

For more on outdoor play and safety, check out these great professional development opportunities:

Creating a Healthy and Safe Environment
Making the Most of Outdoor Play
Keeping Kids Safe During Outdoor Play
Keeping Kids Safe During Water Play (to come)

Kathy Banks, EdD. Early Childhood Education

Kathy Banks, Professional Development Lead for brightwheel, has 36 years of early childhood education experience. She has held various positions, including teacher, director, multi-site director, Head Start director, CCR&R, and QRIS Director. She currently adjuncts at several colleges and universities and continues to support and inspire educators through training and practical strategies. Kathy has her Ed.D. in Early Childhood Education and is a nationally certified Family and Consumer Science Developmental Educator. Her experience and education make her a scholarly expert in child development and the realities and challenges of teaching and directing every day.