Why We Love the Rain!

Since the preschoolers first started at Tumbleweed, we have encouraged their love for all types of weather by being outside no matter what is happening in the sky.

 

Because of the preschoolers continuing time spent in all types of weather, they find as much joy in the rain as they do in the sunshine.

The preschoolers love the rain and are constantly working, exploring, and discovering as they experiment with the falling rain and the puddles left by the rain. Over the past couple of weeks, I have watched the preschoolers closely to see how many different ways they explore the rain.

Here are just a few observations of explorations and conversations highlighting why we love the rain:

We can explore puddles

 

                     
                       
                           We can make lakes and rivers     

                                                                                

TS- "This is a lot. This is a river!"                            

                                                                    We can gather water

                                                                                                                   We ask for help

    TLC turned to SF and asked, "Can you fill up my container?" GS also asked SF, "Can you fill up my container?" SF replied, "Yeah."

  

                         We offer help                                                       

JH exclaims, "It's raining," as he walks over to TLC and GS. He asks, "Can I help?" He takes his container of water and pours it into TLC's container.

We can make soup

                                                                           

                                                                             We can pour and mix

                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                              We can  make observations about the rain

                                      KC- "It's a downpour!"

We can swing as the raindrops touch our face

                        We can stretch and exercise                                                                                         

 






JH- "It's really tricky to exercise."                            

  We can climb slick surfaces

         

We can build wet, slippery buildings

                                                                                                                    We can hunt for crocodiles

KC- "Crocodile water. There's a crocodile in there!"

MR- "Well they don't bite me."

JH- "Crocodiles are really scary."

                                        

                                                                  We can measure and experiment with volume

We can balance on slick surfaces

                        We can explore how water falls through holes in the bottom of containers

    

 SF- "TS, watch me!"

   

   We can help life begin and provide nourishment for plants to prosper

Rain provides an outside environment of endless possibilities. The preschoolers pour, measure, mix, test volume and weight, share, imagine, create, water plants, and climb and explore wet textures the rain leaves behind. They are constantly discovering new ways to explore, experiment, and create imagined ideas with the rain puddles and wet surfaces. 

We love the rain and what it provides.

As SF said last week as she noticed the newly fallen rain: 

"Water... yay, yay, yay, yay!"

"Let the rain kiss you.  Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.  Let the rain sing you a lullaby."

  ~Langston Hughes

For more outdoor ideas head over to:

Learning for life's Outdoor play link-up