Wet ‘N Wild Fun

Whether it’s gooey mud, slippery paint, or cool cascading water, the children of the Zebra group need to have their hands (and whole selves) in it. In the past few weeks, the group has been captivated by textural sensory play, and this has led to new experiences in fine and gross motor development, alongside flourishing social and emotional bonds.

Due to the unique conditions of the pandemic, for many children, their day at the CEC has been the only social interaction they have had outside their homes. As a result, a sibling-like bond has formed between them. “The Zebra group is where they’re getting the bulk of their experiences with others, and the social and emotional learning from their peers has really boosted their development in ways we haven’t seen in previous years,” shared Lead Teacher Sam. The children are continuously learning how to navigate their emotions with one another in the group, and this is especially pronounced during group play.

When it comes to play, the energetic Zebra children engage their whole bodies in each new activity the teachers present them. Recently, this included exploring paints for the first time.  Each child is different in their experience, from investigating the texture of the paint to selecting colors to experiment with on the page. “The children are fascinated with the connection between having paint on a paint brush and the image it makes on paper,” shared Sam.  However, they seem to most enjoy covering themselves (and sometimes the teachers) in paint. “I think that it actually gives them more satisfaction to feel the paint on their bodies than simply painting on a surface with a brush or their fingers,” said Sam.

Another activity that the children have become entranced with is the marvel of water play. The Zebra Teachers have been creating different environments for the children to enjoy this sensory exploration, by digging moats around tall muddy mountains or connecting a hose to a bucket with holes to create a mini rain shower Whatever the activity, if it involves water, the Zebra children are all in; filling up buckets of water from the moat, watching leaves float down the emerging streams that flow over the rocks, or taking turns dancing under the falling shower water, squealing with delight the whole time. 

As the year progresses and the temperatures continue to warm up, we can’t wait to see what the Zebra children get their whole selves into next.