Playing with sand is fun as. Even though there is no research about the benefit of playing with sand for children, putting in and out sand in a bucket or container make them feel excited and learn many things. There are two types of sand play setting. They are sand box or indoor and outdoor setting. Sand box play setting needs some equipments like sand box, containers range from small to large size, buckets, plastic shovel, spoons and many others. Outdoor play setting usually is at the beach, or the bank of a river.As parents I have to know how to choose best toys for my children. I should read articles how to choose best online educational games for my children too.
I am an elementary school teacher. I have two daughters. They are under five years old. On Sunday, I usually take my daughters out. I walk around my neighborhood. One day, I took my children to a mosque where it is being renovated. The day, there were no many workers because the renovation almost completed. There was a big pile of sand. I asked my daughters to play there. First, they refused but I began to touch the sand then they followed me. Finally, they began to enjoy playing with sand. They started to talk and laugh. Their creativity appeared spontaneously. After that, I kept an eye on them. On the way home, I thought to find articles about the benefit of playing with sand for children. Then I write on my own. I hope there will be an expert who pays more attention to this play setting. I am very happy if there is a community of sand play who can share everything about playing with sand.
Are children learning anything while they are playing with sand?
Children learn the texture of sand. Before playing, they usually touch the material if it is save or not. This trial becomes the concept in the future action. Children will have more carefulness before they do something. They also can feel the difference between wet and dry sand. When they use container to play with sand, they learn to measure. They are also experiencing sand from higher container to lower container. This way they are learning science concept of flowing object from higher place to lower place. This is a cognitive learning but they learn the concept through experiential learning.
Playing with sand encourages social skill. When teachers or parents set the sand play with others, children learn to share, negotiate, compromise and engage in conversation. They also learn to have empathy and appreciate others when they need to construct a building or road map with sand. The play setting goes well with the difference of ages because it will encourage different interests. Children will learn how they appreciate others’ interest and ideas. They also learn to give compliment when others are successful to build a road map or a house with sand. Sand play is a great social exposure.
Physically children get much benefit. They will rub, pour, measure, sift, pat, dig and scoop. Those activities train children motor muscles naturally. Children use more motor activities at outdoor sand play. They will burn their energy to play with ball, or construct a big sand castle. They are exploring their eyes and sense of art to value their work. All those activities are physically beneficial.
Children are learning mathematical concept while they are playing with sand. They will use containers to measure. They will understand concept of sizes like empty, full, more than, less than and equal. Parents and teachers must provide varieties of cups, tubes, or spoons or containers so that children are challenged to use all those accessories. Those accessories are not expensive. They are served at stores. Second hand household equipments are ok if they are save enough for children. Accessories from plastic are the good ones.
Children are exposed to linguistic activities while they are playing with sand together with their mates. They will use some expression” help me with this cup!”, They will participate actively in conversation. They become casual to speak to playmates and adults. They will exchange ideas with others therefore this chance develops receptive and expressive language competence.
What are teachers and parents’ involvements in assisting sand play setting?
Teachers and parents take a part as facilitators for their children. They must make scenario and supply sand play equipments so that children will play naturally. They are not allowed to interrupt children exploration. They need to set the play objective. When they need to reinforce children involvement in social and language interaction, they can serve tools to construct a building. This setting will explore children’s ideas, creativity and participation. It will reinforce children social interaction and language use. Teachers and parents had better make lesson plan to create sand play setting. They must make different scenario and objective of the play every week. This setting is good for classroom use but it is also possible as home play. One thing that parents must remember the principle of playing for children is that children will have fun.
What equipments and materials do children need to play with sand?
Appropriate play equipments and materials are needed. Children can discover new ideas and learn something new with the equipments and sand. Adults must choose the save and good quality of sand. This is very important because some sand is not appropriate for children. There is sand that contains hazardous materials like glasses and iron.
There are sorts of equipments to play with sand. Here are some examples. There are many objectives of sand play setting. Each objective may need different equipments. Adults must be facilitators to supply all equipments. These are examples of the equipments. They are bowls, containers , shovels, shovels, plastic bags in various size, flat of wood, toy cars and trucks, sieves or filters, pipes, funnels, strings, twigs, small toy animals, little water, colander, shells and artificial trees, grass, and many other equipments.
benefit of water play for children
