Guest Posted October 17, 2004 Posted October 17, 2004 I'm getting ready to do the planning for next week and realised that its raining (again) what kind of things do you do if its raining? I'd like to know how and what you set up for the rainy outdoors. What do you take out with you? What kind of activiites do you do? Do you insist that chidlren go out even in the rain? Some like to and some don't. What about staff -can they be made to go outdoors in the rain? Human rights and all that!! Please can i have suggestions .
Guest Tracey F Posted October 17, 2004 Posted October 17, 2004 Well last year we had some funding and brought in a class set of waterproof trousers and coats, and all of the parents have sent in a pair of wellies for the children to keep in school. At the moment the novelty of being allowed to splash in puddles is enough! (and we do have an incredibly puddly playground ) They have also discovered that if you go down the slide when it's wet, with waterproof trousers on, you go REALLY fast! We have done chalking in the rain too and watched what happens as the chalk gets wetter. I am just thinking here that maybe if there was a big puddle we could drip different colours of paint into it and see how they mix too! Oh and we had fun the other day with the wheelies, driving through the puddles and leaving trails - that was after it started to dry out tho. Sometimes I find it's better to put nothing out and let the children ask for what they want - they way you get a very clear picture of what they like to play with, and also you don't end up with loads of stuff out in the rain and no-one wanting to play with it .
Guest Posted October 17, 2004 Posted October 17, 2004 Thanks Tracey- justthe sort of sensible advice that i needed.
AnonyMouse_1208 Posted October 17, 2004 Posted October 17, 2004 We go out occasionally in the rain, but I agree that there are only so many times you can splash in the puddles!! We have a set of 6 plastic coats and wellies in our rainy day box. We watch the rain 'dancing' in the puddles and sing rainy songs, we take out different sorts of contianers to collect the rain - sometimes we add food colouring so we can see how much we have collected clearly in a jug. The children enjoy sweeping the water with brooms, and race to see who can push the most water. When it has stopped raining we draw around the puddles with chalk and observe regularly. Some children hate going out in the rain and I don't enjoy it very much! (much prefer the snow!) - so its free choice, but we don't offer it every time it rains I feel the novelty would wear off and chn. wouldn't get as much out of it - it does rain quite often in this country!!
Guest Posted October 17, 2004 Posted October 17, 2004 tell me about it I used to wonder why everyone was obsessed about the weather- you know what ? I'm just as bad now. watch every weather report and check the internet weather watch daily. Where i come from its usually hot, hot, hot or wet wet wet. Not the lovely variety yu get here. Everyday is different form the one before
Guest Posted October 17, 2004 Posted October 17, 2004 When it is raining we find most of our children arrive already wet and we spend a lot of time changing and then drying clothes, we have a covered area where we have our brick play and we use this area for ring games. We do how ever have a small ball pond and this is a popular rainy day activity, they usually choose this in preference to playing out side.
Guest Posted October 17, 2004 Posted October 17, 2004 Years ago I was inspired by an auther I think his name was Richard Dixon, anyway he wrote a book called "puddle jumping". One activity we have enjoyed over the years is "Picking up a puddle" each child has a container, preferebly clear with a lid. Provide different utensils for picking up the puddle....sponges, spoons / scoops of different sizes, pipes, etc... the children then work out how to transfer the puddle into their container, this is then clearly marked, "My own Puddle" and taken home to cherish. Inevitably at least one child will walk into the centre of the puddle and sqyuat down to scoop the water, getting a very wet bottom. great fun though and lots of problem solving ideas. Peggy
Guest Posted October 18, 2004 Posted October 18, 2004 Sounds great but what happens when their puddle eventually evapourates from the box? Are they upset?
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