Planning For Sand/ Water In Year 1

[Guest]

I have been asked to produce a list of activities which can be carried out in the sand/ water trays as a starting point for the key stage 1 teachers in our school. They are moving into a more creative/ play based curriculum but are struggling with how to fit it in with numeracy, literacy and other subject lessons.

 

I have begun a list but was wondering if anyone was inspired.

 

Thanks for your help.

[AnonyMouse_79]

Cazza, I'm sure once the immediate festivities are out of the way you will get lots of responses but can you post what you have started as its often easier to add on!

Thanks,

[AnonyMouse_1326]

i do not work in year 1 class but in my setting we add bottle tops and magnet wards into the sand.

number rhymes in the sand and water ie. 5 speckled frogs ect.

i have laminated sight words cut them out and added paper clips add manet wands or fising rods to play find the sight words or matching games . we have also done this with letters, numbers and shapes.

add small word equipment with books on shelf above the sand tray

thats all i can think of at the mo will think of some more and get back to you

have a good christmas

[Guest]

hi! I hjave some planning sheets- infact loads of them and when i dig them out i'll post in on the forum. Exactly what you are looking for.Trust me- I'm a ....

[Guest]

Lots of the things you do in Reception for sand and water can be adapted to make them mre challenging for Y1.

 

Sand - treasure hunt (bury objects - children can find and count total/ bury different sets of objects eg. animals 5 pigs/7cows etc - make up own number sentences, count totals, say which has more/less, how many more cows than pigs etc)

 

Different lengths of string/snakes etc hidden in sand - children find and compare length (easy to differentiate - direct comparison, measure using non-standard units, measure with a ruler)

 

Make simple sand timers - use them to see which runs for longest time - use to time activities eg. how many multilink can they put together before the timer runs out.

 

Capacity work.

 

Small world toys etc can be added to sand to re-enact stories told in literacy hour.

 

Use foam or magnetic letters - bury in sand - children find letters and make high frequency words/topic words/words from the weeks spellings etc.

 

Lower achievers can find objects buried in the sand and match them to the initial letter. Practice writing letters/names in sand.

 

Water - capacity work - which container holds more/less, predict how many cups you can fill with each container.

 

Sponge or plastic letters - fish for letters to match objects/make your name/spell topic/spelling/story words. There's also a good game in the Playing with Sounds file that uses tennis balls with letters written on - red for consonants and green for vowels - (I intend to use this BUT DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET 50+ TABLE TENNIS BALLS CHEAPLY?!!)

 

I'm sure you'll find more ideas will come once the teachers start to use the sand and water more.

 

Harricroft

[AnonyMouse_1027]

Do you have a Wilkinsons near to you????..they sell tenis balls cheaply

[Guest]

ASDA also sell table tennis balls (99p for 6). I wrote the letters of the alphabet on mine and the children had to tell me the sound of the letter that they had caught in the water tray. Buy your fishing nets from a pet shop. They are very cheap (69p). Hope this helps.

[Guest]

Thanx for that nicnic and hali. I've never heard of Wilkinsons - but my hubby goes in Asda every day (and they say women are the shop-a-holics) - I'll have to get him on the case.

 

Hope everyone had a great Christmas - and best wishes for the New Year.

 

Harricroft xxxxxx

[Guest]

Hi thanks for you replies. some really good ideas.

 

Leo I would love to see your planning sheets.

 

hope everyone enjoyed christmas.

[Guest]

It was great to hear all the ideas for sand and water for Year 1and these ideas can certainly work for the FS too. Leo, Im not sure if you have posted your ideas.........it would be great to see them. I find that I have ideas for when the sand or water tray is teacher led in terms of literacy or numeracy but that it is hard to be inspired with different themes and ideas when the children are using the sand and water without adult support. They of course play quite happily and get out the buckets, spades, rakes, containers etc etc etc but not sure how this works week after week! Please, any ideas to broaden my use would be greatly appreciated!

[Guest]

Fionas, that's exactly where I feel that I stumble in the dark. Activities that are adult led are much easier to think of & plan for, but independent activities.....that's another issue!

 

Has anyone tried the Little book of Sand & Water play (featherstone)? I am thinking of ordering it, but would welcome your thoughts!

 

Leo, it would be great to see your plans if you are willing to share them.

 

Keep the ideas coming though. Although this thread is aimed at Year 1, I feel most activities are suitable or can be adapted for both Reception & Y1 (& nursery too!) and it is so helpful to hear what you all do.

 

Thanks to everyone!