Early Years and Childcare Team
This sheet has been written to support your practice with children aged 3 and under.
Why sand play?
· Sand Play is an opportunity to explore and use imagination, to be creative and learn through play.
· It provides opportunities for children to learn to work together and develop social skills, sharing and turn taking.
· It encourages children to develop language, mathematical and hand/eye coordination skills
· It provides the opportunity for observations
How you can support sand play
· Sand play should be available at all times for children along with a small selection of toys to choose from- these should be refreshed frequently
· Offer encouragement and join in with sand play, especially when introducing a new texture or experience
· Children should be able to choose the same activity repeatedly as this is part of the learning process
· Add materials that the children are interested in, e.g. dinosaurs, cars or animal figures
· Hide items and turn the sand tray into a treasure hunt!
· Mini-worlds can be created in trays or bowls of sand which makes it easier to transport outside
· Look for new textures to expand play experiences
· Children will use their initiative and will try to experiment. It is ok for children to mix different activities, e,g, sand and play dough
· This type of play can be soothing and relaxing for children
Children should choose how long they are engaged with the activity
Practical Ideas and Solutions
· Use aprons or old shirts to cover up clothes to keep them clean
· It’s ok for children to add natural materials such as stones or shells
· Allow children to mix water and add materials to enrich the learning experience
· Use low accessible shelves, vegetable racks are useful
· Items can be stored in drawstring bags on pegs
· If you are limited for space, use a car tyre outside and fill it with sand, or fill a plastic container for indoor sand play
· Label boxes with photos and pictures so that resources can be identified
· Have the sand next to the water area for ease of access.
· Set up the sand toys next to the tray area for the children to select they want to use in the sand
·
Storage Solutions
· A basket or storage tub next to the tray
· Store items in drawstring bags
· Use hooks for aprons and toys
· Stack toys inside each other and under the tray
· Use washing up bowls or mixing bowls in place of a tray where space is limited
· Use a recycled tyre as a sand pit- inside or out
·
Recommended resources
· A large sand tray
· Small trays or bowls
· Brush and pan
· Scoops and jugs
· Funnels
· Pipes and tubes
· Small world toy
· Natural objects such as sticks, stones and shells
The list is endless!
For further ideas and information go
to:
www.playscotland.org
www.educationscotland.gov.uk
www.peep.org.uk
www.communityplaythings.co.uk
www.muddyfaces.co.uk
www.mindstretchers.co.uk
Books
· Play and Learning Outdoors by Jan White
· The Potential of a Puddle by Clare Warden
· Playing in the Sand Naturally- Ron King- Community Playthings Website
· Arranging and equipping the sand and water area by Mary Hohmann and David Weikart- Community Playthings Website
· The Little Book of Sand and Water : Little Books with Big Ideas( Little Books), Featherstone, S and Savania, R ( 2002)
· Again, Again! Understanding Schemas in Young Children( Early Years Library) Featherstone, S, (2008), A & C Black