Gross, C. (2012). Science concepts young children learn through water play. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 40 (2), 3-11.

Dr. Bradley's buzz:

This is a fantastic practice focused resource that offers language and concept for learning through water play. It builds on children's natural curiousity and interest in water and goes beyond the initial pouring schema that occupies many children from the outset. The overall theme of this article is that - play IS investigation.

This article highlights the links between water play and physics (flow, motion), chemistry (solutions), biology (plant, animal life) and mathematics (measurement, volume). Science is defined as an activity where children can build their ideas of the world through a process of experimentation and revisitation. Examples of scientific enquiries with water include: how and where puddles form; how to make whirlpools; how a drop of water behaves on different surfaces.

Teachers are encouraged to facilitate science through providing materials, encouraging observation, prediction, description and theorising. Teachers can also encourage thinking by posing problems or asking questions. Other things teachers can do are creating time and space for exploration, using the environment as the third teacher, engaging children in meaningful conversation, and documenting and assessing children's progress.

The article then links science concepts with common play themes:

For sinking and floating
Concept = buoyancy   Method = choosing different items   Question = why do you think that happened?

Concept = displacement   Method = make a small boat and predict how many items it will take to fill and capsize it    Question = What happened to the water when the boat sank?

For bubbles
Concept = sphere    Method = make bubbles with different objects     Question = what kind of shaped bubble do you think the object will make?

Concept = dissolve    Method = provide a variety of ingredients for children to mix with water    Question = Where did the mixed item go?

For solutions
Concept = suspension   Method = fill containers with oil, vinegar, water and mix in different ingredients   Question = Why do you think that some mix and some don't mix?

Concept = absorption    Method = use mops, sponges, paper towels to mop up water   Question = Which one do you think will hold the most water?

Children are also cited as learning valuable social skills from water play - concentration, turn-taking, self-regualtion, collaboration, as well as key physical skills - precision in puring, hand-eye coordination, balance and building muscle strength.

This article has many other ideas to bring science alive, as well as many other scientific concepts, and is an excellent resource for teachers who wish to extend and build upon science and scientific understandings.