Washing the Babies

We saw a neat idea from an early years blog that put a clothesline over the water table to encourage imaginative play and strengthen fine motor skills! We tried it today.

The clothesline is the perfect height for children to hang the baby clothes from after being washed.

Pinching the clothespins strengthened the pincher grasp, which helps children develop skills for future writing!

Washing the babies and clothing encouraged children to role-play caregivers - some children sang and spoke softly to the babies as they bathed and dried them.

Ontario Curriculum fulfilled by this experience includes:
3.1 develop empathy for others, and acknowledge and respond to each other’s feelings (e.g., tell an adult when another child is hurt/sick/upset, role-play emotions with dolls
1.2 demonstrate the ability to take turns in activities and discussions (e.g., engage in play activities with others, listen to peers and adults)
4.1 begin to demonstrate control of small muscles in activities at a variety of learning centres (e.g., sand, water, visual arts centres) and when using a variety of materials or equipment (e.g., using salt trays, stringing beads, painting with paintbrushes, drawing, cutting paper, using a keyboard, using a mouse, writing with a crayon or pencil)

4.2 demonstrate spatial awareness by doing activities that require the use of small muscles