Happy Monday!
Do you know that you can give your child fantastic developmental and educational experiences in the rain?
Many little ones generally enjoy playing in the water and with wet things.
It is a treat for their senses. They also get to utilize their fine and gross motor skills differently. Picking up tiny wet items requires a different grip than picking up dry items. Walking across slippery, damp grass employs additional gross motor skills than running on dry grass. Of course, there is also the wonder of observing nature in a different state. Leaves and flowers hang, grass blades lie when stepped upon, and various insects appear (yay, snails and slugs!). Rainy days provide many opportunities for scientific observation, exploration, and conversation.
A great way to make the most of a rainy day is to walk your child through the scientific method, at their level. This will help ensure that you are engaging them at all development milestones categories (Social/emotional, language/communication, cognitive, and movement/physical).
- Observation
- Form a hypothesis
- Make a prediction
- Test the hypothesis)
- Analyze the results
Even if you haven’t planned a full discovery mission, you will rarely go wrong with observational questions:
- What do you see, hear, smell, feel, or taste (if appropriate)?
- What does it look/sound/smell/feel/taste like?
Listen to your child’s answers and encourage them when they use their words and share their observations. Continue the conversation based on their findings. It’s that simple! So grab a comfortable pair of rain boots and a hooded rain jacket for you and your little one(s). Keep them handy for outdoor play on the next rainy day!
To learn more about developmental milestones, click here: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/features/developmental-milestones-matter.html
