On Tuesday, November 16, a group of toddlers walked to the Denne Woodlot. As they were getting ready to leave the forest, they encountered a puddle on the path. The children were all able to fit in the puddle. One of the children was stomping in the puddle and saying “Puddle! Puddle!” Another child left the puddle and went to the staff at the top of the path. The child led the staff to the puddle and continued to say “Puddle! Puddle!”

One child put their right hand in the water. Keeping their fingers straight, they moved the hand right hand up and then turned the hand over so that the palm was facing down and moved it back and forth, right to left two times. The child appeared to lose their balance, stood up and then crouched down again, repeating the back and forth motion with their hand in the water.

Another child also bent over and placed their right hand in the puddle. The child was wearing a glove, and moved their hand in a back and forth motion in the water two times. They lifted their hand out of the water and looked at the glove.

At the same time, the other children continued to lift their feet up and down creating splashes while saying “puddle, puddle!” After a short time, all five of the children were in the puddle of water, stepping their feet up and down.

 

 

 

 

So What?

• Experimented with cause and effect; stomping their feet in the puddle made splashing sounds
• Demonstrated leadership when the child went to get the staff member to see the puddle
• Promoted early language skills by defining the puddle, repeating the word
• Dedicated time to touch the water
• Observed their hands in the water
• Displayed joy and wonder in their interactions with the puddle (HDLH, 2014, pg. 28)

Now What?

• Look for the puddle again on our next visit
• Measure how big it is across and wide
• How deep is the puddle? Bring a ruler
• Drop different things into the water and see if the splashes are different