Easy Activity for Preschoolers: Valentine’s Water and Sponge Play

It is often the simplest things that engage young children the most. My son and the little girl who comes to our house for daycare have been playing with water and sponges on an almost daily basis this month. Two very simple things - water and sponges - have been keeping them busy and happy again and again.

With February 14th fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to add a Valentine's Day twist to their current favourite activity.

For this invitation to play, I gave each child two clear, plastic containers, along with pink sponges and a few bits and bobs (craft pom poms, pink clothes pins, foam hearts, and thick foam threading beads) that fit the Valentine's Day theme. 

I added water coloured light red with food colouring to one of each of the kids' containers. This allowed them to use the sponges to transfer water from the filled container to the empty container.

Oh, the fun they had splashing their hands in the water and observing the change in their skin tone. They examined and played with the different objects, pinched the sponges with the clothes pins, and, of course, soaked up and squeezed out water with the sponges.And there you have it. Loads of fun with just a few simple things and very little preparation.