Beach play - without the beach

We've been doing water play once a week, with different activities each week (ice, car wash, squirt toys, etc.), this week it was wet sand.  I knew that all of the boys would love the opportunity to make a giant mess, but to be honest I was shocked by how much all of my students loved this experience.  It took me a while to realize that they loved playing in the wet sand because it was just like being at the beach, and in these last few weeks of summer, I'd be happy to have a beach day too!

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In addition to the sand table that we always have available, and the tubs of wet sand that the children wanted to climb in, there were also trays with wet sand, natural seed starter pots, bright tiles, and twigs. This was definitely my favorite activity to observe.  Every single one of my students used these materials differently, I wish I had gotten more pictures!

I surprised myself by getting into the mess and enjoying it with the kiddos, not because I don't like messy, I think I've shown that I can make a mess, but because I really hate sand.  I'm pretty sure it stems from my own childhood.  I hated playing in the sand because I didn't like the way it felt, the way it got everywhere, and the way that it got stuck under my fingernails.  I love that this doesn't bother my students at all, and that they are much more open to exploring with their hands than I ever was!