Sand and Water Play: Simple, Creative Activities for Young Children, Vol. 1 »

Sherrie West has been working with young children and their teachers for the past twenty years. She is a mentor teacher for Head Start at the Ogden Area Community Action Agency. Ms. West trains early childhood teachers and develops curriculum for the Weber State University lab school. Amy Cox has been a supervising teacher in the Melba S. Lehner Children's School at Weber State University in Utah for the past nine years. Ms. Cox trains early childhood teachers and develops curriculum for the Weber State Unviersity lab school.

Energize your sand and water play with over 70 ideas and activities.

Children's Literature

This clever workbook takes a fresh look at creating hands-on activities at the sand or water table. While having a sand and water table is not essential, the book assumes that most early childhood facilities would have such equipment. The book's introduction reinforces the authors' early childhood philosophy of planning appropriately for the individual child and having objectives in mind for each activity that is planned. Objectives can be long or short-term goals in the developmental areas of physical, cognitive-intellectual, social/emotional, literacy and diversity. Activities are organized under art, dramatic play, environment, outdoors, science, water and miscellaneous. Each activity is presented with objectives, a list of materials needed, steps for setting it up, as well as several open-ended questions to extend a child's learning and a list of vocabulary words to use in conversation with children as they experience the activity. Simple illustrations accompany each activity. The book takes a fresh look at old mediums by providing many creative ways of adapting an experience through the use of supplies not usually used. New teachers especially will find the listing of objectives and suggestions for scaffolding useful in their planning. Charts for extended learning, recipes and an index are included. For those early childhood educators who believe that children construct their own learning, this book is an asset to your professional library. 2001, Gryphon House, $12.95. Ages Adult. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger