Most classes love any water play. Many children will join in and explore with enthusiasm and gusto in their own preferred styles. Many years ago, one of Tom Sensori’s blog posts was very helpful in terms of understanding the behaviour and actions of my group in relation to the water wall. In the left hand column of Tom’s blog he has several axioms which are useful advice to consider. I realised they made a framework for evaluating what I observed and considering how to extend the play at the following session.

Within minutes of the water wall going up and water trickling through the system, one child had taken one of the water tables and its stand and moved it over to the water wall.

Axiom 1 states:

“Children need to transport whatever is in the table out of the table. During the transporting, children will spill.”

In our water wall the water was ending up in an old planter. The water was emptied frequently into the larger water table by several children. I wonder what would happen if a length of guttering is provided and the large water table placed just within reach…. hmm.

Axiom 2 states:

“Children will explore all spaces in any given apparatus no matter how big or small. More space equals more exploration.”

The equipment was shifted and moved quite considerably. I think because there was not an overwhelming amount of pipes and tubes, the children investigated the whole set up more effectively. In the photo below, the child had removed one tube and was fascinated to see how the water no longer flowed through the piping system.

Axiom 3 states:

“Children will find all the different levels of play for any given apparatus. Children will use all levels of play including the highest and lowest – which includes the floor.”

The water wall was explored from top to toe. For the first time, the water container had been hung up high. The can has a wee tap that provides a trickle of water. It takes quite a while for vessel to be emptied. The reason for doing this was purely practical. When the container is on the ground, there are often arguments about who wants to carry it around. When the water begins in the big water table, some children are compelled to tip it over within minutes. So I thought it may work better being hung up high. The children were fascinated by this change of level and really used and looked at and checked out each part of the water wall.

The actions by the children also slotted into Axiom 6:

“Children will try to stop or redirect the flow of any medium in the tables for any given apparatus. Whenever possible children will try to completely block the flow of any medium.”

Even with the tap they tried to plug it up, twist it off and stop the flow at every join.

Axiom 4 states:

“Children are naturally drawn towards pouring, rolling or sliding materials and objects down ramps, chutes and tubes.”

The water wall that was set up did not have sufficient gaps for children to add water to of their own accord. So they dismantled and moved bits as part of their efforts to achieve this. Next time, I think we will brainstorm and see if we can offer more “entrances.” to the water wall prior to building it. This behaviour also dovetails with Axiom 5:

“Children are compelled by nature to put things in holes. Children will find every hole in and around an apparatus no matter how big or small.”

The photo below shows one child inserting a cup into a tiny crack to intervene with the water flow.

Axiom 7 states:

“Children will always devise new and novel activities and explorations with the materials present that are tangential to the apparatus itself.”

I think this is one of the strengths and interesting aspects of working with children in the additional support needs classes. They consistently present divergent ways of thinking which provide me with challenges and provocations to consider. For example, the child who brought the water table over, decided at one point to cover it with a white sheet. I think it was his way of protecting it against other children trying to add water into it.

Perhaps Axiom 8 is the one that being outdoors allows a level of freedom not possible inside:

“Children will fill any and all containers with the medium or materials provided. Children need to empty any and all filled containers.”

The children really value and need to see the water splash onto the ground. It is a source of fascination that something contained can be spread so far and takes on a new life when emptied onto the ground.

Given that I have been mulling over the next session’s activities and reflecting on the play that happened, it has been useful to have a framework to consider. I’m planning to put a photo on the interactive whiteboard inside of last week’s activity to stimulate discussion and shared planning for another water wall. I’ll bring in a range of equipment and will see which the children want and who is up for making a wall. As usual, it will be yet another step in the experiment of being a teacher. Every time I go into school, there is an element of unpredictability and unknown. It is definitely a uniquely adventurous way of working. So next time will have more surprises in store, even with me taking into account the axioms.

Thank you very much Tom for your Axioms and innovative approaches to sand and water play.

This post was originally published in September 2012.