dwatertableeasel

ON-GOING WATER TABLE ACTIVITY: RICE Share your ideas too. E-mail me at stormie@preschoolbystormie.com

From Stormie:

I usually just pour the white rice right from the bag into the table. I like leaving it out for the entire month. Besides the water table, I allow children to use it SPARINGLY in the Play Kitchen and for creative projects in the Art Center (sprinkling it from perforated top plastic spice bottles). A neat science experiment to do at the end of the month is to give children their own portion of rice and have them add water to it as they so desire. They can stir it, preferably with their fingers, noticing the water turning milky. They can pour their mixtures into strainers, add more water, stir again, then strain again -- until the water is clear (take turns working at this from inside the water table to contain the messiness). They can observe how it plumps up after awhile when in water. They can smell it before and after adding the water, etc. I have a rice cooker so it's also fun to cook some rice and compare it to the uncooked version. Children can taste the plain cooked rice. Or, a little sugar and milk can be added for a sweet taste, or soy sauce can be added for a salty taste. Another thing you can do is let children compare different rice mixtures (white and brown, for example).

Holiday Fun: Something I've always wanted to put in my table for December: Oodles and oodles of old paper icicles, strands of garland, and confetti, all cut into small pieces. Add a few sequins, sprinkle in some artificial snow and tiny beads, and add other holiday-ish items. I think it would be a neat textural experience and provide challenges for scooping into containers (fine motor).

Sarah in Michigan, puts this in her water table:

Colored Pasta and/or Rice: You need one pint pasta and/or rice, 2 teaspoons food coloring, and 3 teaspoons of rubbing alcohol. Mix the food coloring and rubbing alcohol together in a container. Add the pasta and/or rice and cover with a lid. Slowly shake the container. Spread the pasta and/or rice on a cookie sheet (single layer) and let it dry overnight. Kids LOVE the color and texture.

Extension from Stormie: This would be great added to my "Holiday Fun" activity above in colors of red and green.

Brenda Burgan in Smithville ISD PK puts cornmeal and glitter in her Christmas sand table.

Leanne Grillot, teacher for the visually impaired, puts ripped tissue paper and confetti in her water table that has jingle bells hidden in it. What a great idea!!!!
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