One day, while playing outside, Theo E and Gavin gathered some large tubes and began placing them around the playground. They explained that they were using the tubes as pipes for the playground so that water could flow through it. They worked as a team to set up these pipes, communicating what needs to be done and how it needs to be done. While watching this, we wondered what the preschoolers would do with smaller tubes. Would they be able to make a marble run? What would they do with tubes in water?
We began by placing some different materials on the floor along with some marbles. We asked the preschoolers how they would make a marble run and indicated that the preschoolers could use any materials from the room that they wanted. Amara got some of the train tracks and began making a marble run with them. Theo and Keira put marbles in the tubes and shook them, Keira explained that they made noise. Olive and Penny worked together to make a marble run, trading the marbles as they went.
Next, we brought out some buckets and added water, soap, tubes, and some marbles. Ellie would take the black tubes and try collecting the marbles with them as if she was sucking them up with a vacuum. Ellie then took one of the green tubes and would spin the spinner on it, trying to see if the marbles would go through, Once Ellie realized that the marbles would not go through the spinner, she began pouring the water from the green tubes into the black tubes. Rosie and Annie worked on their social skills as they talked about how they were going to share the marbles and made compromises with each other. Walter collected the marbles and then placed a green tube under the water. He put the marbles inside the tube and said the marbles were stuck and he had to get them out. Rosie took the green tubes and placed them on the edge, creating a ramp for the marbles to go down. Gavin said that the green tubes were like a water slide, and proceeded to pour water down it.
Meanwhile the preschoolers seemed to be enjoying the tubes and had so many imaginative ideas, we decided to bring the tubes outside to see if they would have any different ideas in a different environment. We gathered some tubes from the closet and put them in a bucket outside with water in it. This time we also added some ping pong balls and watering cans. We also brought out the big tubes to see if anyone would do anything with them, but they were more interested in the smaller tubes.
We got started, and Finley helped Christine fill the buckets with the hose. Once the buckets were filled Annie, Olive and Finley began pouring water in the watering cans, holding the watering cans on top of each other as if it was a fountain. While Annie was playing with the watering cans, she acknowledged that they are used for plants and grass to help them grow.
The preschoolers added some mulch to the bins, mixing it in and making “nature soup”. Gavin, Walter and Benjamin enjoyed pouring and dumping the water. Gavin held up a tube as Isabel scooped water into the tube. Eric brought over a sandbox toy and poured the water in it, watching as the water went through and made the wheel spin.
Through these experiences the preschoolers were able to learn about cause and effect, use their fine and gross motor skills and experiment with the different textures of the mulch, water and marbles, learning how the items may go down the tubes differently. The preschoolers were also able to work on their social skills as they worked together to build with the tubes and plan how they were going to do it. They would have discussions on what they think might happen, and what actually happened during this process. They worked on compromising, taking turns, and enjoyed being able to play together as a team.
