Moving, Exploring, and Growing - A Summer of Discovery

Toddler

This summer, the toddlers have immersed themselves in a world of movement, curiosity, and sensory exploration. With the warm weather and long days, the outdoor yard became an extension of their classroom, filled with opportunities for both physical challenges and quiet moments of wonder.

OBSERV2 Toddler children using a balance beam to place balls onto and watch them roll down the rampATION 1 : Balancing Braveries

Jack approached the wooden beam set up on the grass and watched the older peers running on them and jumping big. At first, he reached out for an educator’s hand, carefully placing one foot in front of the other. Just a few days later, Jack was beaming with pride as he walked the beam alone, arms outstretched for balance.
“I do it myself now!” Jack exclaimed, showing confidence and growing coordination.

OBSERVATION 2: The Water Pump Explore3 Toddler children around the water pump, one Toddler is using their hands and arms to make the pump spew out water for the other children

Water play quickly became a highlight of our outdoor time, especially around the new pump system. All toddlers were greatly drawn to the mechanism, spending long stretches of time figuring out how it worked—pumping water, watching it flow into buckets, and then pouring it back out again. The pump required quite a bit of strength and coordination. We noticed children pushing down hard with both hands, using their whole bodies to get the water flowing. While some took turns using the pump, others waited patiently nearby, watching and learning.

Not every child wanted to wait. Some began problem-solving independently. Without prompting, a few toddlers grabbed nearby cups and scooped water directly from the filled buckets, finding their own way to join the play while respecting the others’ turns at the pump.

Morgan waited her turn by quietly scooping water from the runoff bucket and pouring it into a funnel. Her creativity and adaptability allowed her to participate in a way that suited her.

This simple setup encouraged more than just physical coordination—it promoted social learning too. The children practiced turn-taking, negotiated space, and found creative ways to engage in shared play, all while developing upper body strength and coordination.

OBSERVA4 Toddler children standing in front of an educator who is holding a toad, the Toddler children are smilingTION 3: Exploring Nature: Tiny Creatures, Big Fascination

While playing in the sandbox one morning, a small group of toddlers suddenly paused their digging and scooping. A soft squeal of excitement came from Otto as he pointed and exclaimed, “Frog! A frog!” The others quickly gathered around, curious about what he had found. Sure enough, nestled gently in a shallow dip in the sand, was a small green frog. They called out an educator “Come see! a frog!” The educator joined them and knelt down, encouraging the group to observe quietly and carefully so they wouldn’t scare the tiny visitor. The children leaned in, fascinated. Language heard in the moment, “It’s green!”, “It hops!”, “Why is it in the sand?”

This moment highlighted the toddlers’ natural curiosity and empathy for living things. They demonstrated observational skills, shared knowledge, communicated ideas, and practiced respectful engagement with nature.