water play for toddlers holding a ball using a water table

Splish, Splash, and Grow: Water Play Benefits for Infant & Toddler Development

Babies and toddlers are naturally drawn to the magic of water sensory play. From the joyous giggles during water sensory play to the proud strokes they make in infant swimming lessons, water can hold a special place in their hearts. But did you know that these water-filled adventures actually have incredible benefits for their growing minds?

It turns out, engaging in water play activities in the first 1000 days can actually have a profound impact on your little one’s development.

In this article, we’ll dive into the captivating world of water play – what it involves, the cognitive, physical, and emotional benefits, and how to have fun with water this summer with age-appropriate activities involving water play for toddlers and babies.

What is water play for toddlers and babies?

Water play for babies and toddlers refers to engaging in play activities involving water, either in a controlled environment such as a bathtub, a water table, splash pad, bin, or a shallow pool. It involves providing young children with opportunities to explore, manipulate, and interact with water in a safe and supervised setting.

Water play can take various forms, including splashing, pouring, scooping, floating objects, and sensory exploration using different containers, toys, or natural materials. It allows infants and toddlers to experience the unique properties of water, such as its temperature, texture, and buoyancy, while stimulating their senses and promoting cognitive, physical, and social development. Through water play, babies and toddlers can develop motor skills, sensory awareness, language and communication abilities, problem-solving skills, and social interaction, all while having a delightful and engaging sensory experience!

To make water play happen at home, set up your water feature and toys in an area you don’t mind getting wet (we suggest the mudroom or any tile area lined with old towels). If you play with water outside, don’t forget a hat and sunscreen! And of course, remember that babies and toddlers need constant supervision during water play to ensure a safe environment to prevent accidents or drowning hazards.

Developmental benefits of water play for infants and toddlers

1. Sensory Development

Water play provides a rich sensory experience for babies and toddlers. Splashing, pouring, and feeling the water’s temperature and texture helps stimulate their senses of touch, sight, and proprioception (awareness of their body’s position and movement). This sensory stimulation contributes to their overall sensory development.

Support sensory development nutritionally DHA, iron, and protein. These key nutrients help the cerebellum, responsible for sensory function, and the parietal lobe, the portion of the brain responsible for spatial awareness and interpreting sensory input.

2. Fine Motor Skills

Engaging in water play activities like pouring, scooping, and grasping objects helps develop and refine fine motor skills. The manipulation of water toys or containers promotes hand-eye coordination, finger dexterity, and the strengthening of hand muscles, which are essential for later skills like writing and self-feeding.

Support motor development nutritionally with zinc, folate, niacin, and lutein. These key nutrients help aid in the growth of the cerebellum, a part of the brain responsible for balance, muscle coordination, motor and sensory functions.

3. Cognitive Development

Water play sparks cognitive development in fascinating ways. Children observe cause-and-effect relationships as they experiment with pouring, splashing, and exploring floating and sinking objects. They learn about volume, quantity, and spatial concepts while engaging in problem-solving tasks, stimulating their curious little minds.

Support cognitive development nutritionally by feeding nutrients the frontal lobe needs. DHA, iron and vitamin e are important for this part of the brain, responsible for planning and decision making. The hippocampus, part of the brain responsible for learning and memory, is also growing quickly and requires iron, protein, vitamin e, and iodine in the process.

4. Language Development

Water play is not just about getting wet; it’s also an opportunity for language development and social interaction. As children play in the water, they naturally engage in conversations with caregivers or peers, building vocabulary and practicing communication skills. Children can learn new words and concepts related to water and its properties. Water play time is also a chance to describe what they see, share their discoveries, and collaborate in imaginative play scenarios.

Support language development nutritionally with selenium, lutein and iodine. The temporal lobe, involved in language and auditory development, calls on these nutrients to help do its job. The parietal lobe, the portion of the brain responsible for language processing, spatial awareness and attention, also calls for DHA, iron and protein.

5. Social-emotional Benefits

Water play offers a joyful outlet for emotional expression and social development. It offers a fun and enjoyable outlet for self-expression, relaxation, and stress relief. Additionally, water play can be a social activity where children learn to take turns, share toys, cooperate, and engage in imaginative play scenarios, fostering their social skills, empathy, and emotional regulation.

Support social-emotional development nutritionally by providing plenty of iron, zinc, vitamin a, and lutein in your little one’s diet. These assist the development of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for social cognition, learning, and emotion processing.

Best Water Play Activities for Toddlers and Babies

Introducing water play: 0-12 months

Water play activities for infants are mostly about having fun and getting them used to all the weird & wonderful sensations of water. You’ll likely be the most active participant in these, so come prepared to get wet yourself, too.

Bathtime Boosts – turn this regular care practice into an opportunity for fun & mental stimulation by adding colorful floating toys. They can observe and touch the toys as they bob and float on the water’s surface. Or start exploring the properties of liquids by taking a couple extra minutes to play with filling and pouring water out of cups before rinsing their hair.
Bubble Play: Use baby-friendly bubble bath or a bubble machine to create a gentle stream of bubbles for your baby to touch and pop. Show your little one how some bubbles stick together or float on the water, while others pop and can get you wet.
Ice Cube Fun for hot summer days: Freeze small, baby-safe objects or colorful ice cubes and let your baby explore them during supervised play – perhaps in their high chair before or after mealtime. The cold temperature and the changing textures of melting ice provide a unique sensory experience, and the high chair tray will keep them contained. Pair this with an edible frozen treat of XYZ.
Wet Washcloth Sensory Play: Wet a soft washcloth and let your baby explore the sensation of squeezing, patting, and rubbing the damp cloth. You can also introduce different textures by using washcloths of varying thickness or materials.

Exploring and encouraging water play: 1-2 year olds:

Once your little one has gained the useful skills of grasping, grabbing, and walking, your water play activities can start getting a little more expansive.

Water Ball Play: Place colorful water-filled play balls or spongey balls that soak up water in a basin or baby pool. Encourage your baby to reach for, grasp, and explore the squishy and sensory experience of playing with them both under and out of the water.
Splash Pads: Set up a splash pad or shallow inflatable pool in a safe outdoor area. Let your little one stomp on or sit down on the pad and enjoy the sensation of water splashing, spraying or trickling over their body.
Sink or float?: Introduce the concepts of light and heavy by setting up a fun and watery experiment. Set out a variety of toys near a bin of water (or by the tub during bathtime) and encourage them to drop them in the water to learn which ones float and which ones sink.
Water Table Exploration (18+ months): Set up a water table outdoors or indoors and let your toddler splash, pour, and experiment with water flow and object manipulation. Most water tables have some combination of scoops, vertical water flow like waterfalls, wheels, or slides for toys, and an area to play with floating objects.

Imaginative and fun water play activities: 2-3 years

By this age your little one has developed more fine motor skills by now, so you can expand your toddler water play activities to games and encouraging imaginative play. Try these ideas with your little one, and get friends involved for the added social benefit.

Water Painting: Fill a shallow tray or baking dish with a thin layer of water and give your toddler large paintbrushes or sponges to “paint” with water on various surfaces, such as a concrete patio or an outdoor chalkboard.
Car Wash: Set up a small car wash station outdoors using buckets of soapy water, sponges, spray bottles, and toy cars or ride-on toys, if you have them. Your toddler can “wash” their vehicles, enhancing their imaginative play and fine motor skills.
Sensory Water Bin: Fill a large bin with water and add objects with different textures, such as sponges, rubber ducks, or smooth stones. Let your toddler explore and manipulate the objects while experiencing the water’s sensory qualities.
Duck Race: Set up a simple duck race by floating plastic ducks (boats or other floating toys work, too!) in a shallow container of water. Toddlers can blow on the ducks or use their hands to create currents and cheer on their favorite duck. Tip: to get a more forceful & targeted air current, use a straw and aim the end close to the toy.

An Important note on Water Safety

Remember to always supervise your little ones closely during water play and ensure their safety by using age-appropriate toys and maintaining a safe environment. Maintain constant supervision, no matter what skills your child has acquired and no matter how shallow the water.

Parents and caregivers should keep up their knowledge of infant and child CPR, and consider enrolling your little one in swimming lessons at as early as 12 months of age (American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation). Having knowledge and skills will expand your capabilities and confidence in caring for your child around water – but remember they are still no substitute for supervision.

We hope this article has helped you learn something new about the developmental benefits of water play for infants and toddlers! Now, grab your towels and get out there – summer is waiting!

Have more questions? Send us an email at support@cerebelly.com and we will be sure to get back to you!

References:

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2021, June 15). Drowning Prevention and Water Safety. Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/drowning-prevention-and-water-safety/

Cline, J. E., & Smith, B. A. (2016). Water play. Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions, 1(2), 3.

Crosser, S. (1994). Making the most of water play. Young Children, 49, 28-28.

Gross, C. M. (2012). Science concepts young children learn through water play. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 40(2), 3-11.

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V., & Clark, V. (2016). Following watery relations in early childhood pedagogies. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 14(1), 98-111.

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