Remember our last newsletter about sensory materials? Recently, we introduced rice to our sand table. Aside from providing a different tactile experience, rice has different physical properties than sand does and therefore behaves in different ways. We offered the rice with funnels, clear tubes, spoons, cups and jars with lids. We also included pvc stands that allow the funnels to be at eye level, allowing children to better observe the rice as it travels through funnels and tubes. Additional funnels and tubes were included for children to use without the stands.
Children have been engaged in pouring rice into the funnels, experimenting with attaching various tubes and figuring out how to help the rice through funnels and tubes when it gets stuck. Some enjoy filling vessels with rice while others are content to bury their hands in the rice or listen to the sound it makes as it falls into the table. Each child approached this activity in unique ways, exploring their own questions and making their own observations. Here are some photos of kids exploring and observing:
