Last modified on 11 July 2025
It's summer, time for two classics: sand and water games! Children love them, and their benefits are undeniable. Beyond the fun they provide, these games offer numerous educational advantages. What are they? Why do children love these essential games so much?
Water and sand games: why little ones love them!
Playing with water or sand offers a child a pleasant, even fascinating, sensory experience. These two elements constantly change in appearance and shape, providing new sensations on the skin. You can be sure your child won't tire of these games: they can spend hours playing while remaining calm and focused. Why? Simply because they are playing for their own enjoyment.
Water games: a refreshing activity, but not only that…
Responding to a natural need, water play is a great source of pleasure for children. Through it, children discover different ways of experiencing water in an environment different from the bath: they enjoy feeling the water flow over their skin, watching it run between their fingers, and so on. Although children perceive water play as free play, it should remain an educational activity offered and supervised by adults. Indeed, these games require hygiene precautions, including:
- prevent the child from drinking the water with which he plays and moves around; ;
- do not allow water to stagnate in basins, tubs or wheelbarrows.
Playing with the sand: a tactile discovery
When a child first comes into contact with sand, whether at the beach or in the sandbox at the nursery or park, they show an unwavering curiosity. He then uses his sense of touch to discover this new texture. particularly by letting it drip through their fingers. Not knowing what they're dealing with, the young child will even try to taste it. Expect to hear a "yuck." Don't hesitate to then put words to what they're feeling without scolding them:“You see, it's not good. You shouldn't put it in your mouth.”After this exploratory phase, the child will truly begin to play and develop their imagination: they will also enjoy mixing sand and water to make mud, molding sandcastles, shaping forms, building a castle, and inventing stories of kings, queens, and knights. Real messy fun with an educational twist!
Games with educational benefits
In addition to their playful qualities, sand and water games allow children to be active participants in their activity. They choose whether to interact with the water or the sand and to vary their experiences. He acts on the elements, transforms them, and observes the different reactions.. Thus, by following the sand or water flowing through a sieve, the child is visually stimulated. This stimulation is complemented on a motor level, particularly during the pouring games When a child fills a bucket, empties it, or transfers the contents into another container, they stimulate their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. In doing so, they learn the concepts of inside/outside, interior/exterior, and containers/contents. Furthermore, these games also offer the opportunity to share enjoyable moments with other children, which is beneficial socially. Indeed, children learn to share, to negotiate, and to compromise so that the game runs smoothly. Children can also play alone: this develops their autonomy because they alone decide how and what they want to do. In addition, they develop their language skills. As an adult, you can accompany and enrich the game by putting words to what is happening: "I see something floating," for example. While having fun, and even if they aren't consciously paying attention, children register the spoken words and associate them with the action being performed.
Essential sand and water games
To complement sand and water play, our team has selected essential items suitable for children from 18 months old:
- lactivity bins and tables : Made from thick polyethylene, our activity tables and bins can be used indoors and outdoors for setting up sand and water games.,
- there wheelbarrow If it's used to transport toys or plants, you can also repurpose it and fill it as you wish.,
- two water features to watch water flow through in different ways: RAIN WATER FEATURE Or Rain games
- A bucket, a shovel for your pouring games,
- a water and sand mill to discover the cause-and-effect relationships that make the mills turn,
- of the floating boats to play in the water.
Are you ready? Then let's get ready for a fun-filled summer!
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