While water puts out a dragon’s fire, dragons sometimes live in castles which have moats and drawbridges so dragon water play is a possibility. Besides, even dragons must have sometimes needed a bath.
Dragon water play can happen in the bath or with clothes on at the sink. We found some colorful, plastic dragons at the store. These needed a wash before playing with them and the washing turned into a play activity. With some water and the dragons in the sink, Little Sister washed them off. The dragons splashed and swam. A small container became a boat. They couldn’t all fit so another one was needed. The dragons needed some friends, so out came a few dinosaurs. As she played, Little Sister talked to herself and created stories about what was happening. Sometimes, she paid little attention to them and seemed to be more interested in watching the swirls in the water. She was directing her dragon water play at various levels.
Water play is a simple activity for kids but tremendously appealing. The water both stimulates and calms the senses. Certainly water appeals to the sense of touch, but the small sounds and moving shapes involve hearing and seeing too. Because the water is so fluid, children’s play can be fluid too. The possible ways to play with water are unlimited so kids can play with it to suit their own ideas and needs. This could be on a sensory level or an imaginative one or a combination, depending on what kids want at any particular time. Water play is a sort of spa for kids. Tension and stress seem to flow out of the body and mind, leaving behind relaxation and a renewal of energy.
Inevitably, water play means some water on the floor too. However, it’s small price to pay for such deep and enjoyable play, isn’t it?