ABSTRACT
Water is a magical, intriguing and soothing substance to which young children are strongly drawn and it has always been considered to be an important ingredient of early years provision as a powerful medium for well-being and learning. However, provision indoors usually has to be contained within a water tray and we need to manage activity in order to control splashes and spillage. While there are many good resources for exploring and playing with the water in a tray, children can have contact
with it only through their eyes and hands, which limits the sensory information being sent to their developing brain. Practitioners will also have noticed how much children enjoy the feel and look of water coming out of a tap, such as when washing their hands. Running water has even more to offer for play and learning, but this is often quite a challenge to provide for children in an indoor environment.
