The Sand Area

I got to spend the first week of school in our wonderful sand area.

We were in the middle of a heat wave, with temperatures above 100 degrees throughout the week.

It felt a little like being at the beach.

We have certain materials always available in the sand area, such as buckets, shovels, and cooking supplies.

Trucks are another favorite and are often separation aids for younger boys entering the classroom.

There is so much work being done in the sand area.  Large motor, fine motor, spacial reasoning, problem solving, and social problem solving, just to name a few.

We also have a new slide going from the top of one of our hills right into the sand area.  The children love it!

The sand area at Bing is a magical place.  Even on an unbearably hot day, when a child brings you a birthday cake made out of sand and water, everything is right in the world.

A little more information on our sand area and what is happening there in the life of a child:

Along with blocks, clay, paint and water, sand is one Bing’s five basic materials.  It is an excellent open-ended, malleable material that allows for a myriad of possibilities, including (but certainly not limited to) digging, cooking, pouring, sifting, building, landscaping, irrigating.  While being mindful of our water usage during the drought, we will usually offer water to extend our sand area exploration.  Sand offers both fine and large motor challenges, as well as opportunities for executive function (planning) and collaboration.  For a deeper perspective on Bing sand play, take a look at Center PM Head Teacher Nancy Howe’s 2011 Bing Times article: 

http://web.stanford.edu/dept/bingschool/cgi-bin/bt/october-2011/the-pedagogy-of-sand-play/

It is impossible to reflect on the sand area and not mention the monkey bars.  An iconic playground apparatus, the monkey bars offer children intense large motor practice, including some of the vestibular system focus mentioned in last week’s email.  While we do provide physical support to children who are becoming acquainted with the bars or attempting more challenging moves, we avoid moving children from bar to bar.  When children gain monkey bar skills through their own extended trial and error, their physical competence and growth mindset expands exponentially.  If you spend time at the monkey bars with your child, please ask her to make her own best effort.  Although she might not be overjoyed at your lack of help, the resulting resilience and confidence will be a gift that keeps giving.