Feeling the flow with new Forest School water features

New water-based activities are making a splash in Walsall College’s Forest School for young children and babies.  The hands-on, learn-through-play facilities are the brainchild of early years and construction students who designed and built them during a 12-month project.

They include a flow-board, mini tank and balancing scales which operate through pipes and funnels.  They teach skills to children from the Little Professors Nursery linked to water flow, pipe fitting, fishing, weights and measures.

Keri Birch, Advanced Practitioner at the college explained: “These are sensory-based learning features that introduce children to water play as well as some of the maths-based principles they are likely to use throughout their lives.

“It’s also about showing them basic plumbing techniques so they begin understanding how a natural resource like water can be conserved and reused in all kinds of settings.

“Sustainable living will be more commonplace than ever for this generation.  It’s never too early for them to understand how even the smallest of actions can make a difference.”

Plumbing students also repurposed pipes to make a playground telephone for children to have fun with.

Clive Edwards, Plumbing Lecturer added: “This is a thriving collaborative project between plumbing, early years, painting and decorating and carpentry students and staff that fully demonstrates the wider, positive impact our work has on our communities.

“I’m thrilled with the way everyone’s efforts have paid off and that the potential is there to enhance these features in future.”

Dylan Fairburn was one of the students involved in the planning, design and building of the facilities.

The Level 2 plumbing student said: “This whole project has been a change of pace, introducing us to a new environment and different students to work with.

“It’s been a positive experience all-round.  We now know how much we can achieve with limited resources and through teamwork.”

Jessica-Annie Gibbons who is studying childcare and education agreed.

She said: “Forest School encourages children to move around more freely outdoors and indulge in messy play.  With our new facilities, they can explore and understand more about physical boundaries, such as how much water to pour into a bucket before it overflows.

“It all benefits their holistic wellbeing.”

Jessica added: “Forest School helps us professionally.  It supports our skills because we see first-hand what children of different ages and abilities enjoy playing with.  We can also step in if they are struggling to use equipment, so we’re learning just as much as they are.”