Over the past month, the children in School-Age 1 at RisingOaks | John Sweeney have been deeply engaged in outdoor exploration, making the most of the winter weather and the many possibilities that snow offers for play and learning. The children demonstrated curiosity, creativity, and collaboration as they discovered new and imaginative ways to interact with their environment.
One afternoon, Educator Velvet introduced spray bottles filled with water and primary-coloured food colouring, placing them on the outdoor cart. The children’s excitement was immediate as they eagerly gathered around, curious about what they could create. As they began spraying the coloured water onto the snow, the children experimented with colour mixing, observing how primary colours blended together to form secondary colours. There were many moments of awe and excitement as they watched the snow transform before their eyes, sparking conversations about colours, cause and effect, and experimentation.
As their play evolved, the children expanded on the activity in meaningful ways. The spray bottles became tools to support their imaginative play as they worked together to build snow forts, create “ice crystals,” cook pretend food using snow, bowls, and utensils, and design vibrant outdoor artwork that required specific colours. The children thoughtfully selected colours for different purposes, demonstrating planning, problem-solving, and expressive creativity.
Throughout the experience, we observed strong examples of teamwork and cooperation. The children collaborated to fill buckets with snow, scoop and pack it for fort building, and carefully chip away at ice to create crystal-like structures. They communicated their ideas, shared materials, and supported one another, showing growing social skills and a sense of community.
This outdoor exploration supported the children’s learning across multiple areas, including scientific inquiry, creative expression, fine and gross motor development, and social-emotional growth. Most importantly, it allowed the children to take the lead in their learning, building confidence as they explored, experimented, and created together in a joyful and meaningful way.
