Welcoming a New Friend!

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Program Name: Infant

We have the newest addition to our infant room here at Oak Creek. We have brought a Beta fish to join in on the fun we have every day. In our sleep room, we made it an underwater theme and the children seemed to take a liking to the fish they saw on the walls. We thought we could bring that to another part of our room by bringing in a live fish. We are amazed that there are many opportunities that this Beta can offer to our infant friends to learn.

Having a fish tank in the classroom offers the children a hands-on experience. The fish tank is made of bamboo and inside there are many decorations to create a comforting environment. The tank is also eye-catching to the infants. We have noticed the fish tank has also helped the infants self-regulate, as they listen to the stream flow into the tank, and as they watch the fish swim gracefully through the water. Many of the infant friends started their discovery by slowly touching the fish tank. They watch and can hear the peaceful sound of the water falling out of the bamboo. The tank has provided a sensory experience as it engages different senses.

Clara’s face had a huge smile appear when she saw the fish tank for the first moment, she said “Ooouu”. She had a variety of facial expressions when coming face to face with the Beta, and she even showed us her surprised and curious face. To extend the activity and enhance their experience, our educators lead the conversation by asking plenty of open-ended questions. We asked questions such as; “What colour is the fish?” “Do you see the fish swim?” and “Does the fish swim by its fins?”. We practiced our language by trying to say new words like, "Hello, Fish, Bye", and also labelling the different colours we see. This was a great experience for the children as they experienced their first time meeting their new fish friend.

A child sitting and observing the fish in the tank.

An Infant and an Educator observe the fish in the tank.