Precious Rain

Precious Rain

4^th April 2013

Today brought the long awaited and absolutely needed RAIN.  We have had water restrictions for several weeks because our district has been suffering with lower rainfall levels than normal.  In fact we have had official drought conditions.  So today’s steady fall of rain was exciting for a lot of people. 

At kindergarten children have been learning about how precious water is and the many impacts of not having any.  There have been many discussions about water and it uses and at kindergarten we have done our best to conserve water usage by reusing water from our drink cups and hand washing water for the plants, recycling the swimming pool and water trough water for the gardens and grass. We also have not refilled our pool or had any type of water play in the sandpit or water trough since restrictions were put in place.  All these practices have emphasized the consequences of drought conditions and reinforced the water – life cycle and its importance locally, nationally and globally to our being.

Today early in the morning as the rain came down and we were setting up for the day, I placed an ice-cream container under a down pipe that doesn't connect to anywhere and was surprised when in a matter of minutes it was full.  I poured it into the water trough.  As tamariki arrived they saw me and continued to empty the water as it filled.   After morning Kotahitanga and small group time Corbin and Calista were very interested and keen to fill the water trough with the container, at one time we counted 14 litres of water had gone into the trough in less than half an hour.  The children relished in the opportunity to play in the little amount of water we had gathered and I think appreciated it a little more! 

The next exciting opportunity the rain created was the chance to wear and try out the new rain capes that were sponsored by farmlands.   Everybody who wanted to be outside playing had to have a raincoat on.  Some were totally prepared and had brought their own raincoats from home like Joshua and Danika and when I offered one of the new rain capes they both declined saying they had their own!   Everyone else was quick to put them on and test them out in the real rain – we had had a few dry runs!  What a success and we played in the rain most of the morning and kept dry.  Danika and Jaymee were happy to have the capes on and work under the shelter at the carpentry table.  While Lilly and Will got trolleys out and played at the water trough with Corbin who spent a long time enjoying having water to play with.  Joshua went to work hammering the whare in his raincoat and Calista and Will checked that rain capes didn't inhibit stilt walking.

At Anne West kindergarten we have a huge commitment to conservation, sustainability and being environmentally mindful from several cultural perspectives.  Part of our commitment is to teach young children to nurture and value their environment, and to develop this respect and understanding they need to build a relationship with the natural world.  To do this children need to be able to play outside in all weathers which means being out in the rain as well as the sun.  We certainly did this today!  The children today gathered their water for play and looked after this precious resource.

Siobhan Soutar.