Fill the bucket race

Racing to fill water buckets or containers

Materials Required

Cups
Water
Buckets, containers or bowls

Play experience profile

Age:

Preschoolers
Min Playtime

5 - 15 Minutes
Skills

Hand-eye coordination, Gross motor, Mathematical
Energy Level

Active play
Messiness Rating
EYLF Outcomes

Learn More

Play Experience Preparation

Prepare a clear space in your yard that is free from trip hazards and obstacles - A towel to dry your child off when finished the activity.

Experience Steps

Set up one line of buckets or containers at one end of yard.
Fill buckets/containers with water with your child.
Place cups beside the buckets/containers.
Place buckets/containers in a line at the other end of yard (or a reasonable space away).
Encourage your child to fill a cup with water and then walk quickly or run to the other end of the yard and tip into buckets/containers. Don't forget to participate too!
Encourage your child to keep going in this process untill the bucket or container is full.
Talk about how much water is now in the bucket.
Cheer each other and have fun!

What to talk about, or questions to ask during the experience

Water
Cold
Splish and splosh and splash
Drip and drop
Empty and full
High and low
Fast and slow
Talk about volume and capacity - How much water do you think is in the bucket? How can we measure it?

Build on this...

Use cups and different kitchen utensils to measure water and other liquids.
Egg and spoon race.

WHO guidelines for physical activity and sedentary behaviour
Provide evidence-based public health recommendations for children, adolescents and adults on physical activity. Learn more

This activity encourages your child to be physically active.

EYLF Outcomes
The Early Years Learning Framework has been designed for use by early childhood educators working in partnership with families, children’s first and most influential educators. View PDF

Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and sense of agency
Children become aware of fairness

EYLF Principle

Principle 1: Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships. Through a widening network of secure relationships, children develop confidence and feel respected and valued.

EYLF Practice

Practice: Learning through play. Play can expand children’s thinking and enhance their desire to know and to learn. In these ways play can promote positive dispositions towards learning. Children’s immersion in their play illustrates how play enables them to simply enjoy being.