Little Miss B has been desperate to jump in puddles the last few days. This morning we woke to lovely sunshine after a night of solid rain which meant it was a perfect day for puddle jumping! We rugged up in our warm clothes donned our gumboots and went in search of some great big, muddy puddles. We do have a couple here at home but as we live close to some wetlands we decided to venture down there. We were not disappointed. There were puddles everywhere. Little Miss B and I had a wonderful time jumping about and laughing hysterically.

Playing in puddles is not only a lot of fun, it is a great sensory, learning and physical experience for children. They can explore how it feels to be stuck in mud and soggy from for the water, they can listen to the splashing and squelching sounds and they can see how puddles can be muddy and clear. Playing in puddles is great for kids to investigate concepts such as floating and sinking and measuring depth and width. Playing in puddles is also a great physical workout; it can help improve balance, is great for cardiovascular health and – perhaps best of all – helps promote good sleep.
So if you are after a fun way to spend some time with your kids this winter, grab your gumboots, head outside and get puddle jumping. Just make sure you have a warm drink and/or shower waiting for you when you get home – you can end up being very wet and soggy by the end of it.
Do you have a favourite puddle jumping place?