Bear Soup imaginary play for kids at the water table is a blast!
Call it what you will, but this Bear Soup imaginary play for kids idea will allow your preschooler to take the lead. This is certainly one to add to your preschool activity list!
Imaginary play such as this activity and these 50+ Preschool activities act as the building blocks of learning that unlock creativity.
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One of the most remarkable things about children is that they can use their imagination without fear of someone claiming it as a “bad idea.” Preschoolers can transform rocks into cars, and plastic bears can be seen as a family of 5. Children are play experts.
In fact, this book is one of my favorites and has helped me better imaginative play.
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The important role for caregivers and educators is to provide opportunities such as this imaginary play idea and then step away.
But will my preschool know what to do next with imaginary play?
The answer is a big, fat YES.
Remember, children are play experts. The more they are given open-ended play opportunities such as Paint the Ice and Color Mixing, the better they will become at independent play.
Do not get discouraged if the very first imaginary play setup doesn’t do what you had hoped it would. Practice, continue setting up opportunities, and you will see growth.
RELATED: First sensory bin? This post will help get you started.
Here’s what you need for Bear Soup
I can go on and on about how much my boys love these counting/sorting bears. We use them, plus these supplies, all of the time. I can also tell you how simple it is to set up imaginary play/sensory ideas here.
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- Counting bears
- Under-the-bed storage bin – I find the least expensive on at Target.
Next, add water!
Add a variety of items from your kitchen. Here we like to use plastic ladles, plastic water pitchers, strainers, and old pots. We store all of these materials outside in a large plastic bin with a lid.
You can see our entire collection of outdoor supplies here.
Let’s make Bear Soup!
We set up all of our sensory play up on a large, plastic shower liner. This way, there is room for a little mess that is super simple to clean up.
Typically, once my three-year-old and four-year-old are finished playing, I hang the plastic shower liner over the deck and let the sun do the rest. Once dried, I fold it up and place it back in the storage box for the following day.
This three-minute setup and four-minute clean-up are SO WORTH the 35 minutes of collaborative decision-making and creativity.
Now it’s time for some imaginary play.
Remember, it is time to step away and watch the play unfold from afar. Perhaps Bear Soup transforms to Rescue the Bears. They are both important. Allow your child to take the lead.
Both of my boys scooped, poured, and strained until they declared they were finished. When they come in with wet clothes, I take them off and toss them into the washer. Easy, breezy.
Take on your summer break with this simple imaginary play idea today!
