The Popular Pastime of Puddle Jumping

This week, with the recent heavy rainfall, puddle jumping has proved most popular with all the Forest School groups. The bigger and muddier the puddle, the better!

But why is puddle jumping so popular?

Puddle jumping is such a wonderful sensory experience. Firstly, there is the look of the puddle from clear, reflective, rippling and shimmering to murky and mysterious. Next there is sound it makes from splish, splash to squelch. Then there is the feel of a puddle from cool and quivering to boot-suckingly custard thick. Finally there is the smell of the puddle from grassily freshness of falling rain to pungently metallic earthiness.

Puddle splashing fires the imagination evoking tales of snapping crocodiles, wallowing hippos, hopping toads, angry ogres and temperamental trolls.

Puddle jumping draws on a whole range of physical and emotional skills. Children must consider how they can gauge the depth of the puddle, what lies beneath the surface, how they will negotiate their way through the puddle and what the consequences might be were they to become stuck or fall over. 

Puddle jumping is a fantastically social experience, sharing predictions, solving problems, helping each other and laughing together.

So what are you waiting for?

Pull on your waterproofs and wellies and jump in.