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Whirlpool Lesson Ideas – SEND Pack

Transform water play into a learning adventure with our Whirlpool Lesson Pack for SEND – designed to inspire curiosity and sensory exploration in preschool and early years children.

Using the Muddy Puddle Teacher approach, this pack guides educators and parents to turn a fascination with swirling water into meaningful, hands-on lessons that build confidence, support regulation, and spark creativity.

What’s Inside:

  • 6 Outdoor Lesson Plans – including rope whirlpool spirals, bamboo water channels, clay whirlpool creatures, and busy vs. calm water play.

  • Step-by-Step Guidance – clear, easy-to-follow instructions with minimal prep.

  • SEND-Focused Objectives – develop sensory processing, communication, and teamwork.

  • Eco-Friendly, Low-Cost Resources – rope, bamboo sticks, clay, chalk pens, cones, and natural materials.

  • Reflective Moments – encourage children to talk about their feelings and discoveries.

Ideal for:

  • Early Years practitioners & Forest School leaders

  • SEND teachers & therapists

  • Parents seeking outdoor play ideas linked to children’s special interests


🌱 Curiosity Club: Using Fascinations Like Whirlpools to Lead Learning

At MPT, we believe children learn best when their interests guide the lesson. Many children with SEND have deep passions — from water play to dinosaurs — and we celebrate these as the perfect starting point for education.

Why Water & Whirlpools Work So Well

  • Sensory-rich experience: Water provides natural feedback for touch, sight, and sound.

  • Predictable patterns: Watching water swirl can be soothing and help children self-regulate.

  • Opportunity for movement: Pouring, stirring, and splashing engage motor skills.

  • Natural curiosity: Children love to test what floats, sinks, spins, or swirls.


Tips for Taking Whirlpool Learning Outdoors

  1. Create Rope Spirals:
    Lay a rope in a spiral on the ground and pour water into the centre. Children can walk the spiral path, spin gently, then swirl the water to “bring the whirlpool to life.”

  2. Build Water Channels with Bamboo:
    Make simple tracks and pour water down them, encouraging children to notice how water flows and collects.

  3. Add Natural Objects:
    Drop in leaves, petals, or twigs and watch what happens. “Do they spin? Do they get stuck?”

  4. Combine Big Energy with Calm Play:
    Let children run and spin like “busy water,” then sit together to watch real water slowly stop moving — a natural mindfulness activity.

  5. Include Creative Play:
    Use clay to make creatures that “live in the whirlpool,” then place them in a tray of water and gently swirl.


Share & Support

We want more children to enjoy passion-led outdoor learning!

  • Share this resource with colleagues, parent groups, and outdoor educators.

  • Add a link to your blog or school website so others can discover the Whirlpool Lesson Pack.

  • Join the conversation: Post photos (with permission) of your whirlpool play and tag us.

Suggested share text:
“Bring water play to life with this SEND-friendly Whirlpool Lesson Pack from Muddy Puddle Teacher’s Curiosity Club: https://themuddypuddleteacher.co.uk/whirlpool-lesson-ideas-send-pack/

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