Archive for October 2011
I noticed on Pinterest a comment on a pin of my Sensory Tub from Halloween 2010. The commentor noted that I use the same container ( usually yes) and just store the contents in ziplocks ( yes again I have close to 20 bags). That comment sparked this post. My son had been asking for a Halloween sensory tub since we bought the bouncy ball eyeballs a few weeks ago. My goal was to make one that both he and his baby sister ( 15 months) could use. This is what we did.
- Gather your materials. I grabbed my Halloween Sensory Tub contents from 2009 and 2010 – which included black beans, white beans, orange lentils for the fill. Then sticky skelletons, plastic spiders and other bugs, bouncy ball eyeballs , a few pumpkin containers , a scoop and some tongs. Do not feel like you need to have all of this! My main goal is to show that you can mix two old ones to make a new one.
- For the toddler version I started by putting in the dried beans and lentils. Then chose only the large plastic bugs and pumpkin containers.
- You may notice she is on a small rug. If you are doing this on the floor a carpeted floor works the best, the beans don’t skatter as far.
- Encourage them to keep the beans in , but please don’t scold. If spilling makes you angry just skip this activity all together. Gently show toddlers how to keep it in but until children have lots of experience with sensory tubs use only positive guidance. Anger will confuse them and halt any play and learning that was happening.
- Feel free to have them put beans back in though !
- Into the pumpkin!
- Now for older kids add the as my son calls it ” good stuff!” We did this when my daughter was daddy so it wouldn’t be unfair for her to see her brother playing but be told she can’t.
- I challenged him to pick up the balls with the tongs – it was tricky!
- He decided to pick out all the skelletons.
- Then he decided to create a skelleton world on the playroom floor, and the eye balls were bombs? Something like that. He asked if he could play it for his quiet time. Ummm yeah! I love how fun mama directed activities almost always lead to something for him to explore and lead himself.
When I stored this sensory tub I used 2 ziplocks, and picked out all the big kids stuff into one, the toddler safe in the other and store them next to eachother for fast fun for either kid.
** Please remember that it’s your job to know what is safe for your child and what your child is ready for . All activities require adult supervision. **
Our letter of the week series continues with letter I . There aren’t a huge number of letter I activities but that is a great reminder for parents and teachers to focus on the whole alphabet even while doing a letter of the week program. Letters work together and so we should teach them together. Use letter of the week as a way to focus some extra time on one letter not to focus all your time on it. Alphabet books are a great way to bring all the letters together and we have 3 great ones in the post too!
{Letter I Crafts}
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{Activities And Crafts Begining With I}
Ice Cream Taste Test - Indian Corn - Indian Headdress - Insect Painting - Insect Hunt
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{Alphabet Books}
Bruno Munari’s ABC
A Is for Astronaut: Exploring Space from A to Z
Learn The Alphabet : with Northwest Coast Native Art by Native Northwest was an amazing gas station find. Yes I said gas station. I ran in for some diet coke and came out with an alphabet book ! This book is amazing, bright beautiful and even though I bought it for my daughter since it’s bright colors and sturdy pages are perfect for a baby, my almost 4 year old son adores it. What I love is when he reads it to her . The Native art is gorgeous and if you are unfamiliar with North West coast art you are in for a treat.
Good Morning! I can’t wait to catch up on these early learning and kids crafts links! I have been busy working on some side projects and I need some inspiration! If you love this link up you will probably love my Pinterest boards too. They are filled with links just like these that I think you might love mixed with some old favorites from here that you may have missed. I hope you have a fantastic week.
If you are new to the linky – participation is simple. You link up a great craft, lesson, or blog post from the past week. Told you it was simple! Please join in , we are trying to be a fantastic resource and the more the merrier!
