Last week we were snowed in and getting antsy. I decided to make a sticky table for my kids to explore with but when I looked at all the supplies I had to stick to it they were all choking hazards except these colored craft sticks . I thought it was going to be a 5 minute sparkler but as you will see my son ran with it. I loved  reading stories to his sister who lost interest after 5 minutes like I expected and just watching him giddily create.

1. Gather your materials. You will need some contact paper, painter’s tape to tape it to the table, scissors and whatever you want to stick to the table. With older kids I’ve used sequins, buttons, tissue paper, pom poms…
2. Tape the contact paper down backing side up.
3. Peel the backing off and trim.
4. Explore the feeling- my son loved the feeling on the back of his hands, he just kept doing that.
5. Add the sticks.
6. My daughter liked placing the sticks and the resistance when she picked them off. Also she was doing it very carefully working on her pincer grasp ( fine motor skills).
7. My son saw the possibility to create immediately grabbing the bag and asking if he could have all the sticks and his sister’s too.
8. I just let him go. 
9. And go
10. And go.
11. If you look closely you can see a few houses in his creation – they are clone bases apparently. I just love that he was so engaged, so excited and watching those wheels turning so passionately was exhilarating.