Toddler Made Oobleck

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I have a new obsession: messy sensory play!  While looking around Pinterest I was taken to the blog Growing A Jeweled Rose and feel in love with all her awesome ideas.  She does a monthly messy themed sensory play date that is so cool!  As soon as I saw it I knew it was something I wanted to start up.  So, in June I will be hosting a messy sensory play date for my mom group and I can't wait!  Until then, Avery (and maybe Parker a little, too) will be doing research to decide what we want to include in our play date!  We started out with Toddler Made Oobleck.  Now, we have played with oobleck before but I approached it a little differently this time.  First, I wanted her to experience all stages and phases of it.  Second, I wanted her to get into it, literally!  So instead of letting her explore pre-made oobleck in a bowl on the counter, I gave her an under-bed storage container and a box of corn starch.  I didn't tell her what to do with it, I just let her explore it however she wanted.  She spent a good 30 minutes with the corn starch alone!  

She immediately dumped out the whole container!

After she played with it for a while, we talked about what it felt like.  It was a wonderful opportunity to introduce some new vocabulary words.

She thought it was really cool that she could draw/write in the corn starch.  She started out just drawing shapes and lines but then decided to practice her letters.

After that she decided it was time to get in. At one point she told me "I want corn starch on my tummy" and proceeded to lie down in it!

Next, I simply put out a bowl of water but didn't say anything.  She wasn't that interested in it at first, she would just keep looking over at it.  But after a while she finally started adding it to the corn starch.

She started out adding one spoonful at a time but finally decided to pour the whole bowl of water in.

And just like before, she had to get into the container!

Boy did we have fun!!!

Can't wait to do our next messy sensory play!  

Do you have any fun messy sensory play ideas?  I'd love to hear them!

Garden Sensory Tub

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With May's arrival, it was time for a new sensory tub!

Contains:
Organic potting soil
2 sizes of clay pots
Rocks 
Plastic bugs
Pinwheels
Fake flowers
Fake aquarium plants
Seeds (beans and sunflower seeds)
Shovel
Hand rake
Magnifying glass
Watering can

After nap I took Avery outside and presented it to her just like the above pictures.  I wanted her to start out with just the potting soil in the tub so that she was free to play with it however she wanted and so she wasn't influenced by anything.  She had so much fun!  

She spent a long time just playing in the dirt before she even touched the garden supplies.  

But by the end, she had explored everything!

Can't wait to see what she does with it next time!

Infant Treasure Baskets

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Avery loves her sensory tubs so much I decided we needed to do something similar for Parker.  While looking around the web I learned about infant treasure baskets.  It was exactly what I was looking for!  


Treasure baskets are usually geared toward 6 to 18 month old babies.  The objects should be small enough for them to pick up but large enough to not be a choking hazard (however, I still make sure that we only play with ours when an adult is watching and keeping an eye on her).  Objects in the basket can be random or based on a theme or category.  Treasure baskets are great for promoting independence and curiosity while also developing focus and concentration.  They also allow the infant to use there senses to learn about new objects.


So far we have done 2 different treasure baskets for Parker.  The first one we did was things that were shiny!  She loved it!  The first time I put her down with it she played with it for 40 minutes straight and then she only stopped because it was time to eat and I put it away!  We kept it out for about 3 weeks and it always did a great job at keeping her interest!

It contains:  measuring spoons, shiny tissue paper, scoop, CD, mirror, napkin rings, bead necklace, toy metal pot, metal desk organizer cup, and tea infuser

Our newest one contains things that are made from wood.

It contains: a wooden bowl, a couple massagers, a wooden bracelet with ribbons attached, a giant clothes pin, a picture frame, a block, a puzzle piece, and a bracelet of wooden beads




If you are looking for more great ideas for infant treasure baskets, take a look at these posts:

From How We Montessori

From The Imagination Tree

And another from The Imagination Tree

From Confessions of a Montessori Mom

From Little Acorns to Mighty Oaks

From The Learning Ark

From Sew Liberated

From Chasing Cheerios


Linking up to:

No Time For Flashcards

Spring/Easter Sensory Tub

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It's a new month so it's time for a new sensory tub.  For this month I decided to go with spring and Easter.  

The window gel clings are on the outside of the tub (I know I saw this on another blog but I can't remember where it was.  Sorry for not linking to you but if it was you and you let me know, I'd be happy to link it back)

Contents:
green, pink, and purple easter grass (Dollar Store)
stuffed animal bunny (Dollar Store)
bendy bunnies (Dollar Store)
Easter cup (Target)
fake flowers (Hobby Lobby)
faceted Easter eggs (Target dollar section)
chick Easter egg (Target dollar section)
egg shaped spiny balls (Target dollar section)
jewel flowers and flattened marbles (came in a set from Hobby Lobby)
erasers (Dollar Store)
fluffy chicks (Hobby Lobby)
spring window gel clings (Dollar Store)


This has been a huge hit in our house, Avery loves it!  I'm thinking it might evolve over the month but I'm not sure yet.  If it does I will let you know what I take away and/or add to it.  It's only my second one so I'm still just figuring it out.  

Sorting out the flowers and dropping them in the cup

Opening and closing the egg and putting things inside it

Checking out the grass

I put the little balls inside the blue egg, erasers inside the yellow, and some flower jewels and flattened marbles inside the pink.  Avery had the best time shaking them and listening to the different sounds they made.

Shake, shake, shake!!!

It took her a while to notice the window gel clings but when she did they became her favorite thing!  She decided to take them all around the house and figure out what else they could stick too.  

Our First Sensory Bin

Pin It Now! I decided to try out my first theme this week (St. Patrick's Day) and wanted to make a sensory bin to go along with it.  So, here it is...

Here is what is in the sensory tub:
- Green and yellow split peas
- Gold coins
- Green shamrock necklace
- Large flattened green marbles
- Green and yellow glitter pompoms
- Shamrock erasers
- Shamrock cookie cutter
- Green ice cream scoop
- Green pots
- Green "funnel" (2 liter with the bottom cut off)
- I also got out 2 extra containers, one a large rectangle and one a tall round one, that way she has something to scoop and pour into


Avery has had such a great time playing with the St. Patrick's Day sensory bin!  She loves scooping, pouring, and just checking everything out.  

She loves the sound the necklace makes when she shakes it and she loves to wear it

She loves how her vice sounds through the funnel

She loves how her hand feels in the split peas

So there you have it, our first sensory bin.  It's been a pretty big hit around our house.  We've played with it every day this week and I have a feeling we will continue to get it out.