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Archive for the ‘Sensory Tub’ Category

DIY Magnetic Sand Table

19 Feb

Last week we had to make a trip to the doctor’s office. Besides listening to Caspar Babypants on the journey, the only thing that made my really sick toddler happy was our doctor’s very cool magnetic sand table. Simple to make one for us so I decided it’d be an easy DIY activity. Here is how we did it.

What you’ll need:

  • Fine grain sand – I purchased our sand at a local pet store. Amazon also sells a variety of play sand at reasonable prices.
  • A plastic storage container – We used a 28 quart Steralite brand. This one was shallow so that my sons could get into it easily.
  • A magnetic wand
  • Fun magnetic items – we used large, colorful paperclips, lids, marbles and letters
  • Two chairs or something to prop the table up

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Our approach:
I placed a “splat” mat under the “table”, placed the storage container velcroed across two chairs, poured enough sand in to cover a thin later on the bottom of the container. You don’t want to pour a ton in or the magnetic part won’t work. I wanted a way for my sons to reach under (or go under) the container. So, as I mentioned, I used two chairs and velcro to hold the container on the edge of the chairs.

I used a small strip of velcro because I didn’t want to risk any damage to the chair. A longer strip would obviously make the container even more stable.

I added the items to explore and play…

I love this shot of the scuba diver.

Then I let my sons loose on the table.

They were really excited and began exploring the table with the wand and their fingers.

Then things started to get really wild as other items began to be added to the exploration…

Super fun, easy and not a big mess to clean up. My son spent an HOUR at this table this morning.

Have fun! Thanks for visiting! Come back soon!
Marnie

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Posted in Activities, Homeschool, Kindergarten, Preschool, Science, Sensory, Sensory Tub

 

Bathtime Sensory

12 Feb

Last night we had a bathtub full of goo. Sounds messy and crazy? Not so much. Super easy to do, safe and loads of fun for you and your kids!

We are huge fans of bath time in our home. Not only does it mark the transition from day to evening routine, we get to embark EVERY DAY on one of the best and easiest sensory experiences for children – BATH TIME! Lately I have been using bath time as a way to give the boys a little extra by throwing a twist into the bath.

For example, for my younger son’s 1st birthday we had a glow in the dark bath. I purchased several glow sticks, threw them in the bath, turned off the lights and voila! Instant joy! That was a fun bath. Or we’ll just have bath paint or crayons. A lot of fun experimenting with colors.

I came upon the idea of bath jelly through Pinterest. Jamie from Hands on as We Grow shared this idea from Think Geek. I was immediately in love. I purchased “bath goo” from Amazon and went for it. Totally safe product containing NO HARMFUL CHEMICALS that doesn’t stain bodies or the tub! This goo turns water into a consistency like somewhat thick apple sauce. The best part? You can turn the goo back into water in one easy step.

Jelly Bath Sensory Tub Activity

Here is what the “powder” looks like before you dump it in the tub:
Bathtub Sensory Jelly for Kids

I drew a bath without bubbles. The boys climbed into the tub. They were very curious about what I was planning for their tub time. I dumped the “goo former” into the tub and watched as the boys’ eyes widened with interest and intrigue. The goo formed slowly over the next ten minutes eventually becoming thick.

bathtub sensory jelly

bathtub sensory jelly

bathtub sensory jelly

bathtub sensory jelly

bathtub sensory jelly

bathtub sensory jelly

After digging, pouring, scooping and lots of good old playing, bath time came to an end. I added the “goo disolver” and again watched eyes of interest and intrigue as the goo slowly turned back to water. The product does claim to “soften and clean the skin” but I decided for good measure to add bubble bath and warm water to give them a bit of a cleansing bath.

bathtime sensory jelly

As the bath was turning back to water, my son grabbed his “fishing” net and began to scoop and play with the changing texture. It was a great experience. Lots of good sensory fun. The mess was minimal (except when my 2.5 year old hopped out of the bath after his little brother, even then the pick up wasn’t that bad). I highly recommend this experience for a special bath time event!

Have fun! Thanks for visiting!
Marnie

Note: The product descriptions read “not suitable for children under 5″. I stuck close by the boys in the tub. They were fine. Just make sure there is no eating or standing in the tub! :-)

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Posted in Activities, Daily Routine, Preschool, Science, Sensory, Sensory Tub, Toddler

 

Valentines Sensory Love Tub

27 Jan

I love Valentines Day because you get the chance to not only think about those you love so dear in your life but you also have a chance to tell them and reflect on that love. A lovely “holiday”. Like most of my tubs, this one is super easy and quick. Most of the items listed below I grabbed at Target. Michael’s, Amazon and many crafts stores are sure to have ample Valentine Day supplies.

For this tub, we have:

  • pink, red and purple colored rice as the base
  • pink and red bouncy balls
  • small erasers with the word “love” on them

 

  • a super cool red mini mailbox
  • heart shaped (plastic) “slinkies”
  • heart shaped containers for scooping

 

  • Valentine themed cupcake wrappers for scooping
  • my favorite, “table scatter” of X’s and O’s
  • I included a few (the wee ones figure it out fast & can’t resist) traditional Valentine sentiment candy “be mine”, “oh my” , etc

 

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We all had a blast with this tub. Love the colors, the feel and the sentiment. All round goodness.

 
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Posted in Activities, Celebrations, Emotions, Family Wellness, Homeschool, Montessori, Preschool, Relationships, Seasonal, Sensory, Sensory Tub, Toddler

 

Kids Birthday Party Ideas

25 Jan

A few shots from my son’s birthday party. He turned one. So basically the party was for his older brother (2.5) and his buddies. I took a lot of short cuts by outsourcing to a local grocery store for catering and to a local bakery for cupcakes. Loads of fun. I was indeed exhausted at the end of the night (4-7pm party window) but also elated at the excitement and mess. I laughed as I picked up post party. The things that ended up every which way astounded me. Kids are truly amazing to watch in action. I set up a bunch of “activity stations” for the kids to explore and, wow, did they explore in ways I never imagined they would…Here are a few things we did…

Playdough Table

Lemon & Blueberry Playdough

InstaSnow Winter Tub

Water Bead Tub

Colored Pasta and Lacing Tub

Dinosaurs Invading the Island of Sodor Train Table

Light Table

Customized Party Favor Bags from Whimsy Sweet on Etsy

We also had a designated “quiet area” with pillows, books and puzzles. Of course even that room turned a little wild.  I also scattered baskets of cars, legos and sensory discovery bottles and texture boards throughout a few rooms for the children to discover.

We had a blast! You live and you learn when throwing a party. Most importantly, you just gotta let go. For example, the insta-snow and the water beads quickly became one as kids scooped and combined the tubs. It was fascinating to watch. Another point, for my toddler’s next birthday (3), we’re moving out of the house where there is more space for people to move and explore.  Finally, if you are so fortunate to have the luxury of a house cleaner, wait until after the party to have the crew come over to clean (and you should have some help, you deserve it). I almost made the mistake of having them come before the party. That would have been a huge waste as our home turned into a (good kind of) disaster minutes after the first guests arrived….just a little tip.

Thanks for reading…

Marnie

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Posted in Activities, Celebrations, Kindergarten, Preschool, Relationships, Sensory, Sensory Tub, Toddler

 
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