Tuesday Tip: Five Sensory Essentials In Every Classroom
Everyone knows that young children need to explore. Think of them as little explorers or scientists. This is why infants and toddlers put everything in their mouths, and why preschoolers and pre kindergarten plus older children look on in awe as we use everyday materials. Cornstarch and water plus food coloring becomes oobleck. Flour, salt, food coloring and more become playdough. Empty Pringle cans with colorful paper and shiny things filled with beans become shakers for music.
Going to the grocery store isn't just for groceries-it's for sensory too. Here is a list of five essential sensory project must haves for every classroom.
1. Flour. Flour is the main ingredient in 99.9% of playdough recipes, so stock up. Flour can also be used in the sensory table during winter with cars and trucks, or empty cups and small bowls. One of my teachers in college said the sensory table is the "water cooler" of the preschool classroom. My friend Katie is a toddler teacher, and she has a lot of great projects for her little ones- even toddlers would like to play in flour too. Don't worry about the mess. They are having fun!
2. Food coloring. Food coloring is an important ingredient for playdough, and can be used for other projects as well. Mix a little food color in the oobleck, or put a little in a slime recipe. Use a little food color and rubbing alcohol in a gallon size Ziploc bag to make colored rice or pasta for the sensory table, and let dry overnight. Use food color for an experiment with water, or during a unit on rainbows. Fill child size spray bottles with food color and water for an art project during a rain or water theme with finger paint (shiny) paper. Put food coloring in their milk for snack and blame on the elves and leprechauns. Food color add "pop" to the classroom and activities. I have learned that gel based food color provides a richer, more intense color compared to regular food coloring.
3. Cornstarch. Water is to thirst what cornstarch is to oobleck. Start with water and mix equal parts water and cornstarch to make a fun sensory activity! The perfect texture is practice and may take an entire box of cornstarch, so have plenty on hand. Add a little food coloring to make it more interesting. Messy project, but easy to clean up for the most part. Keeps for upto 48 hours in covered container.
4. Karo Corn Syrup. Use 8, 16 or 20 oz soda, water or juice bottles for sensory fun! Rinse out bottle with hot water, and remove label. Fill bottom with food color and add a small amount of corn syrup. Add small beads, rice, beans, marbles, etc. and watch infants and toddlers have fun with the colors and things that move. Secure top with glue gun, applying glue to inside of cap and twisting cap onto top of bottle to avoid hazards. Check bottles for cracks and toss if needed.
5. Salt. Like flour, salt is another essential ingredient found in 99.9% of playdough recipes. Although it is mainly used in playdough, a sprinkle of salt mixed with brown and white paint creates "sand paint" for art projects with a beach theme, or mixed with brown and black paint to make "dirt paint" with a dirt, garden or construction theme. Salt is also used in Victorian Salt Dough, ideal for sculptures in kindergarten and school age programs.
There you have it, Five essentials for every early childhood classroom. Consider that your "grocery shopping".
Got a tip for readers? Parents? Nannies and Educators? Beauty tips? Mail all tips to creativenannysolutions9@gmail.com
Going to the grocery store isn't just for groceries-it's for sensory too. Here is a list of five essential sensory project must haves for every classroom.
1. Flour. Flour is the main ingredient in 99.9% of playdough recipes, so stock up. Flour can also be used in the sensory table during winter with cars and trucks, or empty cups and small bowls. One of my teachers in college said the sensory table is the "water cooler" of the preschool classroom. My friend Katie is a toddler teacher, and she has a lot of great projects for her little ones- even toddlers would like to play in flour too. Don't worry about the mess. They are having fun!
2. Food coloring. Food coloring is an important ingredient for playdough, and can be used for other projects as well. Mix a little food color in the oobleck, or put a little in a slime recipe. Use a little food color and rubbing alcohol in a gallon size Ziploc bag to make colored rice or pasta for the sensory table, and let dry overnight. Use food color for an experiment with water, or during a unit on rainbows. Fill child size spray bottles with food color and water for an art project during a rain or water theme with finger paint (shiny) paper. Put food coloring in their milk for snack and blame on the elves and leprechauns. Food color add "pop" to the classroom and activities. I have learned that gel based food color provides a richer, more intense color compared to regular food coloring.
3. Cornstarch. Water is to thirst what cornstarch is to oobleck. Start with water and mix equal parts water and cornstarch to make a fun sensory activity! The perfect texture is practice and may take an entire box of cornstarch, so have plenty on hand. Add a little food coloring to make it more interesting. Messy project, but easy to clean up for the most part. Keeps for upto 48 hours in covered container.
4. Karo Corn Syrup. Use 8, 16 or 20 oz soda, water or juice bottles for sensory fun! Rinse out bottle with hot water, and remove label. Fill bottom with food color and add a small amount of corn syrup. Add small beads, rice, beans, marbles, etc. and watch infants and toddlers have fun with the colors and things that move. Secure top with glue gun, applying glue to inside of cap and twisting cap onto top of bottle to avoid hazards. Check bottles for cracks and toss if needed.
5. Salt. Like flour, salt is another essential ingredient found in 99.9% of playdough recipes. Although it is mainly used in playdough, a sprinkle of salt mixed with brown and white paint creates "sand paint" for art projects with a beach theme, or mixed with brown and black paint to make "dirt paint" with a dirt, garden or construction theme. Salt is also used in Victorian Salt Dough, ideal for sculptures in kindergarten and school age programs.
There you have it, Five essentials for every early childhood classroom. Consider that your "grocery shopping".
Got a tip for readers? Parents? Nannies and Educators? Beauty tips? Mail all tips to creativenannysolutions9@gmail.com
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