sensory

Easter Bunny Sensory Bins

March 28, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

These simple, no-fuss Easter bunny sensory bins feature the same accessories added to different bases. The result is two unique sensory play experiences your early learners will embrace.

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Split-Pea Based Easter Bunny Sensory Bin

This naturally colored split-pea-based bunny sensory bin means no dyeing ingredients are needed.

Green split peas are the base for this first bin. Included in the bin are:

Easter baskets

bendable bunny

pink and orange plastic eggs

carrot eggs

Easter bunny eggs

carrot eraser

bunny erasers

bunny tongs

This naturally colored split-pea-based Easter bunny and egg sensory bin means no dyeing ingredients are needed.

Head to your local Target or dollar store to gather accessories for this bin. Just a few items will give your early learners a delightful sensory play opportunity.

Red Lentil-Based Sensory Bin

This naturally colored split-lentil-based bunny sensory bin means no dyeing ingredients are needed.

One thing about preparing sensory bins is that you can create any color scheme you like. I wanted to combine pink, orange, and white hues for this one. The accessories in the bin are the same as above. The split red lentils making the base are actually orange-colored.

The split peas and split lentils used for the bases naturally come in rich, vibrant colors. And so a bonus in preparing these activities is that no dyeing ingredients are needed.

This naturally colored split-lentil-based Easter bunny sensory bin means no dyeing ingredients are needed

The two different hues give each of the Easter bunny sensory bins a unique feel. Pick one base to add the accessories to and then set the bin out for play. After a few days, switch the accessories over to a bin with the other base. Your early learners will enjoy the new color scheme.

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Bunny Candy Art

March 20, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Along with Christmas and Valentine’s Day, Easter is a prime time for sweet treats. Chocolaty treats are popular, as are fruity and sugary ones. And bunnies in all shapes and sizes (and bunny ears) are frequent subjects.

Bunnies can also be created from a candy mix. Your little learners would enjoy this challenge, so why not make happy hoppy bunny candy art with them?

Supplies To Collect

An assortment of candies for a colorful candy art project or a candy tasting activity.

licorice in assorted shapes and sizes

Easter jelly beans

candy or chocolate sprinkle covered bunny ears

candy sprinkles

12-inch x 12-inch cardstock paper

white glue

Making The Bunny Candy Art

Happy hoppy bunny candy art collage project. An activity the whole family can participate in.

Set out a sheet of 12-inch x 12-inch cardstock paper for each person participating. Give participants a plate of candy to create a bunny-themed collage with. In addition to incorporating the bunny ear treats, candy pieces can be bunny heads, bodies, arms, legs, eyes, and mouths. Jelly beans and sprinkles add color and additional shapes to the pictures.

Have everyone glue the candy designs down to make permanent pictures. Or save the sweet treats for a delectable candy tasting party.

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Shamrock Rolling Pin Art

March 16, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

A fun rolling pin art project with three different looks. A process art painting activity on shamrocks the whole family can enjoy.

This shamrock rolling pin art project is bound to get a little messy, and that means your little learner is sure to looove it! Shamrocks make an eye-pleasing subject for this process art activity.

Supplies to Collect

green, yellow and white tempera paint

rolling pins or paper towel rolls

large sheets of sturdy paper

paint containers and spoons

shamrock template

Click here to download a shamrock template.

Shamrock Rolling Pin Art Fun

Set out tempera paints in yellow, white, and shades of green. Invite your little learner to spoon dabs of paint over a paper shamrock.

Invitation to use a rolling pin as a painting tool.

Then ask your little one to roll a rolling pin over the paint.

A paper towel roll works well to move paint around too. On the shamrock below, a pattern of paint was spread vertically. Then a paper towel roll was rolled up and down to give the striped effect. There are diagonal lines left from the paper roll on the shamrock…I kind of like them!

Paper towel roll painting on a shamrock.

The paint can also be splattered on diagonally, with the rolling pin to squish the paint around positioned the same way.

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Leprechaun Sensory Play

March 14, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Leprechauns, shamrocks, pots of gold and the color green are all associated with St. Patrick’s Day. And they make for super fun sensory play…especially the leprechauns! Here are two inexpensive, easy to put together leprechaun sensory play activities.

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Leprechaun Facts

Leprechauns are tiny, mischievous, gold loving characters in Irish folklore.

Shoemaking is how leprechauns spend most of their time.

These entertaining, energetic, miniature men love to participate in dance parties and expertly play the tin whistle, fiddle, Bodhran, and Irish harp.

Underground caves or hollow tree trunks in rural Ireland is where these solitary characters are said to live.

Leprechauns love to collect gold and store it in pots in the remote countryside (or at the end of the rainbow.)

The speedy tricksters can vanish quickly, so are difficult to capture.

But if a leprechaun is caught, he must grant three wishes.

Leprechauns are known all over the world.

Leprechaun Sensory Play

Here’s two easy to set up leprechaun sensory trays:

Leprechaun Rice Tray

Gold coins, shamrocks, a money pot, and an oh-so tricky leprechaun are the highlights of this rice-based tray.

Glutinous rice is the base for this tray. I love it because it is super white, and showcases the loose parts. Included are:

leprechaun figurine

money pot

tiny gold coins

white, green, and gold beads (because leprechauns like all kinds of treasure)

glittery, green hats (to collect any coins or gems that don’t fit into the pot)

shamrocks

St. Patrick’s Day greeting

The leprechaun is a repurposed plant poke topper. The other loose parts are snipped from inexpensive St. Patrick’s Day necklaces.

Shamrocks, gold coins, a money pot, and an oh-so tricky leprechaun are the highlights of this rice-based tray.

Shamrock Confetti Tray

Instead of rice, generously sprinkled shamrock confetti with metallic gold pots added in is the base. The tray also includes a leprechaun, money pot, gold coins, beads, hats, and shamrocks.

The leprechaun has plenty of gold to collect in this shamrock confetti-based St. Patrick's Day sensory tray.

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Arctic Animal Facts And Sensory Trays

February 25, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Arctic animal sensory trays featuring seals, narwhals, and a polar bear and igloo. Luxurious loose parts accent the trays.

These Arctic animal sensory trays are inspired by a set of polar decorations spotted at a local hardware store. I saw them before Christmas and restrained myself from buying them. It was tough! I didn’t think of them again until just into the New Year, but then I just had to have them. Thankfully, one hardware store in the chain still had a full selection and I was able to buy the decorations for winter displays and sensory play.

Polar Animal Sensory Tray Loose Parts

A large round tray, silver plastic table mat for water or ice, and the following loose parts work well with arctic animal figurines:

Polar loose part tray inspired by an igloo, seal, and narwhal figurine.

pearl bead garland

large pearl beads

clear gems in various sizes

ice cube gems

silver bells

silver beads and bead garland

blue gems

Seal and narwhal-inspired loose parts tray.

Arctic Animal Sensory Trays

The polar decorations featured in these trays are breakable, so should be handled carefully. After discussing and exploring figurines such as these with your early learners, replace them with unbreakable Arctic animal and igloo toys for further learning and play.

The first two sensory trays showcase seals and narwhals. Here are some facts about these aquatic polar creatures:

Narwhals are small whales nicknamed sea unicorns. Males have a tooth that grows through their lip to form a spiraling ivory tusk. The tusks grow throughout the whales’ lives. Narwhals live in groups in the cold icy waters of the Arctic. They have been overhunted for their sought-after tusks so are hard to spot.

A glittery seal and embellished narwhals are the highlights of this luxurious sensory tray.

Six kinds of seals live in the Arctic. The seals spend much of their time in the frigid waters on or under the ice. When the ocean freezes each year, they chew breathing holes through the ice with their teeth. They come up for air every few minutes, trying to avoid predators in the process.

Glittery seals take center stage in this aquatic polar animal sensory tray.

This next tray features a polar bear, seal, and narwhal.

Polar bears are large, creamy white bears that weigh up to 1100 pounds. They have black noses and eyes and can walk and swim long distances. Polar bears live on ice floes, rocky shores, and islands in the Arctic. Their tiny bear cubs are born in December in dens on land or ice. The cubs live with their mothers for about two years.

Polar bear and seal sensory tray with luxurious loose parts.

Below is a narwhal, seal and igloo sensory tray.

Igloos are dome-shaped snow houses that can be large or small. They are made with slanted rectangular blocks of packed snow cut by skilled carvers. In times past, igloos were used as a winter home or temporary hunting shelter. The igloos were super strong, able to withstand fierce winds and polar bear attacks. The snow homes were heated with oil lamps and could get pretty toasty. Furs lined sleeping areas and covered doorways.

Arctic sensory tray featuring a seal and narwhal, and an igloo.

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Jewelry Sensory Tray

February 15, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

If you have washable heart-themed children’s jewelry pieces lying around or found some in a post-Valentine’s Day sale, they can have a go in a jewelry sensory tray. Add a few complimentary colored loose parts, and your early learners will be eager to explore the tray.

Loose Parts For The Tray

heart bracelets

color block silicone bracelets

rainbow heart rings

wiggly eye rings

rainbow heart erasers

foam flowers and hearts

gem hearts

flower eraser

buttons

This tray has loose parts in a variety of cheery colors, taking it beyond Valentine’s Day.

Making The Jewelry Sensory Tray

Heart-themed jewelry sensory tray that takes tactile exploration beyond Valentine's Day.

Pick a tray large enough for a few children to play in.

Add a layer of rice. I feature glutinous rice. I love it because it is super white.

Spread the heart jewelry and complimentary colored loose parts in the tray. Invite your early learners to explore the tactile center.

This sensory tray idea also works for individual play. Just divide the supplies into a portion for each child and add them to smaller trays.

Heart jewelry sensory tray with cheery colors that take tactile exploration beyond Valentine's Day.

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Valentine’s Day Musical Instruments

February 14, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Valentine's Day containers with loose parts added make drum and shaker musical instruments perfect for sound exploration.

Save those little containers that valentine treats and crafts come in! Empty chocolate boxes, plastic jars, heart-shaped bowls, and small containers make excellent sensory and art supplies. And when used with drumsticks and filled with loose parts, they can also be Valentine’s Day musical instruments.

Valentine’s Day Loose Parts To Collect

Here’s a supply of loose parts that early learners could choose from for music-making:

Loose parts to add to Valentine's Day containers to make shaker and drum musical instruments.

mini rubber balls

coins

erasers

heart necklaces

heart-shaped cookie cutters

red heart gems

pompoms

buttons

X and O game pieces

This compartment tray holds the above items and the ones below:

Loose parts to add to Valentine's Day containers to make shaker and drum musical instruments, and a variety of drumsticks.

pony beads

red and white round gems

large red beads

striped straws

wooden hearts

Making Valentine’s Day Musical Instruments

Collect Valentine’s Day-themed containers and set them out on a table with a tray of loose parts. Encourage little learners to fill containers with one kind of loose part and add lids. Have them use the filled containers as shakers.

A collection of Valentine's Day-themed containers with loose parts and drumsticks for music-making.

A heart-shaped bowl and small tin make excellent drums. Just add drumsticks!

An overturned plastic heart-shaped bowl and small tin make excellent drums.

When covered with a lid and tipped from side to side, this pony bead-filled tin becomes an ocean drum.

A heart-shaped tin with pony beads added makes an ocean drum.

Why not go big? This large chocolate box heart works wonderfully as an ocean drum too. A few beaded necklaces add the sound.

A heart-shaped empty chocolate box with necklaces or loose parts added makes an ocean drum.

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Scissor Skill Heart Collage

February 10, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

A simple but effective activity to plan is a scissor skill heart collage invitation. Early learners will be able to explore luxurious craft supplies with unique properties and textures and complete a display-worthy project.

Craft Supplies To Collect

Gather craft supplies that can be cut and glued in the color scheme of your choice. I feature traditional Valentine’s Day hues, but any color scheme would work beautifully. Cut the materials a little smaller if desired, but keep them large enough for little ones to trim some more.

Luxurious craft supply tray for heart collage crafts.

Included in this first compartment tray are:

pipe cleaners

crepe paper

tin foil

metallic purple paper

foam strips

heart patterned ribbon strips

thin and thick ribbon strips

lace

paper doily pieces

white and red bead garland

heart garland

scissors

Red, pink, and white craft supply tray for heart collage projects.

This second craft supply tray holds:

pink and white crepe paper

rose petals

foam pieces

Valentine’s envelopes

white yarn

cream lace

paper strips

red, gold and white ribbon

white bead garland

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Valentine’s Day Playdough Activities

February 7, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Valentine's Day playdough recipes and loose parts trays. A basic recipe with color variations and a jello playdough recipe is featured.

Playdough is a shoo-in for any Valentine’s Day theme. There are so many heart loose parts available to use, and who doesn’t like the chance to include red and pink colors in their play? In this post, I’ve included a basic playdough recipe and a jello recipe. The basic recipe includes color variations made with neon food colors. All the recipes are easy to use for introducing Valentine’s Day playdough activities to your little learners.

But first, the loose parts!

Valentine’s Day Loose Parts Trays

Here are two playdough trays brimming with loose parts. The tray below includes:

Valentine's Day playdough tray with loose parts and pink and white dough recipes.

rubber heart game pieces

X and O game pieces

toothpick cupcake toppers

wooden, gem, and foam hearts

buttons

heart erasers

natural colored gems

cookie cutters and rolling pin

This second tray includes:

Valentine's Day playdough tray with loose parts and blueberry, white, and lilac dough recipes.

heart bead garland

red and white bead garland

white and red gems

wooden, gem, and eraser hearts

large red beads

buttons

X and O game pieces

lollipop sticks

Basic Playdough Recipe

Valentine's Day playdough tray with loose parts and red, pink and white dough recipes.

My go to basic playdough recipe has the following ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

4 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 cups water

3 tablespoons oil

*****

Add the first three ingredients to a sturdy pot and mix together.

Stir two tablespoons oil into two cups of water.

Add the water and oil to the dry ingredients and combine.

Heat on the stove on medium heat.

Stirring frequently, cook until the mixture is no longer glossy and the dough forms a ball.

Scoop the dough on to a cutting board.

Knead when cool, adding in one tablespoon more oil.

Store the playdough in a sealed plastic bag.

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Valentine’s Day Sensory Tubes

February 6, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

With so many Valentine’s Day bits and baubles available to purchase or collect, it is easy to gather little pieces for sensory tubes. And Valentine’s Day sensory tubes are fun to put together.

Sensory Tube Loose Parts

Valentine's day loose parts tray with pieces for sensory tubes.

Here’s a few supplies that would work well in the sensory tubes:

X and O game pieces

rainbow and heart erasers

heart and jewel-shaped gems

small buttons

heart garland strips

bead garland strips

rubber hearts

foam hearts

Assembling The Valentine’s Day Sensory Tubes

Pick a few things from the loose parts list to drop in wide-mouthed water bottles with lids that secure on tightly. Then add water to each one. Set the tubes out on a table for little learners to investigate.

Valentine's Day sensory tubes with red, pink, and purple loose parts.

Float and sink experimenting works well with these sensory tubes. In the one on the left, X and O game pieces float to the top. Foam hearts float and erasers and gems sink in the middle tube. And in the one on the right, heart-shaped gems sink to the bottom.

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