Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

sensory

Flower Treasure Blocks

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Flowers can be delicate and fierce simultaneously, making it hard for children to get up close to study them. The Alberta Wild Rose, with its fragile rosy-pink flowers and thick thorny stems, is one such flower. Rather than having children handle the prickly-stemmed blooms, flower treasure blocks are a good way to introduce the prickly rose.

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The Alberta Wild Rose is a hardy, bushy shrub that grows in sunny spots in the wild all over temperate regions in Canada. It is a low-maintenance plant that is drought-tolerant and fire-resistant. The plant is non-toxic, and the leaves and fruits are edible. The beautiful, five-petaled flowers with yellow stamens are easy to spot at this time of year.

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Supplies to Collect

Gather the following supplies for this flower-themed science and sensory activity:

  • fillable treasure blocks
  • flowers, petals, leaves, and stems

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Introducing Flower Treasure Blocks

Fillable treasure blocks, also called window blocks, generally have wooden frames and clear panels. One side of each block is removable, so loose parts like buttons, beads, gems, or natural items such as flowers, leaves, pine cones, and twigs can be placed inside. The see-through blocks are a valuable resource for the home or classroom.

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Unscrew one side of each block and add flowers such as the Alberta Wild Rose or your favorite flowers to the blocks. Include the blooms, buds, leaves, and stems. Then screw the panels back on.

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Set the flower-filled blocks in a display corner or on a light table for children to observe. Or place them in a block corner with a variety of other blocks. Your little charges will be delighted to handle the see-through blocks and study what’s inside.

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Another Way to Display Flower Parts

Instead of using treasure blocks to display flowers, gently place their parts between two clear magnetic tiles.

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The Alberta Wild Rose showcases brilliantly between the tiles, and the flowers look gorgeous. I skipped adding the spiky stems since the magnetic tiles are easy to take apart.

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Related:

Skeleton Treasure Blocks

Christmas Treasure Blocks

Winter Treasure Blocks

Valentine’s Day Treasure Blocks

St. Patrick’s Day Treasure Blocks

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Salt Painting Sensory Bin

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This gigantic salt painting sensory tray is inspired by the many eye-catching salt trays I’ve seen online over the years.  In this activity, children are invited to color salt in a huge sensory tray and draw, design, and sculpt with the wet salt.

Salt is inexpensive and has a sand-like texture. It is taste-safe, non-perishable, and easy to color in many beautiful hues.

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Supplies to Collect

Gather the following supplies for this silky salt-based sensory bin:

  • 4 boxes of salt
  • food coloring
  • paint pots
  • eye droppers or pipettes
  • small bowls
  • clear storage containers
  • tablespoons
  • toothed scraping tools

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Setting Up the Salt Painting Sensory Tray

This low-cost sensory activity is effortless to set up and works splendidly indoors or outdoors.

If doing the activity indoors, set a large, low-edged sensory tray on a table or stand made for the tray. This light, transportable active world tray, also called a tuff tray, is up to the task. Outside, if a table isn’t available, it rests on four stackable stools or patio end tables. So easy!

Tip: Outside, I recommend placing the sensory tray away from plants and grass since salt harms them.

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Next, add food coloring in a few hues to paint pots filled with water. Thinned tempera paints also work fine. Add eye droppers to the pots.

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Then add bowls and tablespoons for scooping and mixing, and toothed scrapers for creating designs.

Lastly, pour three boxes of salt into the tray. Reserve one box to sprinkle in more doses of salt periodically to add interest to the sensory invitation as children are playing.

The salt tray is ready to explore.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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Exploring the Salt Painting Sensory Tray

This salt painting sensory tray is suitable for a group of children to explore. Invite participants to drip paint onto the salt and mix it in. They will love the coloring process and delight in mixing colors in the bowls and clear containers.

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They’ll naturally pick up the tools to make designs in the salt.

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Periodically add more salt to the bin so they can continue mixing and changing the colors.

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As the salt gets wetter, children may mold cakes and other items from the salt. When this happens, the scrapers make excellent slicers!

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When children are finished investigating the salty tray, have a water source nearby so they can wash up easily.


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Benefits of the Salt Painting Sensory Tray

Exploring a salt tray and mixing colors is a relaxing and satisfying science and sensory activity. Salt trays are also popular as prewriting invitations. Children experience a novel way to practice tracing and writing lines, letters, numbers, and shapes, using at least two of their senses. They develop eye-hand coordination and refine fine motor skills.

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More Sensory Activities

Salt and Glue Moon Art

Salt and Ice Science Experiment

Salt Painting Planet Art

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Dandelion Sensory Tray

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With their cheery, bright color and ability to grow profusely in many different places, dandelions are super noticeable during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. All parts of dandelions are safe for handling and are edible, so the weedy flower is suitable for many educational activities.

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Young children delight in an early spring sighting of a field of dandelions, and the first thing they often excitedly do is make a bouquet of fluffy yellow flowers for their mom or teacher. After the petals fall off, a puffball forms on each plant, which children love to blow. This dandelion sensory tray allows early learners to explore the fast-growing, nutritious plant in another way.

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Supplies to Collect

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Since dandelions grow on lawns, in parks, and in many other environments, collecting them for a flower nature sensory tray is quick and easy. Gather a bunch of dandelion flowers and leaves from an area where no pesticides have been used. Include large plants if available. As shown in many of my other nature sensory bins, the following supplies make suitable accessories:

  • non-breakable vases or storage jars
  • pitchers with water
  • mortar and pestle sets
  • baking tins
  • spoons
  • scissors
  • small rocks

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Preparing the Dandelion Sensory Tray

Sensory bins are often one of the most effortless play invitations to offer, and this dandelion sensory tray is no exception. 

First, set dandelions in small non-breakable vases or storage jars with water added.

Note: Wash the dandelions first if you have children participating who may put them in their mouths.

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Next, add two or more pitchers filled with cool water.

Then arrange place settings with baking tins and spoons.

Add a few mortar and pestle sets, and two or more pairs of scissors.

Lastly, sprinkle small stones and more dandelions around the bin. The tray is now ready for participants to investigate.

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Exploring the Dandelion Sensory Tray

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Children welcome sensory experiences of any kind, and this dandelion play invitation is sure to delight. The flower-filled tray offers the following benefits:

Smelling fresh dandelions exercises the sense of smell.

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Hand and finger muscles are strengthened when children pluck and separate the flower petals.

Using a mortar and pestle to crush and grind dandelions improves eye-hand coordination and strengthens arm and shoulder muscles.

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Cutting dandelions into bits facilitates skill in using scissors.

Exploring the supplies in the bin and including water in the experience is a calming activity that helps children regulate their emotions and focus their attention.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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More Nature-based Sensory Bins

Tea Party Water Play

Teacup and Peony Sensory Tray

Lilac Flower Sensory Trays

Petunia Flower Sensory Tray

Bergenia Flower Sensory Bin

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Bergenia Flower Sensory Bin

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Bergenia plants are easy to grow, and the beautiful bell-shaped flowers pop up in early spring. Before the dainty blooms die, consider using them in a sensory bin. The bell-shaped flowers and glossy evergreen leaves offer a unique sensory experience in this Bergenia flower nature bin.

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Before including it in a sensory play activity, it’s always good to check if a plant is toxic. I was happy to learn that NO part of the Bergenia plant is toxic for humans to touch or consume. The plant is also non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.

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Supplies To Collect

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Gather the following supplies for this flower-themed sensory bin:

  • Bergenia flowers, stems, and leaves
  • small rocks
  • twigs
  • mortar and pestle
  • bowls
  • spoons
  • scissors
  • large sensory tray

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Preparing the Bergenia Flower Nature Bin

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The setup for this bloom-themed sensory bin is super simple. If offering the bin to a group, add place settings with bowls, spoons, mortar and pestles, and scissors to a large sensory bin. Active world trays are a great choice for the bin.

Next, place a non-breakable pitcher or vase with water and Bergenia flowers in the center and spread the large glossy leaves around it.

Then set in twigs and small rocks. The bin is now ready to investigate.


Exploring the Bergenia Flower Sensory Bin

Invite participants to smell, feel, cut, mix, and grind the supplies in the sensory bin.

Explain that the Bergenia plant is also called “elephant ears” (because of the shape of the big, waxy leaves), or “pigsqueak” (because of the sound two leaves make when rubbed together.)

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Encourage children to rub two leathery Bergenia leaves together to make pigsqueak sounds.

Don’t be surprised if your little charges describe the leaves as being lettuce, and call the stems rhubarb, as this plant bears a resemblance to both.

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Salt and Ice Science Experiment

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This salt and ice science experiment is simple to set up and fun to do. Just a few supplies are needed for this ice-cold science activity. It’s perfect on a hot day, and makes a good pirate theme or Mother’s Day activity.

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Supplies to Collect

Gather the following supplies for this ice and salt science experiment:

  • food storage trays
  • food coloring
  • acrylic gems
  • bowl with salt
  • teaspoons
  • paint pot with water
  • eye droppers or pipettes
  • play tweezers
  • tray
  • safety glasses
  • waterproof table cover

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Preparing the Salt and Ice Science Experiment

To prepare this science experiment, freeze gems in ice for two or three days.

Start by adding a layer of water with a few squirts of food coloring stirred in to the bottom of a food storage tray.  Liquid watercolor paint also works well to tint the water.

Next, spread a handful of acrylic gems in the liquid. Then, carefully set the tray in the freezer.

Remove the tray from the freezer and add more water and gems the following day. Freeze the tray overnight again.

The third day, the ice is ready for the science and sensory activity. Many gems will be near the surface of the ice, and some may be sticking out a little. This is fine for younger children.

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To add more challenge for older children, pour a thin layer of water over the frozen gem-filled ice and freeze the tray again before setting out the activity.

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The Salt and Ice Science Experiment

When the layers of water are frozen, remove the ice from the food storage tray and set it on a large, edged tray placed on a table protected with a waterproof table cover.

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Add a bowl of salt with a teaspoon, an eye dropper or pipette in a paint pot filled with water, and a small bowl ready for freed gems. Include a set of play tweezers and a second teaspoon on the tray.

Drip water and sprinkle salt on the ice, and pry out the gems using teaspoons and tweezers. The salt and ice help melt the ice, making the removal of gems quicker and easier. Note: Safety glasses are recommended for this activity as gems may pop out of the ice. Check freed gems for broken edges and discard them.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Variations of the Salt and Ice Science Experiment

For variety or to use supplies on hand, replace the acrylic gems in this salt and ice science experiment with pom poms or animal figurines. Ocean animal figurines are a popular choice for this activity.

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Skip adding food coloring to the water during the freezing process. Note: The ice will be a little clearer if you use filtered or distilled water.

Offer the activity to a group of children by freezing four or more trays of gem-filled water and setting the supplies for each participant in a large active world tray.

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Explaining the Salt and Ice Science Experiment

Salt lowers the temperature of water. For this to happen, it must be in a solution with liquid water. The salt and water solution created in this experiment melts the ice quicker than letting the ice liquify on its own.

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Tying In Mother’s Day

This salt and ice science experiment is a perfect Mother’s Day activity. After freeing gems from ice, allow participants to pick one to glue to a Mother’s Day greeting that says “Mom, you’re a gem.” Allow them to save more gems in a small container to add to their treasure collection.

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Snowflake Cafe Dramatic Play Center

Bring wintertime fun into your classroom or playroom with this Snowflake Café Dramatic Play Center Printable Set! Perfect for cold-weather learning, this cozy café invites children to step into imaginative play as bakers, servers, and customers—offering winter-themed cookies and warm cups of hot chocolate.

This engaging, winter-themed pretend play resource

  • is ideal for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary classrooms
  • supports dramatic play, counting, writing, and social skills
  • is great for winter units, indoor recess, or learning centers
  • is perfect for a play date
  • is excellent activity to pack on trips
  • is easy to prep—just print, cut, and play
  • is easy to store

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What’s Included in This Printable Set

  • 9 winter-themed cookie choices
  • Cookies in cookie pans
  • 3 hot chocolate choices
  • Snowflake Café signs
  • Open & Closed signs
  • Price list/menu
  • Daily Special sign
  • Two styles of order forms (perfect for different ages and skill levels)
  • Store labels for organizing your café setup
  • Play money
  • Recipe suggestion form
  • 40 printables in all

Whether you’re creating a seasonal dramatic play center, adding fresh excitement to your winter curriculum, or introducing a fun winter activity at home, the Snowflake Café printable set is a delightful way to keep children learning and playing throughout the season.

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More Activities With Ice

Hockey Game Small World

Paint Pour Ice Cake Sensory Play

Ice Drum Musical Instruments

Painting Ice and Snow

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