sensory

Sea Star Activities And Facts

August 3, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Sea star theme activities for early learners. Art, sensory, and math activities featured. Sea star facts and links to resources included.

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Sea stars have no trouble taking the spotlight along the sea edge or in an aquarium. They are stunning ocean creatures and come in a huge array of colors. And these sea star activities for early learners? They deliver.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more activities.

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Ten Fast Facts About Sea Stars

Many sea stars live in shallow water; all live on the ocean floor.
Five-armed sea stars are common, but some have 10, 20, or even 40 arms.
Just like octopuses, sea stars can grow back a lost arm.
Sea star eyes are at the end of their arms and look like red spots.
Up to thirty-five years is how long sea stars can live.
Sea water gets pumped through sea star bodies instead of blood.
Hundreds of tube feet on the underside of their bodies help sea stars move, hang on to rocks, and pull away.
Sea stars have soft bellies and tough spiny or leathery skin on their backs.
Clams, oysters, and snails are foods these carnivorous creatures eat.
Their bright colors allow sea stars to blend in with their surroundings, and help scare off attackers.

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Sea Star Activities

Sea Star Sensory Tray

Sea stars purchased at a craft store, and seashells, smooth rocks, and gems arranged in blue-hued water make an inviting sensory tray for early learners to explore.

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Sea star sensory tray with different sized sea stars and rocks, shells, and gems. The base for the sensory tray is blue water.

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Sea Star Counting

Colorful sea star counters and a ten frame give little learners hands-on counting practice. Download the ten frame here.

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Taste Safe Playdough And Sea Stars

This no-cook, easy-to-make playdough recipe is taste safe. Anyone with a sweet tooth will love it.

You will need:

1 cup store-bought vanilla frosting
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup icing sugar
yellow and red food coloring

Mix and knead the frosting, cornstarch, and icing sugar in a bowl. This should make a moldable dough. If the playdough is a little sticky, knead in a bit more cornstarch. If the dough is dry, add a spoon or two of frosting.

Divide the dough into a large and small lump. In the smaller lump, knead in a little yellow and red food coloring. Place the playdough pieces on a tray along with sea stars, sea star molds, shells, stars, and chocolate chips. (Read on to find out why chocolate chips are on the tray.) Any ocean-themed loose parts you have handy will work.

Invite your early learner to explore the playdough and loose parts.

Sea star sensory play invitation using taste safe playdough.

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The recipe makes enough playdough for one or two children to use. Multiply the ingredients if more little learners are participating in the activity.

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Playdough Chocolate Chip Sea Star

Yes, there are starfish named “chocolate chip sea stars!” These sea stars come in a variety of colors but always have dark brown spots on top. They grow up to 15 inches / 38 centimeters in size and make good pets.

Invite your little learner to mold a five-armed chocolate chip sea star with the vanilla playdough. Then encourage adding little dots of orange-red playdough to the top of the starfish, and pressing in chocolate chips. This will complete the sea star.

Chocolate chip sea star made with taste safe playdough.

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This sea star is featured in the engaging picture book “I See Sea Food: Sea Creatures That Look Like Food” by Jenna Grodzicki.

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Sea Star Art

Taste safe painted sea star inspired by the pink short-spined sea star.

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The two-ingredient paint recipe used in this art activity has previously been featured in my Octopus Theme Activities blog post. It works well in sea star art too. This project is inspired by the pink short-spined sea star. Click the link below for a video tutorial.

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View a Sea Star Art video tutorial.

Video tutorial featuring a taste safe painted starfish inspired by the pink short-spined sea star. This is an all-ages art activity.

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Fun Fact: Pink short-spined sea stars don’t mind getting dirty. They can be spotted in sand or mud, or on rocks and coral.

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Sea Star Sorting

A purchased package of sea stars provides an opportunity to order these star-shaped creatures from largest to smallest, or vice versa. The gigantic sea star included below is a garage sale find.

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Invitation to order sea stars from largest to smallest.

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Sea Star Observation

Although it is tempting to pick up sea stars, they should not be touched, poked, moved, or taken out of the water. It is best to observe them in an aquarium or while snorkeling.

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If you live near the ocean, there are likely many opportunities to see sea stars up close. But whether you do or don’t, the blog post “19 Bizarre And Beautiful Starfish Species” is a good read. It is packed with fascinating sea star facts and photos. Viewing the article is a good follow-up to the hands-on sea star activities featured in my post.

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Canada Day Sensory Bin

June 27, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Canada Day rice-based sensory bin with red and white items perfect for little hands to explore.

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On July 1 each year, our country celebrates Canada Day. Festive decorations are typically red and white, with a good dose of maple leaves. This design scheme is patterned after the Canadian flag. So here’s a red and white Canada Day sensory bin incorporating our Canadian flag, maple leaves, and lots of red and white. The tactile bin is perfect for little ones to help celebrate our country’s birthday.

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Items in The Canada Day Sensory Bin

brown rice
red measuring cups
Canadian flag trinkets
maple leaf themed baking cups
miniature party hats
white pompoms
red feathers
maple leaf-shaped ice cubes
play food apples
heart-shaped toothpicks

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This Canada Day-themed sensory bin is easy to put together and promises loads of enjoyment.

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What day of the year do you celebrate your country’s birthday? Is there a favorite sensory bin or activity you offer? Share in a comment below.

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Related:

Canada Day Sensory Play

Spin Painting Maple Leaf Art

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[Read more…]

0ctopus Theme Activities

April 20, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky 2 Comments

This post has been updated to include a free downloadable octopus template.

The octopus is a fascinating creature with no shortage of unique characteristics. The sea animals make a cheery topic for early learning activities. And after learning a few surprising facts about them, your family may even choose one for a pet!

Octopus theme facts, crafts, and small world play. The stunning feature art activity uses kitchen supplies. Art and science fun with learning for all ages.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more activities.

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Ten Fast Octopus Facts

Octopuses have 8 long arms with hundreds of tiny suction cups on them called suckers. Octopuses can feel, smell, and grab food and objects with them. They grow back an arm if they lose one.
Octopuses are very smart. They can solve simple puzzles and mazes. They take things apart. They have good memories.
Many octopuses prefer living on the ocean floor in deep waters. A few live in shallow waters.

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Octopuses live alone in dens they make or in shells they squeeze into and pull over themselves. They have no bones in their bodies, so they can fit into small spots.
Two large bulging eyes help octopuses see very well.
Having blue blood helps octopuses keep warm in colder water.
Crawling is the easiest way for octopuses to get around. Their hearts stop beating when they swim, which is much more tiring. They can also crawl on land.
Most octopuses are shy and solitary. An exception is the California two-spot octopus, which is not as afraid of people.
Octopuses squirt out a blackish, poisonous ink at animals that want to eat them. The ink makes the water dark and irritates the predators’ eyes. It also hurts their sense of smell and taste.
Camouflage is their specialty. Octopuses can change color and texture quickly so they look like the plants and rocks around them. They also use color to stand out or communicate with other octopuses. Some hues they can transform into are grey, brown, pink, blue, or green.

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California Two-Spot Octopus

Because of its striking eyespots underneath its real eyes, the California two-spot octopus is a standout. In a neutral surrounding, this octopus can look greyish with yellow spots. The false eyes range from lighter to darker shades of blue.

The California two-spot lives in shallow waters, so many people have seen one. This crustacean is friendlier than other octopuses and can make a good pet.

Click here for pictures and an informative article about this well-known octopus.

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California Two-Spot Octopus Art

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You will need:

cardstock paper octopus
yellow, blue, and metallic grey dot paint dabbers
black permanent felt pen

Trace and cut out a cardstock octopus. Feel free to download the template below to use for the project.

Download this free octopus template for art and craft projects.

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Octopus PrintableDownload

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Invite your early learner to draw eyes and a smile on the octopus with the felt pen. Ask your little one to decorate the octopus to look like the California two-spot using dot paint dabbers.

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Textured Octopus Craft

This painted, shiny pink and yellow octopus has neutral Toasted O’s suction cups.

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Octopus art activity using supplies easily found in the kitchen. An all-ages art activity.

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Your early learner can decorate a similar one with an easy-to-make, taste-safe paint using kitchen supplies.

Supplies To Collect:

white corn syrup
food coloring
Toasted O’s cereal
baby food jars
paintbrushes
spoons
cardstock paper octopus
black permanent felt pen

Invitation to paint an octopus with taste safe paint. An all=ages activity.

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Cut out an octopus pattern and ask your early learner to draw on a smile with the felt pen. (The downloadable octopus printable will work well for this craft too.)

Help your early learner mix a squirt or two of food coloring into a little white corn syrup poured into baby food jars.

Invite your little one to paint the octopus.

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Afterward, your early learner can push craft eyes and Toasted O’s suction cups into the tacky paint to complete the project.

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View a video tutorial for the Octopus Craft.

Octopus craft using taste safe ingredients.

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Octopus Sensory Tub

Your little one can help design and play in this simple sensory tub. The tub is a repurposed flying saucer sled.

Invitation to add cheerios cereal to a painted octopus. All supplies for this craft are easily found in the kitchen. An all-ages art activity.

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The sensory tub includes:

rocks, shells, and marine plants
an octopus figurine
other sea creatures such as a sea turtle, crab, and stingray fish
transparent gems

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Although shy and mysterious in the wild, octopuses have heaps of talent and spunky personalities. Would you consider having one for a pet?

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[Read more…]

Charlotte’s Web Book Theme

April 9, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Charlotte's Web storybook activities. Sensory tubs, crafts, and games for children. Art, math, and language arts opportunities to learn.

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This Charlotte’s Web Book Theme is based on the best-selling children’s chapter book by E. B. White. The story centers around a pig named Wilbur, a spider named Charlotte, two farm families, and other colorful barnyard animals. The latter part of the story celebrates the sights, sounds, and excitement of a country fair.

For a summary of the book, click here:

E. B. White is quoted as saying that he wrote Charlotte’s Web for children, and for his own enjoyment. But I thoroughly relished rereading the tale through an adult lens.

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Charlotte’s Web Book Theme Activities

There is plenty of inspiration in the story for farm and country-themed early learning activities.

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Sensory Bin: Wilbur’s Pen

Inspiration: When Wilbur gets a little bigger, he is moved to the barn on Mr. Zuckerman’s farm.

Wilbur's pen in the barn rice sensory bin with a spider web printable.

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Offer a sensory tub for your child with the following items:

brown rice base
fence pieces
pig
large spider
baby spiders
cookie cutter spider web
cotton batting
sign over Wilbur’s pen
wooden alphabet letters
white pearl beads
pink gems
shells
black and pink buttons
pink straws

Small World: Haying Time

Inspiration: July is haying time on the farm. The barn is overstuffed with hay, and Fern and Avery Arable enjoy riding on the hay wagon.

Set up a sensory tub farmyard scene for your early learner with the following:

kraft colored shredded paper hay
barn
tractor and hay wagon
farm animals
farmer, boy, and girl figurines
fences and trees

Haying time sensory bin with shredded paper hay, tractor, wagon, barnyard animals, and farm family figurines.

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Art: Daisy Crown

Inspiration: In the farmyard, Fern makes a crown out of daisies.

Invite your child to decorate a paper headband with paper, craft, or real daisies. You can download the headband pattern below.

Daisy crown with felt flowers. — Daisy Crown With Felt Flowers

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Craft crown with paper punched daisies. — Paper Punched Daisy Crown

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Headband PatternDownload

This printable was created in PicMonkey and is for personal or one classroom use only.

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Group Game: What’s In My Pocket?

Inspiration: During his play outside, Avery puts a frog and a snake in his pocket.

Have one child in a group stand behind a divider and hide a snake or frog in a pocket.

Pick another child in the group to guess whether a snake or frog has been slipped into the pocket.

If a child isn’t wearing clothing with a pocket, one can be made from sturdy cardstock paper. Cut out a pants pocket, and glue it onto an 8 1/2 inch x 11-inch piece of cardstock.

"Guess What's In The Pocket" game with a snake and frog. This game is inspired by the storybook "Charlotte's Web."

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Sensory Tub: Templeton’s Treasures

Inspiration: Templeton, the barn rat, is a “packrat” and finds everything interesting and useful to collect.

Templeton the rat's treasure finds sensory tub. Toys, play food, loose parts, descriptive words, and a rat figurine are added to the bin.

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Offer a sensory tub with the following items:

kraft colored paper shred
rat figurine
recycled items
toys
play food
kind words cut from newspaper advertisements

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Sensory Game: Hopping Frogs

Inspiration: One of Avery’s frogs jumps into Mrs. Zuckerman’s dishpan full of soapy water.

Have your child flip hopping frogs into a tray filled with soapy water.

Frog and dishpan game inspired by the storybook "Charlotte's Web."

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Art: Buttermilk Painting

Inspiration: Mrs. Zuckerman gives Wilbur a buttermilk bath the morning he is taken to the fair.

Using a sponge brush, invite your early learner to spread buttermilk with a little sugar in it (to add shine) over a pale pink paper pig.

Decorate Wilbur Pig with buttermilk "paint." An art activity inspired by the storybook "Charlotte's Web."

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Or have your child decorate the pig with white poster paint.

Paint the pig white. An art activity inspired by the storybook "Charlotte's Web."

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Group Game: Guess The Hand

Inspiration: Avery and Fern get quarters, dimes, and nickels to spend at the fair.

Ask one child to stand behind a divider and hide a coin in one hand. Invite another child to guess which hand the coin is in.

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Math: Count The Eggs

Inspiration: In the barn, a goose lays eggs. Each time, mention is made of how many she lays.

Set out an egg carton with plastic or real cooked unshelled eggs. Ask your early learner to add some of the eggs to a shredded paper nest and pick the corresponding wooden number.

Counting eggs math activity inspired by the storybook "Charlotte's Web."

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The book Charlotte’s Web offers a treasury of inspiration for early learning activities. And if you haven’t read the tale for a while, curl up in your favorite spot and give it a read!

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[Read more…]

Easter Sensory Tub

April 6, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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With so many craft supplies and basket fillers available to purchase, a colorful Easter sensory tub is easy to put together. Easter bunnies have taken over this water-based sensory table. I hope they get back to work soon to finish delivering their Easter eggs!

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Easter sensory items in the water table:

plastic eggs (various sizes)
egg holders
egg-shaped gems
salad tweezers/clamps
Easter-themed erasers and cookie cutters
bendable bunnies (various sizes)
plastic bunny candy cups
Easter baskets
food coloring of choice

Neon green food coloring is used in this activity. I’ve used pink, purple or yellow food coloring in the past.

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Do you have a suggestion for something I could add to this Easter sensory tub? I’d love to hear about it.

For more activities, check my Pinterest Board Easter.

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