sensory

Easter Bunny Light Table Activity

March 23, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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There are a lot of great educational toys for the light table, and I regularly collect them. Routine shopping trips can lead to beautiful, unexpected finds for the center. This Easter bunny light table activity was assembled after a prize find on one of my run-of-the-mill trips.

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Easter Bunny Light Table Supplies

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The following supplies are in this effortless Easter bunny light table activity:

transparent tabletop bunnies
bunny candy holders
transparent plastic egg garland
large clear bowl
clear reusable egg tray
clear plastic egg carton

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The Easter Bunny Light Table Activity

Transparent acrylic and polyester tabletop bunnies were the unique find and are the inspiration for this Easter light table activity.

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Bunny candy holders, easily picked up at dollar stores, add variety to the bunny collection.

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Plastic eggs in transparent spring colors cut from an Easter garland are set in a clear bowl for sorting.

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A clear reusable egg tray and a clear plastic egg carton are the sorting containers.

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More Easter Light Table Ideas

To keep things simpler, skip the transparent bunnies and go with bunny candy holders, transparent fillable Easter eggs, egg trays, and round acrylic gems.

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For more light play fun, set out Easter bunny, chick, and carrot candy holders along with light-up Easter chicks and acrylic gems for little learners to explore.

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More Light Table Play Ideas

Rainbow Light Table Sensory Tray

Gorgeous Eye Dropper Art

Canada Day Light Table

Transparent Page Divider Activities

Light Table Leaf Exploration

Christmas Light Table Small World

Valentine’s Day Light Table Play

Valentine’s Day Jewelry Light Table

St. Patrick’s Day Light Table Tray

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Leprechaun Goop Sensory Bin

March 13, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Have you ever heard of goop? It is made with cornstarch and water and can act both as a liquid and a solid. It is the perfect sensory base to trap or untrap leprechauns in this leprechaun goop sensory bin.

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Leprechaun Goop Supplies

Gather the following supplies for this super slimy goop-based bin:

cornstarch
water
green food coloring
bus tub or saucer sled
spoon for stirring
leprechaun figurines
craft foam shamrocks
reusable ice cube shamrocks
green ping pong balls
green and gold play coins
shamrock necklace pieces
washable tablecloth

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Making the Leprechaun Goop Sensory Bin

Goop is made from two taste-safe ingredients: water and cornstarch. It can be thicker or thinner, depending on how much water you add.

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To prepare the goop, select a bin for the activity. I feature a round saucer sled, but a regular bus tub would work fine. Set the bin on a table covered with a washable tablecloth.

Next, pour two large containers of cornstarch into the bin.

Then fill one of the containers with water and add green food coloring.

Pour the colored water over the goop and carefully stir the mixture with a spoon. You may wish to add a little more water until you get the consistency of a thick slime.

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When the mixture is stirred, set in leprechaun figurines.

Add foam shamrocks, reusable ice cube shamrocks, green ping pong balls, green and gold play coins, and strings cut from shamrock-themed garland to the bin.

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The Leprechaun Sensory Bin

Children of all ages love exploring a goop sensory bin. The goop is sticky so participants can have fun trapping and untrapping leprechauns in it along with using the other supplies.

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Keep a tub of water and a hand towel close by so it is easy to wash up after participants use the sensory bin.

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For variety, add a gel window cling leprechaun or a leprechaun hat and legs to the bin instead of the figurines.

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This activity looks pretty messy, but splotches of goop on the table and floor are easy to sweep up or wipe away with soapy water and a cloth.

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Properties of Goop

With a thicker batch of goop, it is fun to explore its ability to turn from a liquid to a solid and vice versa. Left at room temperature the mixture is a liquid. When the goop is squeezed in a hand it becomes a solid. And when fingers are unfurled, the goop becomes a liquid again. How cool!

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More St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bins

St. Patrick’s Day Woodland Bin

St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Tub

Leprechaun Sensory Play

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Barbie Inspired Dramatic Play

March 9, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Barbie dolls were a favorite toy to play with in my childhood days, and my daughter loved them equally as much. I especially enjoyed dressing the dolls up in all kinds of gorgeous clothing, and styling their hair different ways. When the recent Barbie: The Movie came out I was into the pink hues just as much as the set designers were. And after stumbling across a beautiful Barbie-themed display room at our local Ikea store, I was totally down for creating a Barbie-inspired dramatic play set up for my little learners. As you might expect, it has lots of pink.

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Supplies In The Dramatic Play Set Up

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The following supplies are in the Barbie-inspired dramatic play set up:

pink plates, cups, trays, and dessert bowls
pink tea set
sliced pink pool noodles
painted pink egg flat, egg flat lid, and cup holder
pink curlers and heart-shaped cookie cutters
pink felt hearts and reusable ice cubes
gold tree decorations
gold buttons and bead strands
black and white box
black and white scrabble pieces
gold, pink, black, and white pom poms
white plush snowballs, play eggs, and cotton balls
pink tablecloth
vase of flowers

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The Barbie Inspired Dramatic Play Tablescape

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The overall color scheme for this Barbie-inspired dramatic play center is pink, with loose parts in black, white, and gold. The supplies are set up as a play tablescape but could be spread out on shelves and/or play kitchen appliances.

It is easy to find pink-themed tableware suitable for little learners to play with, and there is plenty of it in this center.

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Although I wondered if I needed any more pink hues, I decided to follow up my idea of having a few little learners paint a four-slot disposable cup holder and an egg carton flat and lid in a bright pink hue. I was glad I did because the results were stunning.

Note: White tempera paint mixed with a little red makes a pretty pink color.

The egg flat works for holding large black pom poms and play eggs.

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The egg flat lid makes a perfect tray for loose parts reimagined as play food.

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The four-compartment cup holder contains drink cups or white plush imaginary muffins or snow cones nicely.

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Little learners love using loose parts, and I enjoy seeing their creativity in playing with them. The black, white, pink, and gold loose parts in this table set up help create the unique color scheme.

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Adding Barbie dolls and Barbie-themed décor would be the perfect addition in this pink-infused dramatic play tablescape.

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Pink Shirt Day Dramatic Play

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Pink Shirt Day Dramatic Play

February 26, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This Pink Shirt Day dramatic play theme is all about the pink. It was inspired by the glorious pink-infused Barbieland set in the recent Barbie film. I am debuting it for Pink Shirt Day, commonly observed in February or May each year.

Pink Shirt Day is a global movement celebrated by more than 100 countries worldwide. The initiative draws attention to the issue of bullying. It is a reminder to be kind and respectful to other people, whether you are at home, at school, at a workplace, or online.

In addition to inviting children and adults to wear a pink shirt, the dramatic play setup further emphasizes the meaning of the color pink on Pink Shirt Day.

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Pink-themed Dramatic Play Supplies

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The following supplies are in this pretend play set up with a whole lotta pink accessories and loose parts:

“Be Kind” place card and stand
fish, flower, and cube-shaped reusable ice cubes
pom poms in various shades of pink
pool noodle slices
miniature tea set
ice cube tray
art caddy
fillable eggs
curlers
buttons
heart-shaped game pieces, erasers, and cookie cutters
disposable plates, cups, and cutlery
food serving containers and tongs
dessert cups and spoons
disposable cup holder and egg carton top
tablecloth
vase with artificial flowers

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The Pink Shirt Day Dramatic Play Invitation

In this rosy dramatic play center, a variety of loose parts complement pink-themed plates, cutlery, serving containers, and a miniature tea set. The supplies come in shades such as pastel pink, hot pink, magenta, and fuchsia.

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A place card with the words “Be Kind” describes the dramatic play theme and provides a literacy opportunity.

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A four-compartment disposable cup holder painted in a glorious pink hue holds cups or larger loose parts.

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An inverted square egg carton lid also painted pink makes a nice-sized serving tray for cookie cutters and cut bun-shaped pool noodle pretend play food.

Note: A little red tempera paint mixed in with white produces a gorgeous pink hue. Painting the cardboard recyclable pieces is a fun activity for children to participate in either individually or as a small group.

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Cutlery and disposable ice cubes are contained nicely in a small art caddy.

Heart-shaped game pieces, cookie cutters, and erasers add to the kindness theme.

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Buttons, curlers, thinly sliced pool noodles, and an ice cube holder round out the supplies in the dramatic play center.

The accessories and loose parts in this super fun pink-themed play invitation offer opportunities for fine motor development, sorting, labeling shades of color, and imaginative play.

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Variation of the Pink-themed Dramatic Play Set Up

With a few pink pieces exchanged for black, gold, and white-themed loose parts, the Pink Shirt Day dramatic play set up easily transitions to an eye-catching Barbie-inspired play kitchen theme. Since it is awards season for Barbie: The Movie, the tweaked play invitation fits perfectly.

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Related: Pink Shirt Day Necklace Craft

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Alphabet and Number Matching Games

February 12, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Children love a little creativity thrown into daily tasks, and wholeheartedly embrace these alphabet and number-matching games with clothespins and a heart. Along with offering fine motor practice, the activities promote literacy and math skills.

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Supplies to Collect

These alphabet and number-matching games are perfect for a Valentine’s Day theme and can be used any time of the year. Just the following few supplies are needed for the heart-themed clothespin activities:

spring-loaded clothespins
large foam heart
small foam or paper hearts
heart doilies and sticker hearts
white glue and glue paddle
hot glue gun
black permanent marker

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Preparing and Offering the Clothespin Activities

To prepare these heart-filled alphabet and number matching activities, select a large foam heart. Or cut one out from a generously sized piece of foam. I feature a pink heart for the activity, but any color heart would work fine.

Then choose spring-loaded clothespins to use. Old-fashioned wooden clothespins are up to the task. They are readily available for purchase at dollar stores, along with other kinds.

Invite little learners to clip clothespins onto the heart for valuable practice in developing finger strength and eye-hand coordination. Pass the heart around a circle during group time to give your little charges practice in turn-taking and sharing. As the children are passing around the heart, you could sing the following song to the tune of “Skip To My Lou My Darling.”

We’re passing the heart and adding a clothespin.

We’re turn-taking with our friends.

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Alphabet Matching Heart Game

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To give this valuable fine motor activity more mileage, write capital alphabet letters around the edge of the large foam heart using a black permanent marker. Then write capital or lowercase letters on small foam or paper hearts, and affix them to clothespins with white glue or a hot glue gun. Add a heart doily and/or heart-shaped stickers for decoration if desired. Invite little learners to match letters as they clip clothespins to the heart.

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Number Matching Heart Game

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For even more learning potential, flip the heart over and write numbers around the edge. You can go with numbers 1 to 10, or add numbers up to 25 if the foam heart is large enough. Then write the same numbers on small foam or paper hearts and affix them to spring-loaded clothespins. This time ask your early learners to match numbers when clipping clothespins on the heart.

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Benefits of Fine Motor Activities

As mentioned above, fine motor activities such as these alphabet and number matching games promote eye-hand coordination and finger strength. Practice using clothespins strengthens the pincer grasp. This is important for self-help skills such as buttoning, tying, and zipping, and for coloring, cutting, and using tools. They are great prewriting exercises.

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