rice bin

Christmas Sensory Play

December 15, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Christmas-themed sensory play with festive loose parts in a rice based tray and a water tub.

_______

With a host of seasonal loose parts available to purchase in the fall, Christmas sensory play experiences are easy and economical to put together. These two festive tubs are sure to delight your little learners.

_______

Christmas Rice Sensory Tray

Glutinous rice is the base for this tray. The word glutinous means glue-like; the rice does not contain gluten. The grains are super white, showcasing the loose parts in the tray. But any kind of rice would work well.

_______

Pour a layer of rice into a tray or plastic tub. Add loose parts from the list below, or substitute accessories you have available. Invite your early learners to explore the tray.

Loose parts:

red, green, and white buttons
ice cube stars, snowmen, and trees
acrylic gem snowflakes and lights
metallic snowflakes
foam Christmas shapes and alphabet letters
candy-striped straws
red bowl and spoon

_______

Christmas-themed loose parts tray for sensory play.

_______

Additional containers for pouring and filling could be included.

_______

Christmas-themed containers for sensory play.

_______

Christmas Water Sensory Tub

Pour a few liters of lukewarm water into a plastic tub. Drop in accessories from the list above or pick from your own stash of loose parts. Adding just a few Christmas-themed loose parts will set the stage for enjoyable learning through play.

A clear plastic present is a highlight of the sensory tub below.

_______

Christmas erasers are bound to be a hit!

Christmas erasers are a stand out in this festive water sensory tub.

_______

Learning Through Play Possibilities

Rich learning takes place when children participate in these Christmas sensory play invitations. Some learning possibilities are:

sorting green and red shapes (math – set making; language – color recognition)
counting shapes (math – counting)
comparing shapes to those of others (language development; paying attention to detail)
filling and emptying the plastic present (math/language – empty/full)
noticing how the foam shapes stick to the sides of the present (science)
recognizing letters of the alphabet (language -letter recognition)

_______

[Read more…]

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.

_______

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.

_______

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

_______

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

_______

_______

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.

_______

[Read more…]

Snowman Sensory Play

January 17, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

These snowman sensory play ideas can be explored any time of year – winter or summer. When it’s super cold out and there is real snow on the ground, I’d rather play with these activities indoors!

_______

Snowman themed sensory play. Rice bins, sensory tube, and ten frame activities for early learners. Free printable included.

_______

Snowman Sensory Play Supplies

Collect these supplies for the activities that follow:

clear chunky gems
silver snowflake confetti, bead garland strips, and balls
white pom poms
orange beads, pom poms, and pipe cleaner pieces
black buttons and beads
snowmen buttons, ice cubes, and bottles
silver spoons

_______

Loose parts and snowman themed supplies to use in a sensory tray or tube.

_______

Snowman Sensory Tray

The materials are sprinkled on a white rice base in a square metal tray. The snowmen bottles are the find I was most excited about.

_______

Snowman sensory tray with a rice base and loose parts. Snowman bottles, ice cubes, and buttons are the highlights of the tray.

_______

An easy alternative to themed bottles is to draw snowmen’s faces on clear cups with black and orange permanent markers. Design some extra faces for snack cups…a dandy idea featured on a post from passionforsavings.com.

_______

Snowman sensory tray with a rice base. Clear cup snowmen, themed buttons, and snowmen ice cubes are included along with clear, orange, and black bits and baubles.

_______

Funnels, dessert cups, large white pom poms, and snowmen erasers would also make great additions.

_______

Ten Frame Activities

Ten frame activities are perfect for this snowman sensory tray. The frame makes it easy to introduce counting and adding challenges.

_______

_______

Include this ten-frame printable (downloadable below) in the center and have your child find …

seven snowmen buttons
five ice cube snowmen
six orange beads and four black beads
five black parts and five orange parts
ten objects of any kind

_______

Snowman themed ten frame activity using rice bin supplies. Snowmen buttons and ice cubes with loose parts sprinkled in are ready to count in this math prompt.

_______

Ten FrameDownload

_______

An egg carton with two sections trimmed off transforms into a ten frame. A bonus is that the cups easily contain the supplies.

_______

An egg carton with one section cut off makes a perfect ten frame for counting snowmen buttons and ice cubes and loose parts.

_______

Snowman Themed Sensory Tube

Extend play possibilities by adding these snowman-themed materials to a sensory tube. You can get by with less of each supply, and variety is always nice!

_______

Snowman sensory tube with a rice base and loose parts. Snowman ice cubes and buttons are the highlights of the tube.

_______

You can never go wrong with a snowman theme, for any age! I hope these snowman sensory play activities enhance your child’s hands-on learning opportunities with this beloved topic.

_______

[Read more…]

New Year’s Sensory Tray

January 14, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

This New Year’s sensory tray shines bright with gold and silver accents. Two watch heads are the highlight of the bin, and children treasure finding them.

_______

New Year's sensory tray with gold and silver pieces. Two watch heads are the highlights. This tray offers math, language and sensory opportunities for learning.

_______

The collection of pieces below is all gold with a few silver parts added in. The musical instruments are black, only because the gold finish wore off in previous play! The alphabet letters are cut from “Happy New Year” necklaces.

_______

Gold and silver supplies to use in a New Year's sensory tray. Opportunity to sort and count pieces and make sets. Invitation to spell the wish "Happy New Year."

_______

The base ingredient is parboiled rice, as its yellow hue complements the gold tone of the bin. The ingredients are showcased in a silver metal square-shaped tray.

_______

A square-shaped silver metal tray is perfect for showcasing the gold and silver pieces in this New Year's sensory play center.

_______

Items In The New Year’s Sensory Tray:

parboiled rice
antique watch heads set to 12:00
tube confetti
confetti party hats and stars
sequins
foil pieces
tiny balls
beads
pom poms
bead garland strips
tinsel
bells
musical instruments
alphabet letters that spell the wish “Happy New Year”
star dessert cups
spoons

_______

Safari Toob musical instruments would be a stand out in this tray.

_______

Activities To Extend Exploration

Your early learner will enjoy sifting through the sensory tray and filling the star dessert cups with treasures. A few prompts will extend learning opportunities.

_______

New Year's sensory tray with gold and silver pieces. Two antique watch heads are the highlights. This tray offers math, language and sensory opportunities for learning.

_______

Search And Find Challenges

Challenge your child to…

find letter H, Y, etc.
collect five pom poms
shake bells in cupped hands to make music
search for watch heads
find three silver stars and two gold stars
add musical instruments to a star dessert cup

_______

Spelling “Happy New Year”

Cut necklaces into “HAPPY NEW YEAR” sections. Ask your little one to find the letters that make up the new year’s greeting.

_______

New Year's sensory tray with an invitation to spell the wish "Happy New Year". This tray offers sensory, math and language opportunities for learning.

_______

The gold and silver pieces are not precious metals, but this New Year’s sensory tray has a rich feel that is sure to be inviting.

_______

To create a similar tray, keep an eye out for baubles to recycle from Christmas events or gift openings. As an alternative, you can put together a bright, colorful bin as seen at rubberbootsandelfshoes.

_______

[Read more…]

Llama Christmas Sensory Bin

December 10, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

This post was edited on December 12, 2022.

_______

Llama themed sensory bin inspired by the picture book "Llama, Llama Holiday Drama" by Anna Dewdney.

_______

A llama Christmas sensory bin is sure to captivate your little learners. It’s a superb way to give children access to the rich colors and textures of the Christmas season.

This festive bin is inspired by the storybook “Llama Llama Holiday Drama,” written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney. In the picture book, little Llama becomes overwhelmed helping his mama with holiday preparations. There are so many things to do, and the wait for Christmas seems much too long. Amid the busy, bustling season, Mama Llama takes time to stop and snuggle with Llama Llama, saying that “having each other is the true gift” at Christmas.

Llama Llama’s pre-Christmas experience is one that children can relate to. And parents and caregivers get a gentle reminder to slow down and spend some snuggle time with the “littles” in their lives.

_______

Llama Christmas Sensory Bin Supplies

With adorable llama-themed Christmas decorations readily available, a llama-inspired bin is easy to put together. Purchase a few nonbreakable llama ornaments, and add Christmas-themed sensory items in colors that complement them.

_______

This sensory tub includes

brown rice
llama Christmas decorations (cut from a garland)
small gift boxes
felt Christmas tree decoration
gingerbread decoration
mini Christmas cookie cutters
sparkle pom poms
bows
bells
metallic snowflakes
metallic trees

_______

A llama-themed sensory bin offers young children a chance to play with festive contemporary decorations along with well-loved staples.

_______

What’s your current theme for Christmas decorating? Is a color scheme or favorite type of ornament taking center stage? Drop a comment below.

_______

To view a read-aloud version of the picture book “Llama, Llama Holiday Drama”, click here.

_______

[Read more…]

Ugly Christmas Sweater Activities

November 19, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

_______

The Ugly Christmas Sweater trend has resurfaced, and for a few years I couldn’t figure it out. Having a passion for fashion, I didn’t understand why anyone would want to wear a tacky sweater. Until…I read that people host Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties, often to raise funds for charity. Then I saw purpose and humor in them.

Aside from wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, the trend shines in some easy to introduce early learning activities the whole family can participate in.

_______

Ugly Christmas Sweater Sensory Bin

This rice bin includes

Christmas sweater tins
metallic and gem snowflakes
metallic and gem stars
gem light bulbs
bead garland strands
bows
pom poms

_______

Invitation To Decorate An Ugly Christmas Sweater

Craft sweaters from large pieces of paper and glue them to 12 by 12-inch squares of cardstock. Set out a tray with Christmas decorations and supplies for children to decorate the sweaters with.

Christmas decoration themed loose parts tray to design a Christmas sweater.

_______

The tray includes

bows
pom poms
miniature presents
bead garland strands
gem light bulbs
fabric stars
metallic stars and snowflakes
miniature Christmas trees

_______

Invitation to decorate a Christmas sweater with festive loose parts.

_______

This can be a reusable activity, or pieces can be glued on the sweaters for art to display.

_______

Sweater Cookie Baking And Decorating

Bake your favorite butter cookie recipe using a sweater cookie cutter to shape the dough. Or purchase a kit with premade cookies and icing. The creativity shown in decorating the treats will draw smiles from everyone.

_______

Playdough Center

Set out playdough, a sweater cookie cutter, and items for embellishing. Mini Christmas buttons enhance the playdough creations below. Ribbon, gems, pom poms, beads, and sequins work well for this activity.

_______

Ugly Christmas Sweater Tracing And Decorating Center

A station with a sweater tracer felt pens, stickers, gems, colored paper, and other craft supplies allows children to design their own ugly Christmas sweater.

_______

Memory And Matching Games

A Christmas sweater placemat is perfect for matching or memory games.

Ugly Christmas sweater placemat matching game.

_______

_______

Ugly Christmas Sweater Relay Race

Divide children into two teams. Have children on each team take turns running to a station with hats, scarves, and mittens. Children pick up a hat, scarf, or pair of mitts to wear “to keep warm”, and run back to their team.

Stay warm station with sign and winter accessories.

_______

More Activities

For more activities, view a post on child-friendly Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Games at thespruce.com.

_______

Ugly Christmas Sweater Trivia

1. Ugly Christmas sweaters became popular in the 1980s, and were sold under the name “Jingle Bell Sweaters.” They made a showy statement when worn by television or movie comedic actors.

2. They rose in popularity in the early 2000s when people began having “Ugly Sweater Parties”. Events are often held in support of charities.

3. The city of Vancouver, Canada claims to be the birthplace of the “Ugly Sweater Party.” The first one was held in December 2002. An annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party has been held at the Commodore Ballroom in this vibrant city every December since. It is a festive event for the Make A Wish Foundation Of Canada, a charity that grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses.

4. There are Ugly Sweater Runs. People run/walk a course that averages around five km long. At pit stops, they can get hot chocolate, coffee, a hat, mittens, etc. to help them stay warm and finish the race. Funds are raised from these walks for various charities.

5. A National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, started in 2011, is celebrated on the third Friday of December. People can wear their ugly Christmas attire to work and school, and the day often has a festive, holiday feel.

_______

Ugly Christmas sweater decorating station.

_______

Ugly Christmas Sweater Books

These two books are available online from booksellers and are lighthearted reads with lots of tips for including Ugly Christmas Sweaters in holiday festivities.

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book: The Definitive Guide To Getting Your Ugly On by Brian Miller, Adam Paulson and Kevin Wool.

This book has tips for throwing an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party and features pictures and humorous descriptions of some of the craziest ugly Christmas sweaters ever worn. The section on different personas people take on at ugly sweater Christmas Parties is especially entertaining!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party: Christmas Crafts, Recipes, Activities by Brandy and Matt Shay.

A colorful, entertaining book filled with ideas for hosting an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. The book showcases patterns for making ugly Christmas sweaters, ponchos, shoes, legwarmers, headbands, and a Christmas tree dress.

_______

Ugly Christmas sweaters add humor, color, and creativity to the busy Christmas season. Their inclusion into festive parties and fundraisers for charities has me on board. Christmas is definitely better with ugly Christmas sweaters!

_______

How do you feel about ugly Christmas sweaters? Will you be wearing one this Christmas season?

_______

[Read more…]

Chinese New Year Sensory Bin

January 29, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

_______

The Chinese New Year officially begins on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, and it will be the Year of the Pig. The pig is the 12th and last zodiac animal. Some ancient storied explanations are:

The pig was the last to arrive at an important meeting because he slept in.
A wolf destroyed the pig’s house so he had to rebuild it before he could get to the meeting.
The pig stopped to enjoy a feast while taking part in a race. He resumed the race but not surprisingly came in last.
Being pretty pudgy, the pig moved the slowest in the race.

_______

Fascinating Facts About Pigs

Although pigs often get associated with being smelly and dirty, they keep quite clean if they are in a temperature-controlled environment. They only roll around in dirt when they get hot, and this is because they cannot sweat.
As far as smarts go, pigs are considered to be one of the most intelligent animals in the world. As pets, they can figure out how to open a cupboard and can be trained to shake a hoof and rollover.

_______

Predictions For The Year Of The Pig

The Year of the Pig might just be a positive one for everyone! People born in the Pig Year are attributed with an agreeable personality, balanced lifestyle, hardworking nature, and enjoyment of life. These qualities are thought to have a positive influence on all people.

_______

Related:

Year Of The Rat Noodle Bin (Chinese New Year 2020)

Year Of The Ox Sensory Tray (Chinese New Year 2021)

Year Of The Tiger Chickpea Bin (Chinese New Year 2022)

_______

Local Celebrations

In recognition of Chinese New Year, this weekend there will be celebrations all over the city of Edmonton. Events will include lion and dragon dances, music, dancing, and cultural performances. There will be karaoke singing for seniors and crafts for children. West Edmonton Mall will host a talent show as part of their itinerary. The University of Alberta will hold a Lunar New Year Gala, so Asian students can celebrate the holiday and make new friendships while staying in Edmonton to further their studies.

_______

Chinese New Year Sensory Bin

Here’s a sensory bin to celebrate Chinese New Year 2019. The rice base is a neutral color, but colored yellow rice would work well too.

A Chinese New Year 2019 rice sensory bin.

_______

Items In The Sensory Bin:

brown rice
red bowls
red spoons
Asian themed tins
small red cups
chopsticks
gold coins (borrowed from my St. Patrick’s Day stash)
gold and red buttons
red and gold jewels
red garland pieces
gold stars
toy dragons
toy pigs

_______

[Read more…]