Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

sensory play

Christmas Sensory Play

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

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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.

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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.

Christmas-themed rice sensory tray.

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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

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Christmas-themed loose parts tray for sensory play.

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Additional containers for pouring and filling could be included.

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Christmas-themed containers for sensory play.

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Related: Llama Llama Holiday Drama Sensory Bin

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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-themed water sensory tub.

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Christmas erasers are bound to be a hit!

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

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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)

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[Read more…] about Christmas Sensory Play

Flower Theme Activities

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Flower theme art, sensory, and pretend play activities. Early learners will love the winged creatures (dragons, unicorns, and an angel) featured in the theme.

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Last spring I picked up two voluminous begonia plants that had large wing-shaped leaves. One plant was called “dragon wing begonia,” and the other was a double pink-flowered variety with similar wing-like leaves. The vigorous plants inspired dragon and flower theme activities for early learners, and angel and unicorn play.

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Nonstop Pink Begonia Flower Activities

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Nonstop pink begonia still blooming after Canadian Thanksgiving Day.
Nonstop Pink Begonia

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Begonia “Through The Seasons” Sensory Tray

Around Canadian Thanksgiving Day, the nonstop pink begonia was still blooming profusely. At the same time collecting pine cones was on my list of tasks to do. By the end of the week, snow was in the forecast. Our area didn’t get snow, but many places in our province did. The mingling of elements of summer, fall, and winter in that week was the inspiration for this sensory tray for little learners. Included are flower leaves and blooms, pine cones, and cotton ball snow. Rocks, stone eggs, and a show-stopping dragon round out the tray.

Three seasons sensory tub with pine cones, begonia leaves and flowers, and cotton ball snow. A dragon and stone eggs complete the tub

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Flower Angel

Puffy begonia flowers and leaves arranged in an angel craft are a pretty way to highlight the blooms of the plant. The angel can be a table decoration and conversation piece during snack or lunchtime.

Nonstop pink begonia still blooming after Canadian Thanksgiving Day.

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Flower angel made with nonstop pink begonia blooms.

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Mud Kitchen Sensory Table

A piece of cardboard with stove elements drawn on with a black permanent felt pen and crayon works magnificently for flower-themed “indoor mud kitchen” play. Set it out on a table with flowers, leaves, spoons, and a mortar and pestle. Or offer the blooms and accessories outdoors for kitchen play.

Flower-themed indoor mud kitchen. Nonstop pink begonia leaves and flowers, mortar and pestle, pots and pans, and a cardboard stove top complete the play invitation.
Cardboard Stove Top

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Flower Petals And Playdough

Offer the leaves and flower petals with scented playdough for your little ones to use.

Coconut and strawberry playdough with nonstop pink begonia leaves and flower petals.

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Unicorn Water Play

Float begonia leaves and flowers in turquoise colored water in a tub filled with rubber unicorns and pink and white loose parts. The items in this inviting sensory tub are:

  • begonia leaves and flowers
  • ice cube flowers and fish
  • shells
  • pearl gems
  • buttons
  • rubber unicorns
Unicorn and nonstop pink begonia sensory tub. Gem pearls, fish and flower ice cubes, shells, and buttons are part of the water tub.

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Related: Sunflower Unicorn

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Dragon Wing Begonia Flower Activities

Dragon wing begonia plant.
Dragon Wing Begonia

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When I saw the plant named “dragon wing begonia,” I knew it was destined for early childhood play. Here are two inviting activities this plant can shine in.

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Castle-Themed Sensory Tray

Begonia leaves and flowers, rocks, and stone eggs are included in this flower-inspired tray for little ones. A dragon, king, and princess figurine offer serious play potential in the tray.

Castle-themed sensory bin with a dragon, king, princess, and dragon wing begonia leaves and flowers.

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Cardboard Dragon Craft

Dragon wing begonia leaves are the wings in this painted cardboard dragon craft. Flowers accent the mythical creature.

Cardboard dragon with dragon wing begonia wings and flower accents.

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Note: 

Begonia plants are not poisonous to people. But the plants are toxic to dogs and cats and should be kept in pots out of their reach.

Children require supervision while participating in the activities shown in this post. When play is finished, they should wash their hands with soap and water.

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These flower theme activities work well when frost threatens and the growing season is over. They allow early learners to explore the low-maintenance, show-stopping plants with loose parts in art and sensory play.

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[Read more…] about Flower Theme Activities