16 Diverse Children’s Books for Spring

Posted on March 15, 2022 by Fullbloomcreativity

Spring is almost here! Which means that it is time to refresh our home library. I have been trying to make a conscious effort to diversify our son’s book selection. When I searched for books with main characters that were minorities, I was having a hard time finding them. A lot of books for Spring either had main characters that are white or animals. Some had no characters at all. So, I decided to compile a list of 16 diverse children’s books for Spring and share them with you.

Diversity in Children’s Literature

Every year, the Cooperative Children’s Book Center releases a report with the amount of children’s and young adult books are written by or about BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). In their 2019 report, it showed that the majority of children’s book have main characters that are white. There are even more books with animals as the main characters than all of the minority groups together. This needs to change.

Bar Graph Showing Diversity in Main Characters of Children's Books

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List of Diverse Children’s Books for Spring

Here is a list of diverse children’s books for Spring that you can enjoy with your children. Almost all of these books have a minority as the main character. They show diversity among people and inclusion.

In a Garden

Written by Tim McCanna

Illustrated by Aimée Sicuro

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

A little boy closely watches what happens in his community’s garden. Read all about the bugs, animals, and weather in the garden. Watch the garden grow and change through the seasons.

Lola Plants a Garden

Written by Anna McQuinn

Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

Grade Level: Preschool-Kindergarten

A little girl named Lola wants to grow her own flower garden. Her mom helps her buy and plant seeds. Lola takes care of her flowers and decorates her garden. She shares her beautiful garden with her friends.

Errol’s Garden

Written and Illustrated by Gillian Hibbs

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

Errol loves to grow plants, but he is running out of space in his apartment. He dreams of having a garden some day. Then, he discovers the empty rooftop of his building and decides to create a rooftop garden. Everyone in the building pitches in to help Errol bring it to life.

City Green

Written and Illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

Marcy lives on a city block where there is a neglected vacant lot. She decides to turn it into a garden. Her neighbors join her in transforming this lot into a community garden. She even builds a special bond with one of the neighbors.

The Tree in Me

Written and Illustrated by Corinna Luyken

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

This book is wonderfully illustrated with bright pinks, oranges, and yellows splashed throughout the pages. This poetic book shows how we each have an inner tree with strength and a connection to nature.

The Falling Flowers

Written by Jennifer B. Reed

Illustrated by Dick Cole

Grade Level: Preschool-2nd

Mayume’s grandmother surprises her with a trip into the big city in Japan. She takes her to see the Japanese cherry blossom trees in full bloom. Mayume loves her surprise and loves playing in the falling flowers.

A Garden to Save the Birds

Written by Wendy McClure

Illustrated by Beatriz Mayumi

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

Callum and his sister, Emmy, want to learn more about birds. They learn that the number of birds in the world is decreasing, and they decide that they want to help change that. Follow along with the changes that they make in their home and garden and throughout the neighborhood to help the birds.

Ruby’s Birds

Written by Mya Thompson

Illustrated by Claudia Dávila

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

Ruby is a spirited girl who loves everything loud. Then, one day her neighbor takes her for a walk in Central Park and teaches her about bird watching. Ruby learns to be quiet, watch, and listen for birds. Did you know that New York City’s Central Park has over 200 different species of birds living in it or passing through it?

Señorita Mariposa

Written by Ben Gundersheimer

Illustrated by Marcos Almada Rivero

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

This lyrical book follows along the journey of a monarch butterfly’s migration to Mexico. The book is written in both English and Spanish. The illustrations are vibrant and fun and show the diversity of people along the way.

My Friend Earth

Written by Patricia MacLachlan

Illustrated by Francesca Sanna

Grade Level: Preschool-Kindergarten

Look at Earth through the eyes of Mother Nature. See the animals, land, sea, weather, and more. This book is beautifully illustrated with flaps and cutouts in the pages to make it more interesting. This book would be perfect to read for Earth Day.

Come On, Rain!

Written by Karen Hesse

Illustrated by Jon J. Muth

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

A little girl is calling for rain as a heat wave takes over the city. The way that the author uses description makes you feel as if you were there and the gorgeous illustrations transport you. As the rain finally comes, the little girl, her friends, and their mothers dance and play barefoot in the rain in the alley.

The Big Umbrella

Written and Illustrated by Amy June Bates and Cowritten by Juniper Bates

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

The book is easy to read and is all about inclusion. The umbrella is friendly, protective, and helpful and gathers people of all walks of life within its shelter. It always has room for more.

Who Likes Rain?

Written and Illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee

Grade Level: Preschool-1st

This book follows a little girl on a rainy day to see who likes the rain. Which animals like the rain? Which do not? I love the lyrical rhythm of the book. There are also a lot fun sounds that you can act out.

Rain!

Written by Linda Ashman

Illustrated by Christian Robinson

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

This story is about how two different people — one grumpy old man and one happy little boy — experience a rainy day. Follow these two along to see their reactions to the same things. Find out what happens when they meet. The book is an easy read and perfect for little ones.

Puddle

Written and Illustrated by Hyewon Yum

Grade Level: Preschool-2nd

On a rainy day, a little boy is bored inside and grumpy that he couldn’t play outside. Then, he creates a rainy day drawing with his mom. Afterwards, they decide to take a walk in the rain. Watch out for the puddles!

Singing in the Rain

Based on the Song by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown

Illustrated by Tim Hopgood

Grade Level: Preschool-3rd

This beautifully illustrated book follows a diverse group of friends on a rainy day. I love the vibrant rainbow of colors. The story is set to the lyrics of the song “Singing in the Rain.”

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Super Mario Sensory Play Table

Posted on March 10, 2022 by Fullbloomcreativity

Do you have a Super Mario Bros. fan at home? If so, they will love this Super Mario sensory play table. I remember getting the first Nintendo game system when I was a little girl (that was a long time ago lol). I can still hear the theme song in my head. It’s definitely an earworm!

I really enjoyed creating this sensory bin, especially since my son and nephew helped me to design it. An added bonus was that it cost me less than $5 to create this activity. Granted, I did have to put in a little time and elbow grease to prep everything.

SUPPLIES FOR MARIO SENSORY PLAY BIN

Pasta (I used ditalini)

Wood Stars

Wood Mushrooms

Coins

Wood Blocks

Paper Towel and Toilet Paper Rolls

Paint and Paintbrush

Super Mario Figurines

Container or Sensory Table

Just a reminder to use your judgment on what items are age appropriate for your child. Some of these items may be choking hazards.

I purchased the coins, wood stars, and wood mushrooms from my local Dollar Tree store. The wood stars and mushrooms came as natural raw wood. I already had the wood blocks and Mario figurine.

For this Mario sensory play activity, I used the FLISAT table and TROFAST bins from IKEA. However, you can use any container that you may already have on hand.

INSTRUCTIONS

I will warn you that there is some prep for this Super Mario sensory play activity. Since I was trying to stay on a budget, I painted everything myself.

1. Begin by painting the paper towel and toilet paper rolls green. These will be the tunnels from the game.

Upcycled Paper Towel and Toilet Paper Rolls

2. Next, paint the wooden stars a bright yellow. After they are dry, add eyes to one side. Do these look familiar to you?

3. Then, paint the mushrooms white with red tops. I added white dots to the tops of the mushrooms. These will be the mushrooms that make Mario grow.

4. Gather some wood blocks to use for building. I received these wood blocks at my baby shower. Everyone who attended decorated them. I selected the most plain ones to use for this sensory bin.

5. Assemble all of the loose parts including some gold coins. I like to use a bin like this and small plastic bowls.

Loose parts for Mario sensory play table

6. Now it is time to paint the pasta. I feel like pasta was the perfect choice for a Mario sensory play bin. I used ditalini noodles.

To color the pasta, add the noodles to a plastic ziplock bag. Then, add the desired paint color. You do not need to use a lot of paint, just a squirt or two. Next, seal the bag and mix the pasta with the paint. After they are completely coated, lay them out to dry on a piece of parchment paper.

7. Assemble your sensory bin. I made an “M” for Mario out of the red pasta and then filled in with the blue pasta and remaining red. If you do not want to do this, you can either use a single color for the pasta or mix the two colors.

INVITATION TO PLAY

I assembled the Super Mario sensory play table while my son was at school. Ben was so excited to see it when he got home. He said, “I’m so happy that you made this for me!” He got right to work playing with it. Of course, the first thing that he did was mix the pasta up.

He built a tower out of blocks for Mario to climb. At the top were gold coins for Mario to collect.

The green tunnels were a big hit. He loved putting everything through the tunnels.

I will have to say that I think that this Super Mario sensory play table was a big hit. I will leave it up throughout the week for Ben to play with.

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All activities here are activities I feel are safe for my own children. As your child’s parents/guardians, you will need to decide what you feel is safe for your family. I always encourage contacting your child’s pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. All activities on this blog are intended to be performed with adult supervision. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when activities call for the use of materials that could potentially be harmful, such as scissors, or items that could present a choking risk (small items), or a drowning risk (water activities), and with introducing a new food/ingredient to a child (allergies). Observe caution and safety at all times. The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any of these activities on this blog.

Colorful Rainbow Popsicle Stick Stars

Posted on March 9, 2022 by Fullbloomcreativity

I am starting a new Dollar Tree Challenge where I will be using 5 items or less from the Dollar Tree to create a project. For today’s project, I made rainbow popsicle stick stars with my son.

I will admit that I have an addiction to the Dollar Tree. Well, I can’t help it. I find so many great things there to use for activities. What is your favorite thing to buy at the dollar store?

Today’s craft can be used for learning about stars and rainbows. They also make great Christmas ornaments. You can use these popsicle stick stars in many different ways.

Use this activity to talk about the colors of the rainbow. You can expand on that by discussing primary and secondary colors.

SUPPLIES FOR POPSICLE STICK STARS

Colored Popsicle Sticks

Hot Glue Gun

Twine

If you do not have colored popsicle sticks, you can paint plain popsicle sticks to use. Personally, I used regular sized popsicle sticks, but you could also use the jumbo size.

All of the supplies came from the Dollar Tree.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Begin by sorting your popsicle sticks by color. You will need 5 popsicle sticks for each star. If you do not have colored popsicle sticks, you can paint plain ones.

2. Create your star out of the popsicle sticks. Then, glue the ends of the popsicle sticks together. Follow along through the step-by-step pictures below.

Just a reminder that an adult should use the hot glue gun.

3. We found a branch that had fallen off a tree in our backyard and hung it with twine from our ceiling. Then, I added twine to the popsicle stick stars and attached them to the branch in order of the colors of the rainbow.

I look forward to sharing more Dollar Tree Challenge activities with you. For another project from this challenge, check out my “Mess-Free Love Painting.”

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How to Make Muddy Oobleck for Dinosaur Sensory Play

Posted on February 24, 2022 by Fullbloomcreativity

After reading I’m a Dirty Dinosaur with my son, I was inspired to recreate the book through sensory play. I asked my son his opinion on what type of mud to make, and he said, “Oobleck!” Then again, he always asks to make oobleck. Going along with the theme of the book, we made muddy oobleck.

The book is about a dinosaur who loves to get dirty by playing in the mud. At the end of the book, the dinosaur takes a bath in swamp water. Therefore, I decided to create two sensory bins – one with muddy oobleck and the other with blue water. This is bound to lead to some messy open-ended play!

The inspiration for this messy sensory play activity came from the book I’m a Dirty Dinosaur written by Janeen Brian and Ann James.

SCIENCE MATTERS

Did you know that oobleck, which is also known as goop, is a non-Newtonian fluid? Do you know what a non-Newtonian fluid is? It is a fluid that changes it’s viscosity under stress. The more stress that is added to the fluid, the more it acts like a solid. When there is no stress, it will act like liquid. Therefore, a non-Newtonian fluid, such as oobleck, is both a solid and a liquid.

Slime is another example of a non-Newtonian fluid. Learn how to make slime three different ways in this blog post.

RECIPE FOR MUDDY OOBLECK

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Cornstarch

1/2 cup Cocoa Powder

1/2 cup Water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stir the cornstarch and cocoa powder together.

2. Add water to the mixture and combine. I found it easiest to use my hands to mix everything together.

You may need to add more cornstarch (if too liquid) or water (if too solid) if your muddy oobleck is not the right consistency. Add a little at a time.

Did you know that muddy oobleck is a taste safe sensory base? This is great to use with kids who put everything in their mouths. While it is edible, I do not recommend eating a ton of it. It doesn’t taste that good!

Muddy Oobleck and Water Bins in Sensory Table

SUPPLIES FOR SENSORY BINS

Muddy Oobleck (recipe and ingredients above)

Dinosaurs

Water

Blue Food Coloring – optional

Cornstarch – optional

2 Containers

For this sensory play activity, I used our FLISAT table from IKEA. However, you can use whatever bins that you have on hand. In one bin, I placed the muddy oobleck with some dinosaurs. In the other bin, I poured water. To create the blue murky water, I added blue food coloring and a little bit of cornstarch to the water.

INVITATION TO PLAY

Don’t forget to involve your children in the process of setting up your sensory play. Helping to make the muddy oobleck and to stage their play works on their ability to follow directions, how to measure things, and fine motor skills. It also helps them feel as if they are a part of the process.

Once you have the sensory table ready, invite your kids to start playing. My son went right into moving the dinosaurs from the mud to the water to wash off. He even added more dinosaurs to the mix.

However, it did not take long before he plunged his hands into the muddy oobleck. He enjoys watching the goop run through his fingers. He also loved completely covering the dinosaurs in mud.

However, he did appreciate having the water bin to wash his hands along with the dinosaurs. Plus, what kid doesn’t like playing in water?!

We had so much fun making and playing in muddy oobleck. Ben really had a great time with this messy sensory bin. What other messy play activities do your kids love?

TIPS AND TRICKS

To keep our FLISAT table from IKEA clean, I recommend draping a shower curtain liner over the table prior to placing the TROFAST bins. This helps with easy clean up. I like to hose the liner down outside once we are all done playing. The liner is used over and over again.
You can add a little cornstarch to the water to make it cloudy.
To prolong the life of your muddy oobleck, store it in the fridge in an airtight container.

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Easy to Make Texture Sensory Balloons For Kids

Posted on February 23, 2022 by Fullbloomcreativity

Have you ever made sensory balloons for kids before? Sensory balloons are wonderful for exploring new textures. These texture filled balls are great for sensory play, using as a stress ball, or being part of a calm down basket for your child. Plus, they are so easy to make.

Sensory balloons are a great way for kids, especially those who have texture sensitivities, to safely investigate new textures. Tactile sensory play is a way to play that engages the sense of touch. This activity is all about touch. Your finger tips can feel so much!

SUPPLIES FOR SENSORY BALLOONS

Balloons

Recycled applesauce containers (or other small containers)

Rice

Lentils

Black Beans

Pinto Beans

Macaroni

Funnel

You can find everything inexpensively at either the Dollar Tree or Walmart. You do not need to use everything on this list. Use whatever you have on hand at your house.

Here is a list of other items that you can use as fillers: water, slime, coffee beans, hair gel, popcorn kernels, marbles, water beads, sand, play dough, salt, etc.

Just a reminder to use your judgment on what items are age appropriate for your child. Some of these items may be choking hazards.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill each balloon with a different filler – rice, lentils, black beans, pinto beans, and macaroni. Tie the top closed.

2. Next, fill each of the small containers with the different fillers.

3. Finally, place everything on a tray. Make sure to mix up the balloons so that they are not next to the cup containing the same filler.

INVITATION TO PLAY

I love to set up an invitation to play for sensory activities. On a tray, line up the cups of different fillers. Then, mix up the sensory balloons and place them next to the cups. Encourage your child to touch, poke, and squeeze the balloons. Then, have them feel the fillers in the cups. Can they identify what filler is in each texture ball?

Remember to not push or force your child to participate if they feel uncomfortable. Allow them to try and explore on their own, in their own way.

Sensory balloons can be used in activities like this. However, they can also be used as a stress ball or be part of a calm down basket for kids.

For more sensory play ideas, please check out these blog posts. Comment below with what items you would use in the sensory balloons.

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How to Make Homemade White Play Dough

Posted on February 17, 2022 by Fullbloomcreativity

We love to make homemade play dough in our house, but have you ever wondered how to make white play dough? Normally, homemade play dough is a tan color, and you would use food coloring to change the color. So, how do you make it white? Well, I’m going to share my little secret….. white paint.

HOMEMADE WHITE PLAY DOUGH RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Flour

1/2 cup Salt

2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar

1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil (or another neutral cooking oil)

1 cup Water

White Non-Toxic Paint (I used Crayola paint)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar in a pot.

2. Add vegetable oil and water to mixture and stir until combined.

3. Add white paint until desired color. Stir until combined.

4. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the play dough starts to take shape and loses its stickiness.

Just a reminder that an adult should use the stove to cook the play dough.

5. Remove play dough from pot and leave on counter until cool enough to handle.

6. Once you are able to handle the play dough, knead the dough for a few minutes to improve its texture. Let it cool completely before using.

I recommend storing the play dough in an air tight container either at room temperature or in the fridge. It should last for a few weeks to months, if stored properly.

White playdough is great for winter sensory play, such as artic habitats, building snowmen, snowflakes, starry sky, etc. One of our favorite ways to use white play dough is for snowmen as you can see in our blog post: DIY Frosty Snowman Play Dough Tray. How would you use white play dough for your sensory play with your children? I would love to hear.

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Valenslime: 3 Ways to Make Homemade Slime

Posted on February 9, 2022 by Fullbloomcreativity

On a recent trip to the library, we discovered Valenslime on the NEW book display. It seemed like fate! This is such a cute book. My science loving five year old was hooked. At the end of the book, the author, Joy Keller, shares three homemade slime recipes that are featured within the book. So, to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, Ben and I decided to recreate these slime recipes.

Valenslime is about a young scientist who created her friend, Goop, from slime that came to life. While making Valentine’s Day cards for her friends, Victoria realizes that she is Goop’s only friend. So, she decides to try to create a new slime friend for Goop. You will have to read the book to se what happens.

At the end of the book, the author shares 3 recipes for homemade slime. I decided to make each of the recipes and see which one that my son liked best. The recipes include a traditional slime, a flower scented soft slime, and an edible chocolate slime (yum).

The book Valenslime created a spark in my imagination from the time that I picked it up off the shelf. I love that the main character is a black female scientist. It is important to show diversity. Females are not represented well in the STEM world, especially not black females. This needs to change.

After reading this slime-tastic book, my son immediately wanted to do science experiments and make slime of his own. I love that the author included three recipes for slime at the end of the book. I made a shopping list and ordered everything that I needed.

In addition to Valenslime, I was also excited to see that Joy Keller has another book with these characters, FRANKENSLIME. We cannot wait to read it! Hopefully, it sparks another round of fun science experiments.

How to Make Homemade Slime

In Valenslime, the author shares three different homemade slime recipes that were featured in the book: a traditional slime, a flower scented soft slime, and an edible chocolate slime. I decided to make all three of the slime recipes and let you know my thoughts and opinions (and those of my 5 year old son too).

Did you know that slime is a non-Newtonian fluid? Do you know what a non-Newtonian fluid is? It is a fluid that changes it’s viscosity under stress. The more stress that is added to the fluid, the more it acts like a solid. When there is no stress, it will act like liquid. Therefore, a non-Newtonian fluid, such as slime, is both a solid and a liquid. Oobleck is another example of a non-Newtonian fluid.

All of the homemade slime recipes are from the book, Valenslime written by Joy Keller and Illustrated by Ashley Belote.

How to Make Homemade Flower Scented Soft Slime

The first type of slime that I decided to make was the “Snifftastic Flower Slime.” It is a soft slime that is made from hair conditioner and corn starch. I added purple flower glitter to the slime for more flower power. The flower scent comes from the hair conditioner. Just to be completely honest, I used strawberry scented conditioner instead of a flower scent, because my son and I like it better. I recommend getting an inexpensive conditioner. I purchased mine at the Dollar Tree (before they increased their prices).

This slime was so easy to make. The texture reminds me of a mix of oobleck and play dough. It was not as stretchy as a traditional slime. Ben and I had fun playing with this slime by hiding flower gems in the slime and trying to find them.

Ben’s Review: Ben loved adding all of the glitter! He also had to try punching this slime to see if it would stay solid. Then he tested the liquidity of it by letting it run through his fingers. Overall, it was a hit.

“Snifftastic Flower Slime”

Recipe from Valenslime written by Joy Keller

SUPPLIES

1/2 cup flower-scented hair conditioner

1 cup corn starch

Food coloring (optional)

Glitter (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix the conditioner and corn starch (a little at a time) in a bowl. The slime will be the color of the conditioner. If you would like a different color, just add food coloring to the conditioner before mixing.

If you would like to add glitter, I recommend adding it before the mixture fully forms. I added some fun purple flower glitter.

2. Work the mixture in your hands until it is the right consistency.

3. Time to play.

The second slime that I made was the “Mouthwatering Chocolate Slime.” This slime is completely edible, which is awesome when you have a little one that puts everything in their mouth. It is made out of marshmallows, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Yum!

This slime was very messy to make with the melted, sticky marshmallows. It was hard to incorporate all of the ingredients together. It became easier as you kneaded the dough. I do not know how to describe this taste-safe slime. It was sticky on the inside and soft and fluffy on the outside. I recommend putting powdered sugar on your hands before playing with it.

Ben’s Review: He wasn’t as crazy about this slime. However, he did love that he could eat it. Ben loved how fluffy and soft that the slime was. His favorite thing was to smoosh it down and watch it rise back up. He also enjoyed stretching the slime. Lots of fun!

“Mouthwatering Chocolate Slime”

Recipe from Valenslime written by Joy Keller

SUPPLIES

1 bag of large marshmallows

Microwave-safe bowl

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup powdered sugar

Cutting board or cookie sheet

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Microwave the marshmallows for 20 seconds, then stir. Repeat this step. If the marshmallows have not melted, microwave at 10 second intervals with stirring after each. Be careful not to burn them!

2. Mix in the cocoa powder with the melted marshmallows.

3. Add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. The slime will be very sticky at this point, so it may be hard to stir.

4. Use either a cutting board or cookie sheet as your work surface. Dust it and your hands with powdered sugar. Knead in as much powdered sugar as you can into your slime mixture.

5. Time to play. This slime is also edible.

The final slime that I made was “Magical Fairy Slime,” which is a traditional homemade slime. It is made using clear school glue, saline solution, baking soda and water. I was apprehensive at first after hearing all of the horror stories about slime, but I was very surprised by how easy this slime was to make.

When you think of slime, this is what I would envision. I also see Slimer from Ghostbusters (I can’t be the only one). It is squishy and super stretchy. I added green food coloring and lots of white and silver glitter to our slime. Also, I just wanted to let you know that it reminded me of when I was a kid and I used to peel dried school glue from my fingers. Please tell me that I am not the only one who did this? P.S. I still do when I do crafts with my son.

Ben’s Review: This slime was hands down his favorite slime. His face just lit up when he saw it. He absolutely loved how stretchy it was. I will definitely be making this slime recipe with him again. Big fans!

“Magical Fairy Slime”

Recipe from Valenslime written by Joy Keller

SUPPLIES

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup clear school glue (6 oz.)

Glitter

1 tablespoon saline solution

Food coloring (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix the warm water and baking soda together until the baking soda dissolves.

2. Add glue. Mix gently to avoid bubbles.

3. Add glitter. You can also add food coloring at this point if you want to.

4. Slowly add saline solution while continuously stirring.

5. Work the slime mixture in your hands. Rub saline solution on your hands to help with the slime sticking to you.

6. Time to play.

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Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Fullbloomcreativity

Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, I decided to create an inexpensive sensory bin inspired by the holiday. We love sensory play in our household!

SUPPLIES FOR VALENTINE’S DAY SENSORY BIN

Rice

Food Coloring

Scoops and Cups

Muffin Tin

Fun Valentine’s Day Fillers (gems, hearts, beads, etc.)

The great thing about this sensory bin is that all of the supplies, and I mean ALL, came from the Dollar Tree. I love to shop at the dollar store for sensory and craft supplies!

Just a reminder to use your judgment on what items are age appropriate for your child. Some of these items may be choking hazards.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dye the rice seasonal colors, such as pink and purple, along with some plain rice. I use a little white vinegar and food coloring to dye my rice. I will be making a post about how to dye rice in the near future. Keep an eye out.

2. Fill your container with the rice. This is your base layer. I then added some heart shaped containers and little white buckets.

3. Next, I used a muffin tin to separate out different fillers. I used glittery hearts, beads, plastic diamonds, and red kiss and heart gems.

4. Finally, I set out additional scoops and silicone heart cupcake holders.

One of the best things about this sensory bin is that I can reuse all of the materials to recreate this sensory bin or make new ones. I love to keep and reuse my sensory bases and fillers. I store my rice in a sealed ziplock bag.

INVITATION TO PLAY

I love setting out activities such as this Valentine’s Day sensory bin and letting Ben discover it on his own. As you can see, he dove right in and started to play. For this particular sensory bin, I did not have a specific purpose, and I did not give any directions to Ben. Therefore, I left him in control of his play and allowed him to use his imagination.

Today, he pretended that he was working in a bakery. The different fillers and rice were used as the ingredients to make cakes. I love seeing where his imagination takes him!

When his cousin came over to play, they pretended that they were mining for diamonds in the rice. This shows you how sensory bins create opportunities for open-ended play.

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Diversity in Children’s Literature

List of Diverse Children’s Books for Spring

SUPPLIES FOR MARIO SENSORY PLAY BIN

INSTRUCTIONS

INVITATION TO PLAY

SUPPLIES FOR POPSICLE STICK STARS

INSTRUCTIONS

SCIENCE MATTERS

RECIPE FOR MUDDY OOBLECK

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

SUPPLIES FOR SENSORY BINS

INVITATION TO PLAY

TIPS AND TRICKS

SUPPLIES FOR SENSORY BALLOONS

INSTRUCTIONS

INVITATION TO PLAY

HOMEMADE WHITE PLAY DOUGH RECIPE

How to Make Homemade Slime

“Snifftastic Flower Slime”

“Mouthwatering Chocolate Slime”

“Magical Fairy Slime”

SUPPLIES FOR VALENTINE’S DAY SENSORY BIN

INSTRUCTIONS

INVITATION TO PLAY

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