Tag Archives: sensory play

Snowflake Sensory Bin Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters

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Snowflake Sensory Bin Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters of the Alphabet

For Christmas this year, I created three smaller sensory bins for our son, Ben. I picked up three clear 6 quart containers with latching lids from Target and filled them up with lots of fun items. Today, I am sharing the snowflake sensory bin that I created for Ben to practice his uppercase and lowercase letters.

Ben is fairly consistent with being able to identify all of the uppercase letters of the alphabet. Recently, the focus has turned more to identifying the lowercase letters. So, I thought that this would be a fun activity to bridge the gap.

Snowflake Sensory Bin Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters

SUPPLIES

Plastic Bin

Rice

Snowflakes

Glittery Styrofoam Balls

Recycled Water Bottle Caps

Paper

Markers

Optional: Scoops and/or Tweezers

I purchased most of the materials at our local Dollar Tree, which is one of my favorite places to shop for art supplies and sensory bin fillers.

Snowflake Sensory Bin Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Begin by assembling the snowflake sensory bin. This could not get any easier. First, dump a bag of rice into the clear container. Then, add the snowflakes and small glittery styrofoam balls.

Snowflake Sensory Bin

2. Next, using a black permanent marker, write the uppercase letters of the alphabet on the recycled water bottle caps (one letter on each cap). After you have finished, add the bottle caps to the sensory bin.

3. Once the sensory bin has been assembled, it is time to draw snowflakes on the paper. The center of the snowflakes should be a circle that you can write the lowercase letters of the alphabet in the middle. I used three pieces of paper to get all 26 letters in snowflakes.

Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters
Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters
Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters

4. Finally, set everything out for your child. Explain how to find the bottle caps in the snowflake sensory bin and match the uppercase letter to the lowercase letter on the paper. Then let them take it from there. I also gave him a few different scoops to use in the sensory bin.

Snowflake Sensory Bin with Water Bottle Cap Letters

INVITATION TO PLAY AND LEARN

Ben absolutely loves sensory bins! He really enjoyed digging in to find the different letters. He did a great job matching the uppercase letters with the lowercase letters. However, he did need help with some of the harder lowercase letters.

Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters using Recycled Water Bottle Caps
Snowflake Sensory Bin

This was such a fun activity. After Ben matched the letters, he continued to play with the snowflake sensory bin. He even built a maze out of blocks and had the styrofoam balls navigate their way through it.

Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters
Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters using Water Bottle Caps

I hope that you give this sensory bin a try with your little ones, since it is both educational and fun. Yay!

Snowflake Sensory Bin Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters

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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.

Polar Express Small World Play with Fake Snow

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Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

I know that in most houses, ours included, reading The Polar Express is a holiday tradition. This wonderful book is written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. If you have not read this book, you definitely need to. Both you and your child will love it.

Full Bloom Creativity is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

The Polar Express

My four-year-old son, Ben, is train crazy. Every year at Christmastime, we ride on a steam engine at the Wilmington and Western Railroad where Santa Claus visits each of the children. Last year, my son picked out a wooden Polar Express train set from the gift shop as his souvenir.

This year, my sister gave my son the little figurines from The Polar Express. This got my wheels turning…. So, I decided to make a Polar Express Small World Play with fake snow. First, we read the book and then he got to play with this set up.

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

Fake Snow Recipe

2 1/2 cups Pure Baking Soda

1/2 cup White Hair Conditioner

Pretend Snow Recipe

This instructions are very simple. All you need to do is mix the baking soda and hair conditioner together until combined. That’s it!

Pretend Snow Recipe

Safety Information About Fake Snow

WARNING: Children should be supervised by an adult while playing with the fake snow. Keep the pretend snow away from their mouths and eyes as it can irritate their eyes and is not safe for consumption.

Immediately wash your child’s hands after using this pretend snow to avoid getting any residue in their eyes should they touch their face or rub their eyes.

Storing Fake Snow

The pretend snow should be stored in an air tight container and stored in a cool area. Accordingly, it should last up to five days. Out of personal preference, I discard the snow after its been used.

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

SUPPLIES

Wooden Train Tracks

Polar Express Wooden Train

Silver Bells

The Polar Express Figurines

Fake Pine Trees

Fake Snow

Plastic Platter

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow
Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

How to Assemble the Polar Express Small World

First, I set up some wooden train tracks into a circle and added my son’s Polar Express wooden train set.

Next, I sat a shallow plastic serving dish into the middle of the tracks. I made the pretend snow in this container.

Then, I added a small building, trees, silver bells, and figurines on top of the snow. This created a little vignette for Ben.

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow
Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

Invitation to Play

Finally, I invited Ben to play. He took over from there.

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow
Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

The snow is moldable. It it cool to the touch and somewhat wet feeling. This makes pretend snow great for sensory play.

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow
Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

I let Ben have free rein with his play during this activity. At first, he started by playing with the train. Then, he played with the people by having them interact and making up conversations.

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

After awhile, Ben started to really dig in and explore with the pretend snow. He made mountains and buried things in the snow.

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

After that, he brought in more trains and cars to play with.

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

Next thing you know, monster trucks were running over everything, and snow was piled onto the train tracks.

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow
Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

And here’s the aftermath! Ben played with this small world set up for hours.

Polar Express Small World Sensory Play with Fake Snow

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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.

How to Dye Pumpkin Seeds

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How to Dye Pumpkin Seeds

My husband has always loved to carve a pumpkin for Halloween. Typically, we throw away the seeds and pulp. What do you like to do with the pumpkin seeds after you carve your jack-o-lantern?

This year, I decided to keep the pumpkin seeds to use for sensory activities. And considering that my son is currently obsessed with rainbows, I wanted to dye the seeds. Since I wanted to use these pumpkin seeds for fall activities, I opted to color them red, orange, yellow and green.

SUPPLIES

Pumpkin Seeds

Food Coloring

Plastic Zip Top Bags

Aluminum Foil

Baking Sheet

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First, you need to clean and dry your pumpkin seeds. You want to get as much of the pulp off of them as possible.

2. Next, spread the seeds out on a baking sheet in a single layer.

3. Bake in the oven at 200° F for approximately 2 hours.

Baked Pumpkin Seeds
Baked Pumpkin Seeds

4. After the pumpkin seeds are cool to touch, separate them into plastic zip top bags.

5. Add the desired food coloring to each bag. Then, close the bag and mix the food coloring with the pumpkin seeds until they are fully coated.

Colored Pumpkin Seeds
Colored Pumpkin Seeds

6. Finally, lay the colored pumpkin seeds onto a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil. Allow them to dry. I recommend allowing them to air dry overnight. You will want them to be completely dry before using them.

If you want to speed up the process, you put them back in the oven for a little while. Just note that this may alter their color.

Dyed Pumpkin Seeds
Dyed Pumpkin Seeds

Once the pumpkin seeds are completely dry, you can use them in different projects such as sensory bins, play dough kits, games, and crafts. I loved how intense and bright the colors turned out. I cannot wait to share these with Ben!

How would you use them? I would love to hear from you. Have fun!

Dyed Fall Pumpkin Seeds
Fall Colored Pumpkin Seeds

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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.

Fall Sensory Bin with Oatmeal

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Fall sensory bin with oatmeal

In our household, we absolutely love sensory bins! Ben especially loved this Fall themed sensory bin. Who else loves the cool, crisp weather this time of year? The oatmeal added the perfect texture for the season. Even better, he played with it for at least two weeks.

Fall sensory bin

SUPPLIES

Oatmeal (rolled oats)

Fall Leaves

Fall Colored Pompoms

Acorns

Scoops, Cups, and Bowls

Clear Rubbermaid Bin (or a similar container)

During one of our hikes, Ben collected these acorns. The remainder of the sensory items were purchased at our local Dollar Tree. For something that was so quick and easy to assemble, it brought hours upon hours of play and enjoyment.

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

Fall sensory bin

INSTRUCTIONS

Such a simple set-up, all you need to do is dump the oatmeal into a large container. Then add the leaves, acorns, and pompoms on top. Finally, set out the tools in or near the sensory bin.

Now it’s time to play!

Fall sensory bin
Fall sensory bin

INVITATION TO PLAY

I love setting out activities such as this Fall 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.

If you would like to make this Fall sensory bin more educational, you could pair it with the CVC word activity that I will be posting later this week. I will add a link once it it posted. Stay tuned!

Fall sensory bin
Fall sensory bin

Ben did not disappoint me with his imagination. He pretended to make and drink milkshakes and shared them with Mommy. Then, he made soup. In addition, he loved filling the cups and bowl and stacking them.

Fall sensory bin
Fall sensory bin

Ben even use the scoop and cups as a drum set and sang a song that he made up. There are just so many possibilities!

With Ben’s developmental delays, one area that he needed to work on was pretend play. To see him today pretending and using his imagination, makes this Mom very proud.

Fall sensory bin

We will definitely be repeating this Fall sensory bin! Ben had countless hours of fun with it. It was his preferred toy for over a week. We hope that you try this activity with your little ones.

Fall sensory bin

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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.

Halloween Sensory Bin with Colored Spaghetti

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We absolutely love sensory bins in our household! How about you? For Halloween, I decided to make a spooky, slimy Halloween-inspired sensory bin with colored spaghetti. I can feel the slimy noodles sliding through my fingers even thinking about it.

SUPPLIES

Cooked Spaghetti

Olive Oil

Plastic Zip Top Bags

Liquid Watercolors (you can substitute food coloring)

Halloween Items such as Googly Rings, Skeletons, Spiky Balls, Monster Finger Puppets, and a Small Plastic Black Cauldron

Scissors, Tweezers and Scoops

Clear Rubbermaid Container (or something similar)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil Spaghetti

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Then add your spaghetti. I used one box. Follow the instructions on the box for how long to cook the noodles.

Once they are done cooking, drain the water and rinse with cold water. Next, add a few splashes of olive oil and mix. This will help keep the spaghetti from sticking together.

2. Color Spaghetti

Next, you need to divide the spaghetti into three equal portions. Put each portion into a zip top plastic bag. You can use three separate bags or one bag and you rinse between each color.

Add a few drops of liquid watercolor paint to each bag in your desired colors. I used orange, purple, and green. Seal the bags and mix the color with the spaghetti until it is evenly coated. Add more watercolor if needed. You can use food coloring in substitute of the liquid watercolor.

The benefits of using liquid watercolor paint is that it is washable and it tends to be more vibrant in color.

Spread the spaghetti out on a sheet pan or plate to dry. Allow at least 45 minutes for drying before use.

Please note that the spaghetti is inedible with the liquid watercolor paint. If you want to keep it edible, you will need to use food coloring to dye the noodles.

3. Assemble Sensory Bin

In a plastic bin, place the spaghetti separated by color. Then add your Halloween toys and tools. That’s it!

Just a reminder to use age appropriate toys. Some toys may be choking hazards.

4. Play Time

Now comes the fun part. It’s play time! Invite your child to play. This sensory bin will help them with textures and fine motor skills.

5. Storage

I recommend storing your sensory bin in an airtight container in the fridge. If stored correctly, it can last for up to a week.

REFLECTIONS

This was my first time using spaghetti for a sensory bin. Therefore, I wanted to share some of my thoughts on what I would have done differently.

– I would have cooked my spaghetti a little bit longer. I cooked it for about 3-4 minutes in boiling water. The noodles were bendable, but a little too firm that they were breaking while I was handling them. I recommend cooking them as their packaging instructs.

– I did not have orange or purple liquid watercolors, so I mixed colors to make them. Next time, I would probably use the actual color instead of blending two together.

– I would have laid the noodles in a thinner layer to dry. It took longer than expected for them to dry.

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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.

DIY Colorful Monster Play Dough Kit

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Monster Play Dough Kit

Can you believe that Halloween is less than a week away? To get in the spooky spirit, I decided to make a colorful monster play dough kit. I was inspired by the book “Never Touch a Monster!” It is one of our favorite books. I like the flow of the book, because it is easy to read. Ben loves the bright colors and being able to feel the different textures.

On a side note, I still need to make Ben’s costume. He wants to be a ghost. Since, we are big fans of Charlie Brown in our house, I used “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as inspiration. Therefore, his costume is going to be a simple white sheet.

Monster Play Dough Kit

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Never Touch a Monster!

SUPPLIES FOR MONSTER PLAY DOUGH TRAY

Play Dough (green, purple, and orange)

Googly Eyes

Vampire Fangs

Colorful Beads

Bright Colored Popsicle Sticks

Colorful Pipe Cleaners

Play Knife

Play Scissors

Rolling Pin

Divided Tray

I purchased all of the materials, except the scissors and the rolling pin, at our local Dollar Tree. The rolling pin and scissors were purchased on Amazon.

For this play dough kit, I decided to use play dough that I bought at the dollar store. However, if you would like to make homemade play dough, check out this recipe.

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

Monster Play Dough Kit

After I assembled this play dough kit, I left it on the counter for Ben to discover. He was so excited when he saw it and wanted to play immediately. All I had to tell him was that he was supposed to make a monster. That was the only direction that he needed.

I did end up cutting the vampire fangs in half, because they were easier to use that way. I also showed Ben how to twist the pipe cleaners.

Creating Monsters

We are working on scissor skills. Ben needs help with where to put his fingers and to keep the thumb side up when cutting. This was good practice.

Play dough kits are great for sensory play and developing fine motor skills.

Practicing Scissor Skills

Ben came up with the idea of making monster pizzas with the play dough. I love watching his imagination run wild! He used the rolling pins to roll out the dough, then he added the different items to create his monster. After creating his pizza, he cut slices with his plastic knife. Then he pretended to eat the pizza saying, “Yummy!”

Monster Play Dough Pizza
Monster Play Dough Pizza
Monster Play Dough Pizza

Ben had a great time making monsters! I kept the kit on the counter, and he has played with it multiple times this week. I hope that you try this with your little ones.

For another monster craft, check out my blog post, “How to Make a Recycled Cardboard Monster.” Or if you are already for Christmas, check out my blog post “DIY Frosty Snowman Play Dough Tray.” Happy Halloween!

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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.

Easy to Make Cooked Play Dough Recipe

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We love play dough in our household! My son, Ben, could play with it everyday! We were first introduced to this cooked play dough recipe from his preschool teacher, and I wanted to share it with you. We have made it multiple times. Ben not only enjoys playing with it, but he also loves to help make it.

One thing that I love about this cooked play dough recipe is how easy it is to use. Also, I am able to change the color and even add spices for scent. I use this recipe as the base of the play dough kits that I put together for Ben. This play dough recipe is Ben-approved, and I know your child would love it too!

Easy to Make Cooked Play Dough Recipe

COOKED PLAY DOUGH RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Flour

1 cup Water

1/2 cup Salt

2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar

1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil (or another neutral cooking oil)

A few drops of food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix flour, salt, and cream of tartar together in a medium to large pot.

2. Add in water, vegetable oil, and food coloring (optional) and stir until combined.

3. Cook over medium heat stirring often until the dough forms a ball and loses most of its stickiness.

4. Dump the dough onto the counter. Let it cool until safe to touch. Knead the dough for a few minutes to improve its texture. Let it cool completely before using.

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

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.

Homemade play dough is great to use for sensory play. Check out some of my blog posts for inspiration: “DIY Colorful Monster Play Dough Kit” and “DIY Frosty Snowman Play Dough Tray.” Finally, you can also see how I adapted this recipe to make white play dough in my blog post, “How to Make Homemade White Play Dough.”

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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.