Summer Fun Mini Themes: Hogwarts MiniCamp Part 5

The Dark Forest may have been forbidden, but here at Hogwarts MiniCamp, we're pretty big on exploring the backyard and beyond. This sometimes means taking a Mini-beasts and Where to Find Them Scavenger Hunt, or learning about the local flora and fauna or even breaking open Sorcerer's Stones (geodes). If it's been a busy couple of weeks at our house, it's been even busier in the backyard!

 The young wizards (even the youngest) loved using magnifying glasses, bugnoculars and their own keen eyes to find as many bugs, worms and other mini-beasts around the yard. S was really hoping to be able to catch one for closer observation and eventually decided to leave his bug catcher open on the ground--just in case!

After S created his treasure map of where to find the Sorcerer's Stone, I decided it was the perfect time to take out a geode kit we had stashed away for at least a year waiting for that perfect time...

Armed with safety goggles, hammers, and brute strength, the boys helped crack open our "sorcerer's stones" and it was so exciting to see the crystals inside! These will be back again later on when the young wizards take on the backyard challenge of finding them in a Sorcerer's Stone Treasure Hunt!

 Harry Potter books are filled with mythical creatures but also real ones. Headwig the Owl would love to see how much the young students here at Hogwarts MiniCamp have been learning about owls! We've also made a lot of use out of Little Spark Company's Owls of the World Bundle. Both of the boys are really into lacing cards and we've been sneaking in some really fun math activities suitable for S and Y at their own levels using materials we have at home along with the ones provided in the set. We've even taken them outside for some play picnics in the backyard.

There's more fun (and learning), magic and play on the way. Stay tuned for the next post from Hogwarts MiniCamp and until then...

Happy Playing!

Parent Playtime: Make Your Own Geo-boards

 You were looking for another DIY project, no? Honestly, neither was I when I decided to build our own geo-boards. I've had the idea in the back of my mind for months now and in an effort to clean out the back of my mind so all of the more important tasks of this time of year could roll their way up front, I picked up a box of nails at the hardware store this week.

I am not handy with a hammer. I did go through wood-shop classes in middle school and that is where I perfected the art of batting my eyelashes at boys who were handy with a hammer. But when it comes to my own boys, I have a soft spot. And a husband with a to-do list a lot longer than it should be right now who doesn't need the added task of hammering about 100 nails into wooden tree planks... I do encourage and allow for woodworking activities here, and the boys also enjoy working on simple building kits with their Tatty as well.

They even built this quaint little xylophone we recently designated to the playgarden. (I'm pretty sure the neighbors love us--but at least this is our quiet xylophone...) I, on the other hand, like the idea of building and the finished products more than I enjoy actually building things and using a hammer and nails. I wish I could say I was not singing popular children's Pesach songs about slavery in Egypt while I hammered...but I can't. I wish I could say I didn't cuss like a construction worker when I missed and hammered my thumbnail...but I can't. I wish I could say the finished products don't look like I had a lot of help from kids in spacing and arranging my nails...but I can't.

But I can say that the boys love these geo-boards (phew!) and that it was worth the smashed thumb, the "creative" sound effects and the effort overall. And if you are potentially still interested in making your own geo-boards, here's how I made ours:

You Will Need:

• a wooden plank (I had several of these tree planks with bark edges from a craft supply store)
• a hammer
• nails (fewer than you'd think you'd need)
• patience (more than you'd think you'd need)
• possibly an ice pack
• rubber bands, yarn, string or loom loops

I used a piece of graph paper over the top of my wooden plank at the beginning to space out my nails. Then I decided to ditch the graph paper and just eyeball it once I got more comfortable/confident. However, if you do want to be exact, you can use graph paper and/or mark your spacing in advance. Then you're up to the hammering part. Hammer in a nail. Repeat. Repeat again. You get my drift? You'll want to make sure they are secure and as evenly spaced/straight as possible. You'll also want to find someone on Etsy who already does this and sells the darn things. That person will not be me--although I might just make one or two more for some really beloved nephews of mine.

Both boys had a great time with our new geo-boards the next morning. S is quite proficient at making shapes and designs. He even made several "pyramids" shaping the rubber bands into triangles of various sizes. You could work on letters, shapes and all kinds of things in this way. For Y, geo-boards and rubber bands are still a practice (albeit a very valuable one) in fine motor skill development. Here was his "loose interpretation:"

You can definitely purchase manufactured geo-boards, but I love the natural look of these. Older children can also help with hammering the nails with adult support and supervision. I love rubber bands the best when using these, but string, yarn and even cotton loom loops would work well with geo-boars. These would also be great to bring and use outdoors, though I am hesitant to leave them exposed to the elements for concern of rusting. Geo-boards are also a developmentally versatile material that can meet many fine motor, early math and early literacy skill targets as children grow and explore with them. While younger children can practice the skills of stretching and placing/removing rubber bands, older ones can explore shapes, patterns, letters, numbers and a number of other creative ways to use these materials. And when you DIY your own, the cost is little more than some scrap wood, nails and a bag of assorted rubber bands.

Happy Playing!

Creating An Outdoor "Classroom": Part 1

My very last day of preschool teaching just about three years ago was preschool graduation day. I like to think that it was the day I graduated to being a play at home mom. I was accurately quoted during the graduation ceremony that day by a parent as having said "this is the perfect classroom" on our school field trip to the local botanical garden center here. That was a moment I began to gain the inkling that I had perhaps outgrown the walls of a traditional classroom. The next leg of my journey began with a tearful and short drive home during which I mourned the loss of "my office." (I never had an office, but I guess it felt like I did.) Then I got home to a chubby cheeked very mischievous little toddler who had just tried his hand at coloring on the wall with marker for the first time. Yup, I was ready to be a stay at home mom. Eeek. So we both headed outside and began the process of planting our first family garden...

Over the months and years that followed, our garden has expanded and so has our family. The outdoors has indeed become an extension of our family life and learning, both at home and around town. Just over a year ago I founded and launched a community nature based meetup group for families and professionals/caregivers who work with children. We meet from late winter through early fall at local parks, playgrounds and nature spaces where I bring along nature based activities to inspire play and learning while outdoors. It is my long term goal that this will be a year round endeavor rather than just in the more "popular" seasons. I've delved into literature, self-study and online conferences and training to learn more about being a natural teacher and one of my greatest passions in the experience has been evolving our own home and outdoor space into one for learning and play.

Whether you are a traditional classroom teacher looking to expand lessons into your outdoor space, a parent looking to revamp your own outdoor space before summer break hits or you have no particular designated outdoor space at all but want to bring some nature based learning on-the-go, I've got you covered here in this three part post series on creating an outdoor "classroom." I am handling the word classroom rather delicately because I fear that the word itself gives forth an image of sitting sedentary at a desk with a pencil and paper at hand. I truly believe some of the most valuable learning experiences come from an opportunity to move, explore, discover, and create. Nature is a fabulous place for this to occur! Perhaps one day our indoor learning spaces will catch up to that concept and we will see these opportunities reflected inside the early childhood classroom.

Go outside and play! I don't think there was a single sentence I heard more frequently as a child during the warmer months of school vacation. And play, I did! For hours on many days. But don't get me wrong--there was plenty of learning happening there as well, and you, too, can inspire children to learn in a natural environment. In this first part of my series, I'll introduce my seven subtopics of building an outdoor classroom:

• Plant, Tend & Grow a Garden
• Literacy Outside
• Math Outside
• Science Outside
• Play Outside
• Art Outside
• Bringing It Inside

In Part 2 of the series, I will talk more specifically about doing this on a small budget, in a small space. In Part 3, I will talk about doing this in no space at all and creating nature-on-the-go kits for your family, friends and/or community.

1. Plant, Tend & Grow a Garden: Whether you've gardened before or have a brown thumb, whether you have a huge yard or a small pot, I encourage you to plant, tend and grow something with your children. Gardens are a place where the six other areas of learning I've targeted happen all at once, without specific planning. Through gardening, we learn about the process and miracle of a tiny seed growing into a plant, a flower, a fruit or a vegetable, perhaps even a tree. We meet our "neighbors" in many forms. We experience the farm to table journey whether or not we have the farm. We dig in dirt, we expose ourselves to a vast microbiome of organisms both visible and invisible to the naked eye. We have the opportunity to fail in the safety of the garden--to experience our hand in a process that is so very out of our hands. This is a beautiful mirror to life and through the garden, it is made accessible to hands of all ages. I often wonder at how anyone could love to garden and not be completely fascinated by a weed. Whereas a rose bush is so finicky even the thought of the pH changing in your soil might send it wilting away to its early demise, a dandelion finds itself a crack in the sidewalk and thrives. Gardens are truly a place of wonder and fascination. A few things to consider as you set out to plant, tend, and grow your garden:

• What should I plant? When it comes to planting with children, you should plant whatever you want! Don't be afraid to fail--it can and it will happen, even to an experienced gardener. I would recommend starting off simply and not biting off more than you can chew. Consider planting flowers that attract helpful pollinators and support native species in your area.  Maybe you'd like to plant a food garden with vegetables, herbs and fruits. Perhaps you might pick a few favorites or try a new variety. I would recommend against planting something you don't like to eat. If you end up with an abundance and more than you can use, sharing among neighbors and friends is a great way to build community. Also consider planting things that can be explored and enjoyed with all of the senses--plants that can be touched (succulents hold up well), plants with a unique smell (herbs are fabulous), plants in a variety of colors and textures and heights to be visually appealing (think giant mammoth sunflowers or a rainbow of flowers and veggies), plants that taste amazing picked right off the vine (like cherry tomatoes or strawberries), and plants that can add an element of sound (like a dried out gourd or the sound of birds and bees flocking to pollinate your native wildflowers).

2. Literacy Outside: Reading and writing tend to be indoor activities, but they don't have to be restricted to a location with 4 walls and a roof. Here are some ways to encourage reading and writing outdoors in your yard and beyond:

• Garden signs for a print rich environment: Using signage in your garden and yard is a great way to expose your little learners to literacy through printed word. Even pre-readers can appreciate labels and signs in print, especially if they include pictures as well. There are many creative ways to make your own garden signs, whether it's to label your plants, different learning areas or even as an art installment.
  
  

• Chalk is a great medium for outdoor writing/drawing. I keep a tightly sealing tin stocked with chalk in a variety of sizes and colors at the ready for outdoor play. It can be used on pavement, walls, fences and sidewalks and will wash away at the next rain!

• Letter and word rocks and/or manipulatives: One great way to bring letters and literacy outdoors on a shoestring budget is to write letters and/or words (even draw pictures) on rocks with acrylic paint pen. One of my favorite first ways to introduce this is with the letters in your children's names. From there, you can work a whole alphabet, word rocks for building sentences, stories or poetry and even illustrated story rocks for accompanying a good book or creating your own outdoor story. Letter manipulatives from indoors can also be brought outside, like alphabet magnets or blocks. These are great for outdoor letter/word scavenger hunts!

• Bring a book! Whether it's a field guide, a favorite nature themed children's book or just some of your usual favorites, there's no reason you can't bring books outside. We love reading outdoors, whether it's on cozy picnic blanket, in some lawn chairs or even at the park. Consider setting up a cozy outdoor area especially for reading if you have a covered and shady location and the space/budget to include some cozy places to sit and read.

• Nature journals and clipboards are great ways to bring literacy outdoors and on the go. I'll touch on this more in the last post of our series.

• Create a Garden Observation Station for recording weather, garden, wildlife or other nature updates and news using a dry erase board or chalk board. Markers or chalk can be stored in an airtight container. If you wish to create a permanent sign/label on it you can do so with acrylic paint pen and a spray of acrylic adhesive to preserve it. Ideally, this will do best long term in an area with some overhead coverage/protection from the elements. Chalk boards and dry erase boards can often be found inexpensively at secondhand stores or on discount at big box stores. This is a great way to infuse other areas of learning with literacy as well!
  

we used a ruler and chalk to measure and record
the height of our mammoth sunflowers last
summer--they grew taller than the tallest
member of our family!

3. Math Outside is more natural than you'd think! Nature is abundant in loose parts and manipulatives for counting, grouping, weighing, measuring, creating geometric shapes and more. Opportunities for measurement, sorting/comparison, estimation, math operations, fractions, patterns and more are everywhere you look in nature--and you needn't look far. Bringing out some tools from indoors can also enrich mathematical thinking and learning outside. Plastic rulers and tape measures can be made available for measuring plant growth, circumference of a tree trunk, area of a garden bed... A balance scale can be brought out to compare weights of different produce. (How many cherry tomatoes does it take to equal the weight of one large tomato?) Planting seeds encourages counting by twos. Designing flower gardens can encourage pattern recognition. Can you sort a collection of pine cones by size from small to large? Can you use a stick as a tool of measurement and measure how tall your friend is? Can you use sticks or rocks to trace shapes drawn in chalk?

4. Science Outside: This one seems almost self explanatory. Nature and the garden are full of scientific discoveries waiting to be made by scientists young and old alike. You could create an entire year's worth of science curriculum by planting, growing, harvesting and seed saving/preserving your garden harvest or observing seasonal changes in trees or animal behavior. Some creative and simple additions to your outdoor space can also encourage scientific discovery and observation.

• Create a weather station to explore wind, rain accumulation, temperature and weather patterns. You can document what you see in your nature journal or at your garden observation station board, or simply bring it into natural conversation. Outdoor thermometers and rain gauges are often available at dollar stores in the Spring and you can also peruse Pinterest for ways to make your own rain gauge, rain barrels or even pinwheels. And one way to learn about and appreciate different types of weather in all seasons is to get outside in different types of weather in all seasons. "There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing."

• Follow their lead and run with it! Children ask a billion questions outdoors. Don't be afraid to say you don't know--but don't stop there either. If your little one stumps you with a question about tree stumps, make it into a journey for the answers. Start outside and venture on to the library or the internet to learn more. If your child has a particular interest, infuse your outdoor experience with books, learning opportunities and maybe even some local field trips to explore the topic further.
•  Sensory experiences are so important to early learning and nature is indeed a fabulous place to explore them. While many outdoor experiences might be plagued by warnings to keep off the grass or not touch the plants, your outdoor space can be one that encourages a hands (nose, mouth, ears and eyes) on experience. I do think it is important and necessary for children to learn to respect natural spaces, leaving living things that are still growing intact when necessary and being mindful of keeping the environment safe for all who inhabit it. But consider planting a succulent garden children can touch to explore textures. Or allowing for a small plot or large planter where they are the master gardener with your help, not the other way around. You might even create your own snipping garden as we have, with a selection of small/inexpensive plants, flowers or herbs that are OK to be cut and harvested for mud pies, fairy potions and other important uses.

Scissors are made ready and available. In a world of
"no's" I like to get to the "yes's" and a space where cutting
is OK helps to preserve the ones where it isn't.

• The right tools to encourage scientific observation can also enhance your outdoor learning. Magnifying glasses, prism lenses, binoculars, field guides, opportunities and spaces to write, draw and record, tools for measurement and weighing and containers for collecting natural treasures both nonliving and living (temporarily) are a great addition to make over time to your outdoor space. Consider how you might store these to be ready to take on-the-go or whether you will have items that can be stored and remain outdoors ready for access.

5. Play outdoors: It seems almost not even worth mention, but I do give honorary mention to the topic of play outdoors because it does seem an area that is underdeveloped in many young children these days and increasingly less offered in traditional school settings and even playgrounds. I value and love the whole playground experience, don't get me wrong. Children have a lot of fun on playground equipment and it supports a lot of developmental areas as well. However, I also think that playground equipment and traditional outdoor toys often replace the wonder and curiosity of the outdoors in its natural state. Just observe a child in an outdoor space without a swing-set, slide and colorful plastic toys to see that incredible acts of play occur with a stick, some rocks and pine cones and perhaps a bit of mud. And since I am not an all-or-nothing type of gal, I encourage you to blend the use of both these types of items in your nature space. Creating an outdoor space that sparks wonder does not need to break your back or your budget. You might consider some of the following ideas:

• MUD PLAY--just add water! I am a huge fan of dirt in all forms, especially mud. Whether you set up a formal mud kitchen as we have or just supply some pots, pans and spoons for mixing a nice pile of dirt and a water source, you have an instant recipe for wonder and play that you simply can't go wrong with. Your kids may come in covered from head to toe, but research points increasingly to the many health benefits--both physical and emotional--of playing in dirt and mud! I try to step back from this and be as much an outsider as possible, allowing for creative and imaginative play to happen in our garden on its own time frame. I, of course, graciously accept any mud cakes and coffee and stone soup that are offered, but I allow for this muddy world of creation and imagination to be their own and not one I dictate for them. In addition to mud, consider adding elements of foliage, rocks and pebbles, pine cones and seeds, pods and chunks of wood, petals and flowers and of course, plenty of sticks!

• Small world play with natural and manufactured loose parts is a great way to spark wonder in the garden. Tiny toys and people and animals brought from indoors can ignite the imagination of little ones playing outdoors. Fairy gardens and fairy houses can be created with thought and intention or on the go after a yard or neighborhood scavenger hunt to collect materials.

• Create an "I Wonder" Station: Don't be overwhelmed or alarmed if your children don't naturally take to playing and exploring independently outdoors. Creating an "I Wonder" Station (ours is merely a plant hook with a sign attached) can make your outdoor classroom a real destination! Add on a basket with a book and activity, an intriguing question or idea, some silks and fabrics for building forts or making costumes, some puppets for an outdoor puppet show, some little fairies and dollhouse furniture to add to small world play... You will see that when play is nurtured, similarly to a young seedling, it strengthens and develops and will become more independently sustainable.
• Dramatic play outdoors can be set up just as it would indoors. You may need to take into consideration toys and tools that can be left in the elements versus ones that need to be sheltered inside. A mud kitchen could become a restaurant--children could even write/draw menus and recipe books to be laminated and used. An outdoor table could also turn into a mad scientist's lab with containers for mixing colorful water and baking soda/vinegar potions or a tool bench for young woodworkers to build or a potting shed with recycled pots, gardening tools and artificial flowers or fruits/vegetables for growing, harvesting and potting. I like to hold to the motto here (and in all areas of learning) that anything you can do inside can be brought outside. It simply requires some extra planning and creativity.

6. Art Outside is all around us. Inspiration has been found outdoors for as long as time itself. Art can be in the form of painting, sculpture, loose parts arrangement, photography and more. You can create art that is permanent and brought indoors to display or displayed outdoors in your yard or garden. From still life to wildlife, the options are as vast as the imagination and expansion of nature itself. I'd also encourage you to expose your little learners to nature inspired art around town, in other gardens and museums as well. I'd also encourage allowing for young nature-inspired artists to use real art materials as they create--such as quality watercolors, chalks, pastels, potters clay, pencils/charcoals, quality paper and so forth. 

• Consider different working surfaces and environments such as portable easels for vertical work, clipboards and sketch books for art on the go and even how working in different spaces and at different times of day can encourage a different artistic experience. Lastly, I encourage you to join in! You don't have to be "artistic" to create art. Seeing adults engaged and participating allows children to maintain their natural sense of artistic inspiration without being plagued by the sense of perfectionism that led to our own adult inhibitions.
• BIG Art and Messy Art projects are perfect for outdoors! You're likely to have more space outside for large scale art projects and it's also a great space for messier art projects. Think foot painting instead of fingerpainting. Or "paint" balloon tossing. Or "fly swatter splat painting."  Just be mindful to clean up anything that could be harmful to the environment.
• Art with natural materials can be a great way to create outdoors. Sure, nature provides an incredible muse for capturing beauty on paper (or canvas)--but what about ditching the paint brushes for some nature-made "brushes" using cut flowers, pine cones or interesting leaves and branches...

7. Bringing it INSIDE: Sure, many of us would like to stay outside forever, but eventually we do need to go inside. Here are a few ways you might consider bringing a bit of the outdoors in with you:

• Nature inspired activities inside can bring actual objects from nature indoors or natural concepts into learning and play. Perhaps you set up an indoor still life or set out a basket of tree "blocks" and natural loose parts for building and designing. Maybe you plant and grow an indoor fairy garden, terrarium or kitchen herb garden in your kitchen window.

• Set up a Nature Table that includes items both found outdoors in nature and nature-inspired ones created or found indoors. Change out your Nature Table through the seasons and year to capture changes outside and important family celebrations or traditions.

• Head to the kitchen to cook, bake or create with your garden harvest! From homemade breads, jams, cookies, build your own salad or pizza nights and even homemade playdough--you can use elements collected from your garden and even (carefully) foraged to create recipes to eat or play with. You might even mix up a batch of something to bring back outside such as a delicious picnic lunch or even a jar of homemade bubbles.

• Nature based field trips are another category I include in "bringing it inside." Visiting the garden nursery, the library, the farmer's market or produce stand, even local farms, museums and public gardens are all ways you can bring nature based learning with you after it's time to come inside.

Well, if you've made it this far, you are well on your way to creating or enhancing your own outdoor classroom. The idea of creating an outdoor classroom is similar to that of creating a garden--you want a space that with your nurturing care and attention can be sustainable and maintain growth. Like an indoor classroom, you will need to adapt and make changes over time. Like a garden, you will need to give it love, light and attention. You and your children will harvest and reap the benefits well beyond the healthy doses of vitamin D. Join us for the next (shorter, I promise) installments of this series as we explore making some of these installments on a small budget in a small space and how to take it completely mobile with no designated space at all. Until then, get outside and...

Happy Playing!

8 Great Chanukah Activities: Day 6 Chanukah Sand Table and Writing Trays

 In the dead cold of winter, you might not be thinking much about the summer days of sandy beaches. Or maybe you are! All the more reason to invite the warmth of the beach into your home, or at least your sensory play experiences for some Chanukah themed fun. Today's post is a two-fer. You get one great sensory bin and one great table time activity for early and pre-writers! Who could ask for anything more? Ok, maybe a beachfront vacation in a tropical climate, since you asked...

Sand feels so good running through your fingers. Pouring, scooping, drawing lines, burying and digging, smoothing and raking... Yes, it's messy. Yes, you will be exfoliating your bare feet or hearing the grit underneath your slippers for days to come (add in some glitter, and you'll be finding it for life). What better way to preserve the beautiful memories of childhood play? (No sarcasm there, I promise...)


In our first activity, Chanukah I-Spy 8 Sand Table, I combined sand, glitter and a collection of assorted Chanukah themed loose parts along with some early math skills for my little guys to explore and play. I created my own poster of clues to hang above the sensory table depicting pictures of each of the objects that were hidden in the sensory bin. My super sleuths would need to dig in and discover

• 8 Chanukah candles
•  8 dreidels 
• 8 sufganiyot (donuts--I used erasers from Oriental Trading Company, but you can use pony beads, pipe cleaners rolled into a ring shape, craft foam, clay or printed/laminated pictures of donuts), 
• 8 latkes (I used small wooden circles, you can substitute in craft foam, cardboard, laminated pictures, etc.)
• 8 oil jugs (I found these little golden goblets in the party favor section of Dollar Tree)
• 8 gelt coins (I used  plastic coins, you can use real ones if you prefer)

I thought initially to also add brushes, magnifying glasses and perhaps some collanders and dishes for sifting and scooping. And then, after burying all the treasure, I decided to wait. Often, introducing less at the beginning of a sensory play experience leads to more. Sure enough, the boys explored first with their hands and then came up with their own add ins from around the house. They are pretty good about asking first before taking something to use in the sensory table and I try to say yes as often as I can. After counting and sorting, S moved on to making a menorah in the sand by arranging and filling the oil jugs with sand an candles. Both boys later got into scooping sand and loose parts with a couple of plastic ice cream scoops into a plastic pitcher and making "Chanukah smoothies." Lots of counting happened as they added ingredients. Donut, dreidel and latke smoothie anyone? Sometimes our sensory tables get a little stale after a few days, but this one has kept everyone busy and engaged all week long!

Sand trays are a popular tool used in classrooms for early and pre-writers. Sand is a fabulous medium for practicing strokes, shapes and letters. Just as easily and quickly as they appear in the sand, the tray can be gently shook or smoothed over and used again. In this simple set up, children are invited to explore and practice the Hebrew letters on the dreidel, nun, gimmel, hey and shin (pey if you are in Israel). A Chanukah candle is provided as the "pen," a set of laminated letters for a visual and a dreidel to spin. Whichever letter it lands on was the letter to be practiced. Want to throw in a mathematical component, too? Provide a chart to document how many times the dreidel lands on each letter. S had a great time spinning, writing and erasing. Then he wanted to practice the letter shin on paper with a pen! Y had a great time using the candle to draw lines and swirls in the sand...and then dumping a bit of sand on the table!

We'll be back tomorrow with your next dose of Chanukah fun! Until then...

Happy Chanukah & Happy Playing!

Counting Cupcakes Sensory Bin

This Counting Cupcakes Sensory Bin is super simple to set up and so much fun! We're in a stage where both of my boys love and benefit from activities in our sensory table. Sensory play is certainly a common catchphrase around classrooms and homes. Pinterest, Instagram and blogs are full of ideas and there's a whole market for materials related to sensory play. But what exactly are children gaining from playing in a basin full of dried beans, sand or water? Isn't it just playing? Not to mention the mess! I'm here to cheer you on and encourage you to take a deep breath. Grab a cheap dustpan and brush from your dollar store, maybe a plastic shower curtain, too, to catch the spills. And while there is a whole industry to target folks looking for sensory bin fillers, props, tools and trinkets, you don't need to break the bank. You can use (and re-use) inexpensive materials, many of which you have in the pantry or can access inexpensively from dollar stores, the grocery store or even secondhand. Unless something gets irreparably damaged in play or we all have horrendous runny noses, we store and save our fillers for future use. It's a good idea either way to wash hands before and after sensory play.

What skills are children developing through play at the sensory table? As a teacher and a parent, I'm of the mindset that sensory play targets a huge range of skills, especially when you are creative in your setup. Particularly for children who may struggle in certain developmental areas, the sensory table is a safe and confined space to explore and expand skills that are challenging in a more traditional setting.

• Fine motor development is targeted through scooping, pouring, pinching with tongs or tweezers, transferring, manipulating more viscous substances (like slime, dough, ooblek, kinetic sand, etc.). Sensory bins are a great place for scissor practice as well when children cut their own crepe paper, ribbon, yarn, paper, etc. Provide scrap paper and hole punches for children to create their own confetti filler. For children too young to cut with scissors, tearing tissue paper or crepe paper is another great way to target those tiny muscles.
• Literacy skills are targeted through the use of novel vocabulary. Talk about textures, colors, scents, what you are doing, planning, creating... You can add letter manipulatives and written words and labels to create a print rich environment or base a sensory table on children's literature to extend a lesson through play.
• Social skills like engaging in conversations, problem solving (navigating sharing materials, space and ideas) are targeted especially when children work in pairs. In my classrooms, the sensory table was a place where children who may not typically play together did have an opportunity to do so. Sometimes this was strategic on my part (as in, I chose pairs and the desire to play in our sensory bin outweighed the desire to only play with certain students). Friendships developed in this space that might not have happened on the playground or in other areas.
• Problem solving skills and other executive functioning skills are called into play when children tinker, build, rearrange and otherwise navigate materials in the sensory bin.
• Symbolic play and abstract play skills that children struggle with or resist in a dramatic play setting are often more appealing (and less threatening) in the confines of a sensory bin when small world play is introduced through the addition of toy animals, people and other props. Children who do not naturally engage in role playing and character/story development through traditional dramatic play often feel more comfortable to do so in this setting.
• Math concepts like sequencing, measurement, sorting/categorizing, shape and numeral recognition, one-to-one correspondence and even early operations and fractions can be introduced through sensory play.
• Science is in action as children manipulate and observe materials found in nature or chemical reactions and states of matter of various concocted sensory bin fillers.
• STEM skills are targeted with opportunities to build, construct, design, transport and otherwise manipulate a variety of materials and loose parts.

Lately, S has been very engaged in play about cupcakes and baking. He uses pom poms, toy dishes and recycled containers on a daily basis to set up shop and sell his wares. He is always making sweet treats with play dough and clay (in fact, we've been working on a batch of Model Magic cookies to be used in our kitchen set). Such was the inspiration for our latest sensory bin. S is also making huge strides in his math skills both at school and at home. As it is something that interests him, I incorporate it into our play. Nonetheless, even if you have a reluctant mathematician at home, sensory play is a great way to sneak it in! Y just LOVES playing at the sensory table. He often spends even more time playing there than S! He loves practicing scooping, pouring and transferring and, um, cleaning up spills... He isn't quite to the point of counting candles or numeral recognition, but he will surely have a great time playing and exposure through play is the path to success down the road.

Here's what you'll need to set up your own Counting Cupcakes Sensory Bin:

• Rainbow Dyed Rice for filler. We reused the batch I had from our UnBirthday Party theme last spring, so it has some birthday confetti mixed in.
• Vanilla extract (optional) for scent
• Plastic cups and scoops (both from Dollar Tree). You can also use silicone cupcake liners and recycle scoops from protein powder or other drink mixes.
• Birthday candles
• Number magnets or candles
• A number line (optional) to support early mathematicians who do not yet recognize numerals

Children can use scoops to fill their cupcake cups, choose a number or number candle and then stick in the corresponding number of birthday candles.

Variations on the theme:

• Provide a second set of magnetic numerals and an addition symbol and equal sign. Children can set up and solve their own addition problem by adding two cupcakes together.
• Add some dice or a spinner into the mix and have children roll/spin to choose their number.
• Younger children (like Y) can play and explore by scooping, pouring, transferring and sticking candles into the rice.

Looking for more sensory bin ideas? Check out our extensive collection of related posts here and stay tuned for more ideas in the future! Until then...

Happy Playing!

Little House & The Farm, Part 2: The General Store

As I was gathering materials and ideas for our current play theme, Little House & The Farm, I came across a lot of wonderful resources and ideas on other blogs, Little House websites and homeschool websites. One of my favorites is this free printable Little House in the Big Woods & Pioneer Unit available at Every Star is Different (an especially useful site for those interested in Montessori style education). I tend to add my own flavor to printable materials, and I decided to adapt many of these into our Ever-changing Book. S especially took to "The General Store" activity. I laminated the cards provided in the free printable pack and added in a background page with some images I found of Colonial style General Stores. I added a small pouch of play coins (you could use real coins) and he could "go shopping" by choosing what he wanted to buy and matching the coins. Older children could add up the sum while younger ones would do best to match the coins to the picture. Our play money is true to size, which makes that easier. It also sparked a conversation of similarities and differences between coins and what each coin is called. S had a hard time telling apart the nickles and quarters at first until I showed him that nickels have a smooth edge and quarters have a bumpy one. In addition to matching and observing the spacial awareness to do so, he also worked on one-to-one correspondence and counting as he figured out how many of each coin he needed. When he filled the card, he got to keep it and play again!

Well, this was enough fun that he requested to play the game as is a few times this week. But I wanted to expand the activity into a "real" General Store dramatic play scene so both boys could go shopping Pioneer style! I tried to keep mostly true to the time period with some modern flair thrown in (I'm pretty sure Paw Patrol was not a common calico print of the time). I set up shop on our long dining room table while the boys napped [well, one of them at least] and then it was shopping day!

Our General Store stocked pots and pans, kitchen knives, handsaws and hammers, nails, boots, dried beans, ribbon (that needed to be measured and cut--gotta throw in some math and fine motor practice, right?), fabric, buttons, sugar and even candy! Each of the boys was given a pouch of large play coins (to be a bit more accommodating to Y who still explores with his mouth) and each item would cost one coin (also to be a bit more accommodating to mixed ages). Older shoppers could be encouraged to do a bit of adding while they shop with a more creative pricing system. Even as we set it up, they might have to pay a coin for one pot or 1 foot of yarn (and more if they wanted 2 feet), one scoop of beans or candy and so on.

I stocked shopping bags and drawstring pouches for our shoppers and a sales registry I bought a while ago at Dollar Tree for dramatic play. As they shopped, I wrote down their purchases and added their total. S helped count the appropriate number of coins. He would have spent his whole pouch of money on candy if there weren't a two scoop limit, although he was nearly as excited for the 4 nails to add to his wood shop!

S thoroughly examined the Paw Patrol fabric he wanted to buy before making his final decision. We'd be using this again in projects later in the week...

Y was quite thrilled to be bringing home a new hammer and handsaw! I wonder what he'll build?

It was a great day at the General Store!

This was such a fun way to spend our afternoon engaged in dramatic play. But play is not the only thing that happened--we also learned a bit about history and practiced math skills like measuring, counting, adding and early reading and writing in our print-rich environment. Our play scene was also a great opportunity to practice the social skills of shopping like waiting your turn, navigating a crowded store, and communicating politely with sales associates and other shoppers. The boys demolished the candy, S saved his pouch of sugar to add to our Shabbos dessert recipe later this week and the fabric and ribbons they bought were to make a second surprise appearance in the morning. Join us tomorrow to see what became of them and until then...

Happy Playing!