Scensory Tubs/ Activity Tubs

[melskids]

Does it leave their hands oily at all?

nope! they do feel nice and smooth afterwards though!

[SilverSabre25]

nope! they do feel nice and smooth afterwards though!

Awesome...I might have to use that this winter and call it "warm snow" hee hee hee.

[Lianne]

I'm making a fall sensory tub right now with dried popcorn. Also some silk leaves I found for $1 and plenty of scoops, spoons, funnels, and cups. I'll probably put some other little things in that I have laying around.

Edit: I just set mine on the floor and let them go to town. I have a "one and you're done" rule for it--if you drop bits outside the tub on purpose, you're done for the whole day. No second chances. If it gets too wild/too many kids, I'll make everyone leave except the child who was there first

Popped popcorn or the kernals?

[melskids]

Awesome...I might have to use that this winter and call it "warm snow" hee hee hee.

i actually put a little orange food coloring in it and they made "pumpkins"!

[SilverSabre25]

Popped popcorn or the kernals?

the kernals. Popped corn would get destoryed (smashed) in a heartbeat!

[E Daycare]

I use a small ikea table and have one of those clear shoe containers filled with split peas and beans and have Halloween beads/erasers/little Halloween toys/fall colored pom poms and various size tongs. When it's sensory time they take turns sitting at the table sorting through with tongs into egg cartons and other containers. They love it but clean up is oh so fun!

[Cat Herder]

i actually put a little orange food coloring in it and they made "pumpkins"!

You rock!!!!

This is exactly the kind of activity I have been googling for...

Thanks!!!

I am sick of paper, glue and paint crafts...

Will it dry solid at all? (the crayola stuff is expensive)

[melskids]

You rock!!!!

This is exactly the kind of activity I have been googling for...

Thanks!!!

I am sick of paper, glue and paint crafts...

Will it dry solid at all? (the crayola stuff is expensive)

i'm not sure, but i dont think so. ive had it out in the table for 2 days now without a lid, and its not drying out. i think the baby oil will proly keep it from doing that. its more crumbly like moonsand, then doughy like playdough.

theyve been packing it to make pumpkins and then just crumbling it up again.

if youre looking for something to dry out, try googling a salt dough recipe. (i dont have one at the moment, but i know thats what we've used in the past to make christmas ornaments and such.)

[Cat Herder]

i'm not sure, but i dont think so. ive had it out in the table for 2 days now without a lid, and its not drying out. i think the baby oil will proly keep it from doing that.

theyve been packing it to make pumpkins and then just crumbling it up again.

if youre looking for something to dry out, try googling a salt dough recipe. (i dont have one at the moment, but i know thats what we've used in the past to make christmas ornaments and such.)

Cool, Thanks. All of my crew are two and under...so I shy away from anything that may sting their eyes.

[tbutler]

Great ideas. I'm definitely saving this thread and making sensory tubs this weekend. (amongst cleaning, washing, soccer game,etc )

[Unregistered]

Cool, Thanks. All of my crew are two and under...so I shy away from anything that may sting their eyes.

So what do you use in your sensory tables for the little kiddo's? The under two crowd? What age do you let them start playing with the sensory tables? Would love some ideas for the little ones.

[SilverSabre25]

Here's a picture of my fall sensory tub. It's got dried corn kernals, some silk leaves, some large-ish wooden candy corns I got off some bracelets from Jo-Anns ($1!), a cute metal candy corn tin (Jo-Ann's $1), a cute pumpkin bucket (Target? $1 also), a pinecone, some scoops. Unfortunately, the funnels don't work because they don't have a large enough spout.

They are LOVING this box...the corn has a really neat feel and makes neat sounds. Tonight I'm going to get some cinnamon sticks to put in, to give it a nice smell.

[DCMom]

Here's a picture of my fall sensory tub. It's got dried corn kernals, some silk leaves, some large-ish wooden candy corns I got off some bracelets from Jo-Anns ($1!), a cute metal candy corn tin (Jo-Ann's $1), a cute pumpkin bucket (Target? $1 also), a pinecone, some scoops. Unfortunately, the funnels don't work because they don't have a large enough spout.

They are LOVING this box...the corn has a really neat feel and makes neat sounds. Tonight I'm going to get some cinnamon sticks to put in, to give it a nice smell.

You've inspired me Silver I have all of those things but never thought of mixing them together with popcorn :: but I'm a little worried about popcorn kernels...do the kids stick them in places where they shouldn't be? (ie: nose, ears, etc)

I guess I'm just paranoid ~ I had one stick a pony bead up her nose once and it resulted in a trip to the emergency room. I'm scarred for life

[SilverSabre25]

You've inspired me Silver I have all of those things but never thought of mixing them together with popcorn :: but I'm a little worried about popcorn kernels...do the kids stick them in places where they shouldn't be? (ie: nose, ears, etc)

I guess I'm just paranoid ~ I had one stick a pony bead up her nose once and it resulted in a trip to the emergency room. I'm scarred for life

So far, nothing of the sort has happened but I just put it out this morning. I sit on the floor beside them, monitoring the usage (they're young--2, 2, rules-avoiding 3)). I don't allow the corn or the bits to leave the tub, everything must be held over the tub, and they are not a group that tends to stick things places. Well, one boy likes to put things between his toes :confused:. If I saw corn heading for an orifice, I would simply intercept it's journey, and probably send the offender off to do something else.

[karen]

I have a long rectangle bin that I bought at Drug Mart or you can get one anywhere I think it was around 10.00. I change it every few weeks...
Oatmeal dry or wet if you are daring!
Pasta
Dirt
Dirt with worms
Sand
Rice
Rice and Beans
Beans
Clean Mud-recipe on the Idea Box
KIDS Scissors and scraps of paper
Pinecones, Leaves and acorns
Water
Water with bubbles
Slime
just to name a few!