Why Sensory Bins?

[My3cents]

I'm with Nannyde on the "I want it to last for years". I have toys in my day care that my sons (now age 30 and 27) played with. They are still in good condition and I expect them to last many more years.

I make sure the kids have plenty of choices and opportunities to touch, create etc. We paint, do crafts, play with water (outside only).

I'm "old school" too and quite honestly don't see the point in sensory tables/boxes/humongous messes. I think my kids explore and learn enough.

I DO have some old soda bottles that I filled with rice and some tiny toys/marbles and then sealed up tight so they can't be spilled. Does that count since they can't touch the contents! I just say 'find the elephant" or whatever, and they turn the bottle all over until it appears.

I think I would go stark raving mad if I had to vacuum up tons of beans/rice/sand etc every day!!!! Not to mention that my kids would try and eat it and/or shove it where the sun don't shine!

I guess I have a creative artsy side to myself. Very visual and like to feel things. When I buy clothing, I need to feel the fabric first to see if I like it,if it is quality etc.. I know some providers that have had the rice tables for longer then ten years. I enjoyed coloring my rice and its therapeutic for me as well as the kids. Any rice that lands on the floor gets thrown out. I get into the frame of mind when I take the table out that I am going to make a mess and its going to require clean up and then just deal with it. I control it, if it gets to be too much it is put away.

Nan- consider it, maybe start outside and then work it inside come winter. I also find it's something most likely they are not going to do at home. Unique.

I don't do anything to be cookie cutter........and resent being pushed in that direction. I do it for many of the reasons stated and just simply because its fun.

Going to take mine out todayhappyface throw some zoo animals in it.

I find the ooey gooey lady to be close to my heart toolovethis

[nannyde]

Nan- consider it, maybe start outside and then work it inside come winter. I also find it's something most likely they are not going to do at home. Unique.

I don't have an outdoor play area.

My dc parents are super uber crafty. A couple of my kids have a parent who makes their living as a preschool teacher and administrator. Another parent is an artist.

The parents have the artsy crafty stuff completely covered. happyface

I'm not a crafty person. I don't like doing art. I love looking at it but not doing it. I seem to draw really creative parents so we balance each other out. One of my kids that is in second grade got a full scholarship to the Des Moines Art Center for talented and gifted art students. She was with me for the first five years and ended up being an amazing little artist.

I don't worry about doing that kind of thing here. I really don't spend a minute thinking about it. The kids are so busy and they turn out to be wonderful students so the parents and I together seem to net really balanced kids. It's a good thing to find parents who bring to the table the things you lack.

[Countrygal]

Thanks, nanny, your post makes me feel better!

My sensory bin had beans for the base, I added feathers, small cars, a magnifying glass, some large spoons, some mardis gras beads for color, I can't remember what else. The only thing that got any attention at all was the magnifying glass, which is one of the things available upon request anyway....

[SilverSabre25]

Why?

Why not?

They're fun. They provide varied sensory experiences. They let kids touch and handle things that they might not otherwise get to ever play with, but are secretly itching to explore. They are interesting.

But by all means, they are not the only method of getting sensory experiences; don't feel pressured to use them!

(I'm about to make a spring/birds one with birdseed as the base...when we're done, we will make bird feeders with the birdseed )

[Countrygal]

Ok...I see sorry!

I obviously feel a little guilty about it, it's supposed to be the "right" thing to do, and I get it in theory, just not in practice with my particular group.

There is just no one-size-fits-all answer, ever, and I resent that some of us are being pushed into a cookie cutter. There are MANY ways to provide really awesome care, and with the pushing of FCCER's in our state, we are getting all getting crammed into the SAME cookie cutter. So, this conversation is more about me not drinking the koolaid than sensory bins, I think.

[nannyde]

Thanks, nanny, your post makes me feel better!

Nice

happyfacehappyfacehappyface

[JenNJ]

I had them in my preschool classroom and found them to be messy and they started fights.

Now that I run my own program, I have the kids get the sensory stuff handled in real life situations. Digging in the real dirt outside, making piles of mulch and rocks with the Tonka/CAT trucks, measuring ingredients when baking and cooking, kneading their own pizza and bread dough once a week, picking flowers and clovers outside, and planting bulbs and seeds in the garden.

I find that kids learn best through real life experiences and they have more fun doing real activities vs. table activities. The only thing we do at the table is eat :: Otherwise we are playing hard inside or out.

[nannyde]

I had them in my preschool classroom and found them to be messy and they started fights.

Now that I run my own program, I have the kids get the sensory stuff handled in real life situations. Digging in the real dirt outside, making piles of mulch and rocks with the Tonka/CAT trucks, measuring ingredients when baking and cooking, kneading their own pizza and bread dough once a week, picking flowers and clovers outside, and planting bulbs and seeds in the garden.

I find that kids learn best through real life experiences and they have more fun doing real activities vs. table activities. The only thing we do at the table is eat :: Otherwise we are playing hard inside or out.

Jen have you started planting? If so, what?

We just did our front garden which was a TON of work. We dug it out about 18 inches and turned it over. We put about a couple of inches of top soil and left it sit.

[JenNJ]

Jen have you started planting? If so, what?

We just did our front garden which was a TON of work. We dug it out about 18 inches and turned it over. We put about a couple of inches of top soil and left it sit.

Not quite yet. We just mixed in fertilizer and turned the soil so far. We moved the garden since we had a new sprinkler system put in. No more watering plants. Just the push of a button at the beginning of Spring. Magic! But my raspberry bushes have leaves already! I am shocked!

This year I am doing summer squash, cucumbers, 6 different varieties of tomatoes, onions (they are in since they are perennials), GIANT pumpkins and "ghost" pumpkins, snap peas, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, basil, chives, and scallions. I'm toying with the idea of lettuce/greens as well. I'm still not sold since I can get those fairly cheap at the farmers market. I like high producing plants. My garden real estate is valuable! ::

[JenNJ]

And if you can get a local farmer to give you some horse poo, you are golden. My father in law has horses, so I have an endless supply of fertilizer. Just bring it home and let it sit with other yard and produce waste. Makes awesome organic growing soil. CHEAP too.

[nannyde]

Not quite yet. We just mixed in fertilizer and turned the soil so far. We moved the garden since we had a new sprinkler system put in. No more watering plants. Just the push of a button at the beginning of Spring. Magic! But my raspberry bushes have leaves already! I am shocked!

This year I am doing summer squash, cucumbers, 6 different varieties of tomatoes, onions (they are in since they are perennials), GIANT pumpkins and "ghost" pumpkins, snap peas, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, basil, chives, and scallions. I'm toying with the idea of lettuce/greens as well. I'm still not sold since I can get those fairly cheap at the farmers market. I like high producing plants. My garden real estate is valuable! ::

YUMMMMMY

We have about fifteen feet by four feet I think so we have to plan it better this year. We for sure are going to do tomatoes, basil, rosemary, sage, and spinach. We have had good luck each year with those.

What's a ghost pumpkin?

[Blackcat31]

What's a ghost pumpkin?

a white pumpkin

http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-201_162-983978.html

[JenNJ]

Yes! I love them! They are so pretty and unique. They really add to the Halloween decor around here!

[Vianne]

Hi, I just have a medium sized tub full of dried peas and some plastic turtles, spoons, scoops, funnel, little things like that. It's not a huge piece of plastic, it's easily transported and can sit on a table top. Right now the only one who can play w it is the 3 yr old. The others are still too young & will put everything in their mouths but she will play with it for hours upon hours.

Can someone tell me about " those water bead thngs Melskids was talking about " That sounds interesting to me & I've never heard of them.

Thanks

[Vianne]

Sorry. Meant to post a pic.