Sand or Sensory Table

[debbiedoeszip]

Right now, sand and sensory bins are used outside. Most of the time, the contents of the sensory bins end up being dumped on the ground. Not a big deal - it's outside and what I use is cheap (rolled oats, lentils, millet etc). I'm thinking ahead to the winter, though. I'd like to have a sensory or sand table inside but I'm worried that it would be a nightmare of cleaning up the floor around it all.day.long. I have an 18mo dcg enrolled, and starting in Oct I will have a 13mo dcb as well. Any advice about how to make an inside sand or sensory table work?

[Blackcat31]

Right now, sand and sensory bins are used outside. Most of the time, the contents of the sensory bins end up being dumped on the ground. Not a big deal - it's outside and what I use is cheap (rolled oats, lentils, millet etc). I'm thinking ahead to the winter, though. I'd like to have a sensory or sand table inside but I'm worried that it would be a nightmare of cleaning up the floor around it all.day.long. I have an 18mo dcg enrolled, and starting in Oct I will have a 13mo dcb as well. Any advice about how to make an inside sand or sensory table work?

Keep the table inside a blow up pool or on a plasric tablecloth or shower curtain. Helps make spills easier to clean up.

I'd also limit the number of users while inside. That's made a big difference for me. I only allow littles to use when partnered with an older buddy so the messier actions are limited as the older kids play with more purpose and less flinging etc.

[kitykids3]

I use long/wide shallow totes (kind of like underbed totes) on the floor so like 3-4 kids can play at a time. I put them on the dining room floor so I can just easily sweep up anything that gets flung out.

For other things like moon sand, and such, I give them each a cookie sheet with the ridges about half inch high on the sides and that contains a lot of the mess. The rest I just wipe/sweep off the table.

Water play/more liquidy type stuff I use dish tubs that are deeper, on the floor on top of towels.

There are lots of other sensory activities that also don't require boxes/bins, such as walking on contact paper, playing with things like aluminum foil, wax paper, etc. making foot prints with barefeet in paint, etc. etc.

[daycare]

I do a combo.

I lay down the shower curtain and towels if using water. I use large long on the floor containers, like poster above suggested.

One word of caution. Make sure the towel you use under the tub of using a shower curtain too is long/thick enough to absorb the water.

I slipped on the shower curtain one year and got hurt.

Also I try to use larger material in doors. My rule you make a mess you clean it up. But my kids are preschool age.

[LK5kids]

Mine has a lid. I open it during am free play but do not keep it open all day. I have 2 little dust brooms and 2 small dust pans. Kids keep it fairly cleaned up.

It was a different story when I had all two's and under. I kept a closer eye on how they were using it, modeled and reminded how to use it. Sometimes I had to be there the whole time to monitor.

I generally have oatmeal or lentils in mine.

[Pestle]

Anybody have a kid who immediately dumps it--never plays, just runs over and turns it over, every time? I gave up on the sensory bin inside and the water table outside after several weeks of this. Any suggestions?

[Josiegirl]

Anybody have a kid who immediately dumps it--never plays, just runs over and turns it over, every time? I gave up on the sensory bin inside and the water table outside after several weeks of this. Any suggestions?

How old is the dck? S/he wouldn't be allowed to use it. Period. Maybe try it with that dck once a month or so, until they grow out of that.

My dcks can get a bit messy, even if I'm right there. But the messiest I've ever had was playing in a rice table, with a 7 yo dcb. For some insane reason he thought it'd be fun to dump scoops of rice down his shirt.

[Mike]

But the messiest I've ever had was playing in a rice table, with a 7 yo dcb. For some insane reason he thought it'd be fun to dump scoops of rice down his shirt.

That's boys for ya. ::

[Pestle]

How old is the dck? S/he wouldn't be allowed to use it. Period. Maybe try it with that dck once a month or so, until they grow out of that.

17 months and he's a terror.

[TwinMama]

During winter I usually bring in snow and then use plastic animals/figurines. It doesn't get too messy. The kids are usually laughing because it's so cold.