Flickr Image by Tish Shute
Sensory and dramatic activities help children develop a sense of touch and help enhance their ability perceive their environment accurately. Exposing children to a variety of textures further supports fine motor skill development. Buy or create a sensory table or sensory bin which is any type of container that can be filled with objects and liquids. Fill the sensory table with spring materials. Add shovels, spoons and measuring cups to help children manipulate the materials.
We searched the web for some for some of the most creative spring and Easter sensory tub ideas. Here are a few:
Always start with a plastic container, about 15 L, preferably clear, to hold all of the materials.
Easter/ Spring Sensory Box
Materials
A bag of Easter grass
12 plastic Easter eggs of different sizes
Small stuffed bunny
A dozen small chicks (you can make pom pom chicks if you would like)
A bag of feathers
Artificial or silk flowers with the stems cut off
Instructions:
Put all of the grass into the container. Fill the eggs with the chicks, flowers, feathers & bunny.
Easter Eggs with Rice Sensory Box
This sensory box provides a good opportunity to practice fine motor skills.
5 lb. bag of rice
Food coloring (orange and blue)
Ziploc bags
White vinegar
Plastic Easter eggs
Craft foam stickers (spring themed)
Felt flowers
Plastic chicks and bunnies
Wooden tongs
Instructions
Dye rice orange and blue. Use food coloring and white vinegar. Take a 5 pound bag of white rice, divide the rice into it 2 large plastic zip lock baggies. Add about 1 teaspoon of food coloring and 1/4 cup of vinegar. Squish the bad until the rice is coated and then spread the rice on cookies sheets to dry overnight.
Place craft foam stickers inside each Easter egg. Put rice inside the sensory table add the Easter eggs, felt flowers, plastic chicks and bunnies, and wooden tongs. Children can practice picking up items with the wooden tongs.
Spring and Easter Sensory Bin with Birdseed
Materials
Birdseed
Kids gardening utensils (shovel, hoe, rake)
Plastic Easter eggs
Plastic bugs
Flower sequins
Instructions
Gather your materials. Place some birdseed inside each egg. Add the rest of the birdseed to the sensory bin and then add in all of the other materials.
Single Item Sensory Tables
Sensory Play Table Item #1: Feathers
Spring is associated with small newborn animals like chicks and bunnies. One item that is associated with this is feathers. Feathers are great for toddlers and young children because they can explore the texture and colors of fluffy feathers. Purchase commercially cleaned and processed feathers or synthetic feathers because animal feathers can carry bacteria and other harmful elements.
Spring Sensory Play Item #2: Flower Petals
One of the signals that spring has arrived is blooming flowers. Place flower petals in the spring sensory play table in order to stimulate your toddler or preschooler’s sense of sight, touch, and smell. Be sure to incorporate a variety of flower petals from all types of flowers. Select flowers from your own yard or ask parents to bring in flower petals from their own yards. You can also ask your local supermarket or farmer at the farmer’s market for stray flower petals.
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