Mini Beast sorting

I love this activity with the parents and children.  Everyday learning opportunities are the best and free.  Visiting the park or the woods or even your back garden can find some really interesting mini beasts lurking.  

This activity was set up really quickly for a session: A bucket, one pack of compost from Asda (other suppliers available), some plastic mini beasts hidden in the compost and the sorting trays....plastic cake tray packaging from the supermarket.

You can find the mini beast spotters guide on the sparklebox web site (link on the right hand side bar).

• Lots of language opportunities here (talking and listening skills)
• Counting
• pattern
• Colour
• Sorting
• Sequencing

Plus lots more fun to be had.....

Home made musical sock puppets...Sensory

Home made sock puppets in various sizes.  These have been made from various textured socks for a sensory experience.  The hair is made from various textured ribbons.  They have a bell sewn into the nose to make them musical.  The smaller ones can be put on babies feet for musical song time which is how I use them in the sessions.  

Another great recycled, easy resource to make that can also cover the areas of :

• Colour
• Pattern
• Size
• Sorting
• Singing
• Role play

Hair gel...ocean bottle

This is one of the coolest sensory bottles I have made.  It contains mini plastic goldfish and blue hair gel.  When the gel is placed in the bottle it forms bubbles which make it look as though the fish are breathing.

I use the sensory bottles with the older children too and encourage them to make their own with their parents.....so many opportunities.

Have fun!

Bead sensory bottle.....

These children's beads from jewellery making kits are fantastic for sensory bottles as the holes through them make them float through the water inside the bottle.  

Sensory ice bottle....

I made this sensory bottle to make it look like it contained ice.  The nuggets inside are usually found holding up floral stems in vases, however they reflect light beautifully and look like ice cubes too.  Make a great sound when turned.

Rain maker sensory bottle.....

This is one of the best sensory bottles I have ever made from recycled items.  The white pieces are Styrofoam packaging pieces.  Add one washed out empty drinks bottle and some small sequin stars and you have one of the easiest and beautiful sounding rain makers ever.  Give it a try and you will see what I mean.  Stunning to observe too!!!! 

Button sensory bottle.....

This is one of my favourite simple bottles, filled with....buttons and water.  Because of the holes in the buttons, they glide beautifully up and down and just mesmorise.

Sensory bottles

Hi everyone, I have been away from my blog for a short while due to personal circumstances but i'm back!

I have been recently making sensory bottles for the baby groups that I work with developing early language skills through play.

I love sensory bottles you can use anything to make them.  They are also great for time out to calm down....the little one has to wait for the bottle's contents to settle, especially if it contains something like glitter.

Ocean bottles:

These bottles have water with blue food colouring added, star sequins and a plastic ocean creature inside too.  One has a crab and three have a fish.  I use these when I sing the song fishes swimming to the tune of frere jaque.....

Fishes swimming, fishes swimming
In the sea, in the sea
A splishing and a splashing, a splishing and a splashing
Look at me, look at me