Senses

Senses

by: Lazy Ozzie - 06-05-12 22:39

Hi,

I wanted some new ideas for sensory things to do in my setting-

I do loads of messy/malleable play and wondered if their was anything i missed, i do- playdough, cornflour, jelly, wet pasta, silly putty (glue and starch), slime (soapflakes dissolved in water), clay, paint, water and sand at least thats what i can remember off the top of my head. with most of this stuff we use food colouring and bottleed essesnces.

I also wanted to know what other people did for smells. Apart from Vanilla, orange etc essesnces in our messy play i don't rerally know what else to do. I guess smelly candles, incence or whatever would be too strong and so i am lost, any ideas?

Thanks for any ideas :)

by: Jam

Hi,

You can try using herbs like mint and rosemary for different smells and textures, also try adding the contents of herbal teabags to play dough. If you are ok using food to play with instant mashed potato is fun and can be coloured. You can also try adding oil to water and food colouring. if you want natural colours try using, beetroot or spinach, anything really that has a strong colour.

by: purepurple

shaving foam on its own or with glitter or poeder paint

toothpaste

rainbow rice dry rice coloured with food dye and mixed together

cereal cornflakes, rice crispies etc (my toddlers love this but they do end up eating them- they call they snow flakes)

bubble bath in water or real lemon juice

chocolate playdough with drinking chocolate

baked beans/ spaghetti hoops

angel delight

herbs and spices are good for adding to playdough ginger, curry powder, etc

by: Laura Henry

Hi, I wrote a book on the five senses, four years ago, linked to the current EYFS. Full of practical activities to do especially with the under 3s:

  Play Foundations-Senses-Laura Henry and Jeanette Phillips-Green

ISBN: 978-1-85008-339-9

by: x-mardimoo-x

Try this website. Its a blog an american woman does with loads of photos/activities she does with her children.....

http://www.playcreateexplore.com/

by: Lazy Ozzie

Thanks everyone lots of great ideas, i will definately try the herbs and spices, i tried disolving herbal tea bags in water before adding it to flour to make playdough but it was a very weak smell, i never thought of just emptying the tea into prepade messy play- sounds fun :)

I think i just need to go into the local supermarket and buy a little of everything and we could experinment- it would make a fun outing too!

by: Jam

HI,

These are all great ideas and i love messy play but i wonder sometimes if we are sending out mixed messages when we put out foods to play with, such as baked beans and spaghetti hoops. In my previous nursery we weren't allowed to play with food as parents and alot of staff thought it wrong especially when children were starving. I'm not sure as i can see both arguements, i tend to disguise any food substances i use so as not to confuse the children. What do others think?

by: Bee

Hi,

You could also freeze (plastic animals, insects, dinosaurs) or pulses, peas, pasta in coloured water. Makes for some interesting conversations about what the items are and how they can get them out. Nice to hang outdoors from trees when the weather is nice. Good luck

by: Lazy Ozzie

Jam, i am really unsure to be honest, i don't use food often myself, but thats just because i prefer cornflour, playdough etc (although that obviously still uses cooking ingredients so the same argument really). Its something to think about i guess.

Bam, i have been thinking alot about ice over the past couple of days, and decided its amazing and cannot wait to spend the next week freezing things in icecubes, making glitter and colour cubes, filling ballons and other moulds, paining with ice etc, the possibilities are endless! Any other cool ideas for ice??

by: purepurple

I have thought about the ethical issues of playing with food and have decided it is no different to playing with water. There are plenty of places where water is a precious commodity yet settings have water play available every day.

I have concluded that by playing with food we are not denying people food that are starving.

Petrol is a precious commodity and won't last forever but that doesn't stop people using it every day.

by: EMMA!

Thanks for that amazing link  mardimoo, been looking at all the wonderful ideas for over an hr! Xx

by: Jam

Purepurple I like your view on life! You seem very logical and practical. Where ever you work they are lucky to have some-one like you around.

by: Bee

Hi again,

You must fill a rubber glove and carefully remove it after. Watch the awe and wonder.

by: purepurple

Thank you Jam!

by: playpal

Try adding a few drops of lavender essential oil to the water when you make playdough (NB only a FEW drops!) lavender is very relaxing and can help calm distressed children as can playing with playdough anyway. Try it with your nerw starters - but do check for allergies first.

by: x-mardimoo-x

EMMA I only came across it at the weekend and I can't even remember how I got to it when I read this post I had to look through my history because i couldn't remember the name either but WOW she's a super mum haha......and your welcome :)