If you think back to your childhood, what do you remember that you enjoyed playing with? I wonder if for many of us, sensory play materials will be a part of those fond memories. I remember when I was pretty young, enjoying mixing mud with my siblings in our backyard. We spent a lot of time making mud, and adding whatever we could find to it. I remember enjoying taking baths together and pretending that the water was a magic potion. I remember building a snow igloo in our yard once with an older teenager who was staying with us at the time. I remember spending hours in a large sandbox, creating things and playing little games with my siblings.
As a parent, I strive to make sure my children have a childhood that involves lots of play. This is even one of our reasons for homeschooling. I want my children to know each other well, and to have plenty of time to play together every day. We enjoy the freedom to spend a lot of the day exploring life around us, and with each other.
When my daughter was a toddler, I started searching for ideas for teaching her at home. I found many ideas for sensory play, so I started experimenting with making her some home-made sensory toys and games. I would pick a theme that went along with the season and go gather supplies at the dollar tree. For Easter, she had a little tree to hang egg ornaments on.
She had multiple colored eggs that I would hide around the room and let her find, and then we would match the colors. She had a baby wipe container full of pom poms that she could fill and empty again. I realized that she gained so much from these simple activities! Now I am repeating many of the same types of games with my son, who is a toddler.
What kinds of sensory play activities do you enjoy with your children?
