Activities for Sensory Play
Source: Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall
Topics: Creativity, Growing Your Child's Creativity, The Importance of Play, Other Young Child Issues (Ages 2-3), Other Preschool Issues (Ages 3-5)
Sensory play is a favorite activity for toddlers, who enjoy water play, sandboxes, rice, oatmeal, and cornmeal bins. They are particularly fond of play dough and enjoy a variety of textures.
Play Dough
Kneading play dough aids in developing small-muscle skills and is a favorite among younger children. You can make your own play dough with the following recipe:
Use-Again Play Dough
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- .5 cup salt
- 2 cups cold water
- Food coloring (add to the water before mixing 4 teaspoons cream of tartar with dry ingredients, so the food coloring won't stain your hands)
- 4 teaspoons of cream of tarter
Cook and stir over medium heat until the play dough thickens. Cool and put in a closed container or resealable plastic bag.
Vary the implements presented with the play dough. Try rolling pins and dowels, tongue depressors, small cookie cutters, plastic knives, scissors, and small (nonswallowable) objects such as plastic letters, straws, poker chips, bottle and jar lids, and small toys.
Excerpted From:
© 2006, Merrill, an imprint of Pearson Education Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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