Now that fall and winter are officially showing up in our AZ weather, it’s time to turn that water table into something useful INSIDE.
What is a Sensory Table? It’s pretty much what it sounds like. A table turned into an activity that uses children’s senses to play. Sight, sound, touch, smell, and sometimes taste.
Technically it’s a plastic bin that sits inside a base.
Now these professional tables cost about 100-200 or more depending on the level of creativity of the table. They can get pretty extensive.
However there is always a cheaper way to do it, and most people have these two things lying around…….
1. A water table
A classic summer item that can cost about 40.00 cheap. Which isn’t much, yet it is to some, but if you have one you can repurpose it into a sensory table during the winter. Clean it first. Then bring it inside. You can still use it outside, but I wouldn’t leave it out there with your items inside it. It might attract bugs, stray cats, birds, etc. so keep it inside.
2. Long deep storage bin.
I love going to target, Walmart, etc to go get the latest Sterilite storage containers. Cuz they always get exclusive container color lids.
When I was working for the school district I always bought as many as I could in one color ( in different sizes) to color code my sections of stuff at my site. Example: blue lids were arts and craft supplies , bright pink was board games and card games. Lol . The kids loved it and it made it easy to clean up.
Back on track you can get any of these size containers and filled them with different types of sensory things and store them for a different day. In the ELC room we would store the sensory stuff in these bins and dump them into our table when we wanted to switch. But all you have to do is keep them in their and bring it out and put it on the floor to play or on a low level table.
What are the items you ask
In with these items you can throw in their toys, shovels, tweezers, or chop sticks. They have to find their toys under it all. Make it a treasure hunt. Or just let them play with just the items like they would if they were at the beach. With cups, spoons, etc.
A lot of these items are cheap and easy to get from even the dollar store.
1. Rice
2. Popcorn seeds
3. Pasta noodles.
Or even better
4. Sand ( go outside and get some from a playground) lol don’t tell anyone.
5. Rocks
6. Dirt.
Possibilities are endless. I know I always say this but it’s true. Just use your imagination.
Happy Thanksgiving .
The TAWL Mom 