This has been a very busy week for us at Twodaloo central. I have been getting ready for my first blogging conference in Atlanta, and while I am very excited about the trip (and getting to meet some of my blogging buds in real life), I’ve also been in high anxiety mode over leaving my family for several days, making sure I am well prepared for the trip, and meeting all of my blogging commitments in the mean time. Yesterday afternoon I took some time out from my preparations and sat on the back porch with the twins for about an hour, playing with a simple concoction of water and cornstarch like a child. We didn’t talk much, just enjoyed mixing the fluffy powder with the cool water and letting it slip through our fingers. I was reminded just how calming sensory play can be- it was the most relaxed I’d felt all week!
Since this week’s theme for Discover & Explore was “Five Senses,” I decided to feature some calming multi-sensory activities from those who linked up. Be sure to view the entire collection for lots of inspiration for your own Five Senses theme.
*Click on the photos or text links to be taken to the full posts*
First up is this a wonderful post from Ann at My Nearest and Dearest on Sensory Play in Nature; she reminds us that sensory play doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated to be beneficial. I love her message and her beautiful photographs- a must-read!
Next is this absolutely lovely scented tea pretend play invitation by Fun At Home With Kids. I love how she combined sensory and pretend play- those are my favorite types of invitations!
This Yogurt Spice Sensory Painting from Learn Play Imagine is super simple but very engaging for toddlers- allowing them to explore the spices and mix their own concoctions is such a good way to stimulate their senses and keep them engaged!
I am in love with this sweet citrus sensory writing tray by Fun-A-Day for B-Inspired Mama. What a wonderfully calming way to spend a rainy afternoon!
Last but certainly not least is this simple and fragrant Natural Lavender Playdough invitation from An Everyday Story. Look at all the texture in this setup- what child (or adult for that matter) could resist exploring that table?
These posts and other highlights have been pinned to the Discover & Explore Pinterest Board.
From Twodaloo
Looking for more information and ideas? Here are some of our most popular posts on sensory play:
Read what the research says about sensory play and whether all the elaborate sensory setups are truly necessary for development in Sensory Play: Is This Really Necessary
Read all about how to use sensory play activities to build language skills in young children.
Here is a lovely pretend play/sensory invitation we did as part of a lemonade theme- one of our favorites ever!
More Five Senses Posts from the Discover and Explore Co-hosts
Kids in the Kitchen~Exploring the Five Senses (KC Edventures)
3 Science Activities for Kids to Explore Sound (Buggy and Buddy)
Exploring the Senses~Paint with Tea Bags (Fantastic Fun and Learning)
Five Senses Discover & Explore Kit (Teach Preschool)
Coconut Shell Instruments (Twodaloo)
That’s all for now! Bloggers, don’t forget to stop by this week’s linky and add your favorite “pumpkins” posts!
So glad that you were able to be in the moment enjoying some calm sensory play with your little ones. Thanks for including my post about sensory play in nature. That one is really from my heart.
What a great collection of sensory ideas! Thanks so much for this post! Great ideas to use with the kids in my occupational therapy groups at school and with my kids at home!
I love how the sense of smell is featured in many of these activities.