Fun With Sensory Play ELP

Getting Messy for Fun’s Sake

This year, we have been experimenting with messy materials such as sand, shave cream, goop, pumpkin guts, water, playdough, etc).  Sometimes we add a smell (like pumpkin spice, baby oil or other stuff) to enhance the students’ experience and sometimes we add other fun stuff like sparkles or food colouring.

Sensory play is important so that the children can experience learning with all of their senses (touch, sight, smell) and they also develop their manipulation and fine motor skills in the process.  Ms. Switzer, Ms. Mallory and I set up several investigation stations. Most times, we make the experiments with the children, incorporating fun Science investigations:

Pumpkin spiced play dough.

In October, we investigated pumpkin guts.

Shaving Cream Investigations.

Pumpkin spiced moon sand (cornstarch, water and sand).

Playing with "Goop".

Ms. Mallory did baking soda, vinegar and food colouring experiments.

Ms. Mallory made sparkle moon sand.

Doing the dishes in warm, soapy water.