Sensory play
BUBBLES
Mix your own with 1 part washing up liquid to 6 parts water. Call out a body part and see if you can pop just using this part?
OOBLECK
Cornflour and water turn into a strange half liquid half solid with an odd feeling. Mix 75g cornflour with 60ml cold water. It should feel solid if kids tap their fingers over the surface or grab and squeeze, but liquid if fingers slowly are sunk into it or it’s lifted into the air.
PLAY DOUGH
This can be made by mixing, in a bowl:
- 8 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp table salt
- 60 mL warm water
- a few drops of food colouring
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
Mix well and store in sealy plastic bag.
Can the adult make some to bring in their child’s favourite colour, and the contact worker also make some (as insurance) in their second favourite colour? Use everyday objects for printing and cutting.
RAINBOW WORMS
Cook a batch of plain spaghetti before your family time session. Divide the cooked spaghetti in to bowls with different food colouring for a rainbow of squidgy worms to entertain toddlers, that are fine if eaten too!
EDIBLE SLIME
Cornflour, icing sugar, coconut milk and food colouring makes a soft slime that is also fine if eaten by slime enthusiasts!?!
OUTDOOR WATER PLAY
Use colanders, plastic bottles with holes in, cups etc. A squirt of washing up liquid too? We have an outdoor area at the Cranworth Centre.
WATER BEADS
Mess free. You can hide objects to find by feeling in a big tray/box of beads.
TASTE ADVENTURES & FEELY BOXES
See who can guess the taste or object without looking? Can you rank your favourite to worst – who can guess your favourite/worst just by watching your face?!
RIBBONS AND RIBBONS
Get a roll of florist’s ribbon (the plasticy type that is about an inch wide), and cut off some long lengths for children to play with. You can show them how the ribbon can be split widthways, curled, joined to make longer and longer ribbons or made into a huge heap of ribbon from a small roll.