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EN-GROSS-ING

SENSORY

& SCIENCE RECIPES FOR LEARNING

KRISTIN PEREZ

SENSORY IS SCIENCE...and math, language, discovery, fine motor, gross motor and more!

Squish, pour, smash, squeeze, pound, drip, roll, smear, cut, grasp, form, shape, mold. Measure, sort, classify, identify, observe, respond, predict, & problem-solve. Cooperate, share, decide, control, confer, participate, understand, and develop. What do these words have in common? They are all ways that children engage, play, discover, explore, and LEARN through sensory experiences.

Preschoolers learn through their senses. In fact, studies show that learning and retention improve when multiple senses are engaged.

Sensory activities such as playing with water, cornmeal, beans or dried rice are meaningful methods of allowing children to explore their world through child-driven, open-ended and hands-on initiatives. As the children work at the

sensory station, they develop skills in the areas of fine motor, gross motor, cognition, language, socialization, math, science, problem-solving, creative thinking and more!

While sticking to the “staples” is great, creating rich and ever-changing sensory bins is even better! We hope you enjoy our tried and true recipes for some seriously en-GROSS-ing fun!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

WATER FOUR

WATER, ON THE ROCKS SIX

PCS PLAYDOUGH SEVEN

CLOUD DOUGH EIGHT

GAK NINE

OOBLEK TEN

SAND DOUGH ELEVEN

PUFFY SNOW PAINTINGS TWELVE

THEMATIC BINS THIRTEEN

THE SWAMP FOURTEEN

DINO DISCOVERY FIFTEEN

MORE WAYS TO COOK UP FUN SIXTEEN

GROSS MOTOR SENSORY SEVENTEEN

GARDENS AND MUD EIGHTEEN

100% NATURAL NINETEEN

THINK OUTSIDE THE BIN TWENTY

CONCOCTIONS, MAGNETS, VOLCANOS AND MORE

TWENTY-TWO

FROM THE GROCERY AISLE TWENTY-THREE

TIME FOR TAKE-OUT TWENTY-FOUR

RESOURCES TWENTY-FIVE

RE

CIP

ES F

OR L

EAR

NIN

G

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INGREDIENTS:• WATER!

Sprinklers: Let the fun begin! Hang them from a tree for extra fun!

Bike wash: buckets of soapy water, sponges, bikes

Drive-thru car wash: hang a long sprinkler and have the student drive their bikes through the falling water

Mad Scientist: Colored water, beakers, test tubes, ice cube trays, eye droppers

SERVING

SUGGESTION:Serving Suggestion:

Colors, funnels, buckets, tongs, sea creatures, shells, sprinklers, water mills, cups, spoons, jewels, gems, boats, dishes and sponges

WATER!!!

WATER IS BY FAR ONE OF THE MOST

ENGAGING AND ENTERTAINING

SENSORY ITEMS. CHLIDREN CAN

POUR,SPLASH, FUNNEL, DRIP,

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MA

DE W

ITH LO

VE

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INGREDIENTS:

Ice: cubed, crushed, frozen in a bowl

Arctic: animals frozen in blocks of ice. Serve with small hammers for excavation!

WATER, ON THE ROCKS

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SPICE UP YOUR PLAYDOUGH!

AFTER MAKING YOUR DOUGH,

KNEAD IN SPICES OR

EXTRACTS TO INCREASE THE

SENSORY EXPERIENCE:

CINNAMON

ALL SPICE

PUMPKIN PIE SEASONING

ROSEMARY

THYME

PEPPERMINT OIL

INGREDIENTS:• 5 cups flour

•   5 cups water

•   8 tablespoons oil  ( 1/2 c. for really soft & oily)

•   3 tablespoons cream of tartar

•   1 cup salt

DIRECTIONS:Add a few drops of food coloring to the water if

desired. Over mediu heat, mix all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir frequently until a soft dough forms. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Think outside the box! Add: glitter, colors, spices, sand, etc to increase the

sensory experience.Use with: cutters, rollers, pasta (this makes great

‘fossils’), buttons, googly eyes, chenille stems. Mr. Potato Head pieces, and more!

PCS PLAYDOUGHSHHH.....THIS IS OUR “SECRET” RECIPE

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INGREDIENTS:• 4 cups white flour

• 1 cup baby oil

Mix together to make a super-soft, cloud-like dough.

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Serve with cookie cutters, spoons, cake molds, bowls, and ice cream scoops.

NOTES:

CLOUD DOUGH

MESSY TIP:

ALL MESSES ARE NOT CREATED

EQUAL. FOR ESPECIALLY MESSY

SENSORY ACTIVITIES, TAKE YOUR

BINS OUTSIDE! THE MESS IS LESS

AND CLEAN-UP IS A BREEZE!

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INGREDIENTS:• 2 parts glue (white or clear)

• 1 part borax

• Food coloring (or, once it is made, allow the children to use markers to color)

Mix well and keep in a sealed plastic container.

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Gak is fun just on its own, but if you are looking to extend the experience, introduce cups, molds, rollers, cookie cutters, glass gems, plastic knives or other playdough tools.

Gak bubbles: offer each child a straw. Roll gak into a ball, and insert the straw into the middle of the ball. Blow into the straw slowly and the gak will expand into a bubble.

NOTES:

GAK

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INGREDIENTS• 1 cup water

• 1.5 - 2 cups cornstarch

• Optional: a few drops of food coloring added to the water

DIRECTIONS Mix and play!

SERVING SUGGESTION:

This is MESSY, but seriously fun! Take it outside if you want to keep your tables clean. Serve with recycled fruit cups, spoons, beakers, or just plain. Place in a bin, bowl, or cafeteria tray.

OOBLEK

CORNSTARCH CLEANUP

THIS CONCOCTION IS A BREEZE TO

CLEAN UP - JUST RINSE IN A

BUCKET OF WARM WATER. IT WILL

BRUSH OFF OF EVERYTHING WHEN

IT IS DRY. DON’T DUMP IT DOWN

THE DRAIN, THOUGH, OR YOU WILL

HAVE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT

“SCENT-SORRY” EXPERIMENT ON

YOUR HANDS!

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INGREDIENTS• 2 cups clean sand

• 1 cup cornstarch

• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

• 1.5 cups hot water

DIRECTIONSMix all ingredients together. Serve with sand moulds, spoons, small world toys, cups, etc.

SAND DOUGH (AKA “MOON DOUGH”)

SAND DOUGH MAKES THE PERFECT

SANDCASTLES BECAUSE THE

CORNSTARCH BINDS THE SAND

GRANULES TOGETHER.

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INGREDIENTS:• Equal amounts shaving cream and white school

glue

DIRECTIONS:Mix together until smooth. Explore.

Use paintbrushes to “paint” a snow picture. The snow paint will have a soft, puffy texture when dry.

PUFFY SNOW PAINTINGSSENSORY ART

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THEMATIC BINS:• Nativity bin - beans, small nativity set, star ornaments

• Fall - pinecones,

• Alphabet - rice with hidden letters

• Back to school - ornamental apples, letters, small erasers

• Fruit

• Autumn Fruits (pumpkins, gourds, etc)

• Construction - dirt, small trucks, pebbles

• Bugs, Worms and Dirt - plastic bugs, fishing lure worms. organic soil

• Gardening - small potting containers, gardening tools, soil, dried beans. Add a touch of water daily to dampen soil and the beans will sprout!

• Flower shop - small potting containers, silk flowers, dirt

• Swamp (water, bugs, soil, leaves)

THEMATIC BINS

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INGREDIENTS:• Sand

• Pebbles

• Water

• Natural items

• Plastic frogs, fish, or other swamp life

• Large sticks, logs, or tree “cookies”

• Use your imagination!

DIRECTIONSFill a sensory bin, bucket, or water table with the items above. Have students brainstorm other items to put into your “swamp” (or pond, river, ocean, etc). Add new dimensions by connecting two or three sensory bins together with large sticks or logs.

Supply magnifying glasses, bug nets, rakes, tongs, and more for investigation. Place books about swamp life nearby. Extend literacy by having the children take “field observations” of what they discovered in your swamp!

THE SWAMP

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INGREDIENTS:• Dinosaur skeletons buried in sand

• Brushes for dusting discoveries

• Trays for placing “fossils” on

• Pieces of “bones” to press into playdough or plasticine

• Goggles...for the true scientist

• Loads of books about dinosaurs

• Magnifying glasses

DINO DISCOVERY!

OUR DINOSAUR DISCOVERY UNIT WAS

BY FAR ONE OF OUR FAVORITE UNITS

OF THE YEAR. LOADS OF SENSORY

EXPERIENCES WERE INCORPORATED.

REMEMBER, CHILDREN LEARN

THROUGH THEIR SENSES...THE MORE

THEY USE, THE MORE THEY LEARN!

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INGREDIENTS:• Cardboard lid with holes

• PVC tubes

• Cardboard tubes

• Boxes

• Funnels

• Syphons

• Inclines and declines

• DUCT TAPE

• Clear plastic tubes

• Clothes lines

• Pulleys

DIRECTIONS:Bring on the duct tape!

MORE WAYS TO PLAYADDED HEIGHT, DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS, LIDS, TUBES, FUNNELS AND MORE CAN

GREATLY INCREASE THE VALUE AND INTEREST TO YOUR SENSORY BINS!

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INGREDIENTS• Hammering into pumpkins

• Hammering ice

• Fishing (big pool or small bins)

• Riding a bike over bubble wrap

• Running or walking on bubble wrap

• Make a texture obstacle course

• Outdoor sensory obstacle course

LARGE MOTOR SENSORYREMEMBER TO ENGAGE THE WHOLE BODY IN SENSORY EXPERIENCES!

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GARDENS AND MUDMUD? YES, MUD!!! MUD IS SQUISHY, SLIMY, THICK AND GOOEY. IT PROVIDES THE TACTILE

AND SENSORY EXPERIENCES CHILDREN NEED FOR OPTIMAL BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. AN

ADDED BENEFIT? PLAYING IN MUD HAS BEEN LINKED TO INCREASED IMMUNITY!

GARDENING PROVIDES A WEALTH

OF BENEFITS! WHEN CHILDREN

PLANT GARDENS, THEY IMMERSE

THEMSELVES IN NATURE, FOLLOW

LIFE CYCLES, MAKE PREDICTIONS

AND LEARN ABOUT GOD’S WORLD.

THEY ALSO GET TO FEEL NATURAL

TEXTURES, DIG IN THE DIRT, TASTE

NEW FOODS, SMELL THE SCENTS

OF THE GARDEN, AND SEE THE

INTRICATE DETAILS THAT WILL

NEVER BE FOUND IN OBJECTS

MADE OF PLASTIC.

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INGREDIENTS:• Dirt

• Pinecones

• Shells

• Flowers

• Small sticks

• Stones

• Leaves

• Water

• Mud

DIRECTIONS:

Add items to outdoor play space. Let the children play!

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:Create a play space specifically for natural

items. Collect pinecones, sticks, stones, flowers, and other natural objects. Add pots, pans, measuring spoons, pitchers of water, whisks, and serving spoons. Let the children PLAY!

Allowing the children to play with natural objects in a “muddy kitchen” forces them to use their creativity. A pinecone can become a candle, cake, spaghetti or chicken. It can be dinner, lunch, or even a bug! Avoiding prefabricated plastic food increases play value by stretching imaginations! Give it a try!

100% NATURAL:THE MUDDY KITCHENNATURAL TEXTURES OFFER AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FEEL, PERFECT FOR SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS.

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INGREDIENTS:• Easels

• Bottles

• Zip-lock bags

• Spcie Jars

• Garden boxes

• Cafeteria Trays

• Buckets

• Light Tables

THINK OUTSIDE THE BINNOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE IN A BOX...

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Concoctions:

Baking Soda and vinegar: Place a few small cups with baking soda & vinegar in a tray. Offer teaspoons for mixing and let the fun begin!

Kitchen concoctions: Every child has dreamed of it..being allowed to make their own “recipe.” Offer various kitchen staples and let the children mix until their heart’s content.

Magnets:

Fill a bin with beans, rice, etc. Add magnetic items and let them explore.

Volcanos:

Make a huge “volcano” in the sand. Add baking soda in a cup at the top of the volcano. Pour in vinegar and watch it go! Adult help required.

CONCOCTIONS, MAGNETS, VOLCANOS AND MORE

ALLOW SCIENCE TO BE AN

INVESTIGATION RATHER THAN A

“LESSON.” CHILDREN CAN AND WILL

DRAW MEANINGFUL CONCLUSIONS AS

THEY HYPOTHESIZE., TEST, AND

EXPLORE VARIOUS MEDIUMS. LET THEM

EXPERIENCE ACTIVITIES INDEPENDENTLY

AND WITH FRIENDS. BE A GUIDE, NOT

AN INSTRUCTOR. ASK OPEN ENDED

QUESTIONS THAT ENGAGE THEIR MINDS

AND PROVOKE THOUGHT. PARAPHRASE

THEIR WORDS TO HELP THEM DRAW

CONCLUSIONS OF SUBSTANCE.

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INGREDIENTS:

• Colored water

• Cornmeal

• Rice - colored or plain

• Oatmeal

• Corn kernels

• Flour

• Beans

• Cornstarch

• Cotton Balls

• Pasta - all shapes and sized

• Cooked pasta

• Shaving cream

NOTES:

STAPLES FROM THE GROCERY AISLE

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INGREDIENTS:• Water beads

• Moon Sand

• Aqua Sand

• Floam

• Cotton Balls

• Thematic items: farm animals, fake flowers

• Glow Sticks

DIRECTIONSHead to the nearest Walmart, Toys R Us, Dollar Store or learning store and pick out some pre-fabricated items for the bins. Listed above are some of our favorite store-bought concoctions!

TIME FOR TAKE-OUT

Moon Sand

Water beads on a light table

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RESOURCES

IF YOU HAVEN’T CHECKED OUT THE WONDERFUL

WORLD OF BLOGS, NOW IS THE TIME! THE

RESOURCES AND IDEAS ARE ENDLESS!

Here are a few resources to explore. Each of these sites includes links to more excellent sites, so in providing a few, the resources are actually endless!

Exploring the Outdoor Classroom:http://exploringtheoutdoorclassroom.blogspot.com/*This is Kristin’s Blog! You can download a color copy of this recipe book for your classroom use.

Let the Children Play: http://progressiveearlychildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/

Sand & Water Tables: http://tomsensori.blogspot.com/

http://blogs.babble.com/family-style/2012/04/30/8-recipes-for-disaster/

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com - Just search preschool science, sensory bins, science ideas and the ideas will flow!

Also, check out all books by Mary Ann Kohl, including Mud Works.

EN-GROSS-ING

SENSORY

& SCIENCE RECIPES FOR LEARNING