EN-GROSS-ING

SENSORY

& SCIENCE
REC IPES FOR LEARNING
K RIS T IN PER E Z

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 station, they develop skills in the areas of ne motor, gross motor, cognition, language, socialization, math, science, Sensory activities such as problem-solving, creative thinking and more! playing with water, While sticking to the cornmeal, beans or dried rice are meaningful methods staples is great, creating rich and ever-changing of allowing children to explore their world through sensory bins is even better! We hope you enjoy our tried child-driven, open-ended and hands-on initiatives. As and true recipes for some seriously en-GROSS-ing the children work at the fun!

RECIPES

FOR

LEARNING

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, TWENTY-TWO VOLCANOS AND MORE FROM THE GROCERY AISLE TWENTY-THREE TIME FOR TAKE-OUT TWENTY-FOUR RESOURCES TWENTY-FIVE
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WATER IS BY FAR ONE OF THE MOST ENGAGING AND ENTERTAINING SENSORY ITEMS. CHLIDREN CAN POUR,SPLASH, FUNNEL, DRIP,

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!!!

MADE
WITH

LOVE

WATER, ON THE ROCKS

INGREDIENTS:
Ice: cubed, crushed, frozen in a bowl Arctic: animals frozen in blocks of ice. Serve with small hammers for excavation!

PCS PLAYDOUGH
SHHH.....THIS IS OUR SECRET RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
5 cups our 5 cupswater 8 tablespoons oil ( 1/2 c. for really soft & oily) 3 tablespoons cream of tartar 1cup 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!

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

CLOUD DOUGH
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups white our 1 cup baby oil Mix together to make a super-soft, cloud-like dough.

NOTES:

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

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!

GAK
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.

NOTES:

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.

OOBLEK
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.

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. DONT DUMP IT DOWN THE DRAIN, THOUGH, OR YOU WILL HAVE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SCENT-SORRY EXPERIMENT ON YOUR HANDS!

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SAND DOUGH (AKA MOON DOUGH)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups clean sand 1 cup cornstarch 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1.5 cups hot water

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

SAND DOUGH MAKES THE PERFECT SANDCASTLES BECAUSE THE CORNSTARCH BINDS THE SAND GRANULES TOGETHER.

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PUFFY SNOW PAINTINGS

SENSORY ART 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.

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THEMATIC BINS
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, shing 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 owers, dirt Swamp (water, bugs, soil, leaves)

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THE SWAMP
INGREDIENTS:
Sand Pebbles Water Natural items Plastic frogs, sh, or other swamp life Large sticks, logs, or tree cookies Use your imagination!

DIRECTIONS
Fill 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 eld observations of what they discovered in your swamp!

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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!

DINO DISCOVERY!
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

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MORE WAYS TO PLAY

ADDED HEIGHT, DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS, LIDS, TUBES, FUNNELS AND MORE CAN GREATLY INCREASE THE VALUE AND INTEREST TO YOUR SENSORY BINS! 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!

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LARGE MOTOR SENSORY

REMEMBER TO ENGAGE THE WHOLE BODY IN SENSORY EXPERIENCES! 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

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GARDENING PROVIDES A WEALTH OF BENEFITS! WHEN CHILDREN PLANT GARDENS, THEY IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN NATURE, FOLLOW LIFE CYCLES, MAKE PREDICTIONS AND LEARN ABOUT GODS 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.

GARDENS AND MUD

MUD? 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!

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100% NATURAL: THE MUDDY KITCHEN

NATURAL TEXTURES OFFER AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FEEL, PERFECT FOR SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS.

INGREDIENTS:
Dirt Pinecones Shells Flowers Small sticks Stones Leaves Water Mud

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Create a play space specically for natural items. Collect pinecones, sticks, stones, owers, 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!

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

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THINK OUTSIDE THE BIN

NOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE IN A BOX...

INGREDIENTS:
Easels Bottles Zip-lock bags Spcie Jars Garden boxes Cafeteria Trays Buckets Light Tables

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CONCOCTIONS, MAGNETS, VOLCANOS AND MORE

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 hearts 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.

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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STAPLES FROM THE GROCERY AISLE

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:

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TIME FOR TAKE-OUT

INGREDIENTS:
Water beads Moon Sand Aqua Sand Floam Cotton Balls Thematic items: farm animals, fake owers Glow Sticks

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

Moon Sand

Water beads on a light table

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RESOURCES
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 Kristins 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 ow! Also, check out all books by Mary Ann Kohl, including Mud Works.

IF YOU HAVENT CHECKED OUT THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF BLOGS, NOW IS THE TIME! THE RESOURCES AND IDEAS ARE ENDLESS!

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EN-GROSS-ING

SENSORY

& SCIENCE
REC IPES FOR LEARNING