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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Sand or Sensory Table
debbiedoeszip 06:49 AM 09-03-2016
Right now, sand and sensory bins are used outside. Most of the time, the contents of the sensory bins end up being dumped on the ground. Not a big deal - it's outside and what I use is cheap (rolled oats, lentils, millet etc). I'm thinking ahead to the winter, though. I'd like to have a sensory or sand table inside but I'm worried that it would be a nightmare of cleaning up the floor around it all.day.long. I have an 18mo dcg enrolled, and starting in Oct I will have a 13mo dcb as well. Any advice about how to make an inside sand or sensory table work?
Blackcat31 07:33 AM 09-03-2016
Originally Posted by debbiedoeszip:
Right now, sand and sensory bins are used outside. Most of the time, the contents of the sensory bins end up being dumped on the ground. Not a big deal - it's outside and what I use is cheap (rolled oats, lentils, millet etc). I'm thinking ahead to the winter, though. I'd like to have a sensory or sand table inside but I'm worried that it would be a nightmare of cleaning up the floor around it all.day.long. I have an 18mo dcg enrolled, and starting in Oct I will have a 13mo dcb as well. Any advice about how to make an inside sand or sensory table work?
Keep the table inside a blow up pool or on a plasric tablecloth or shower curtain. Helps make spills easier to clean up. Right now, sand and sensory bins are used outside. Most of the time, the contents of the sensory bins end up being dumped on the ground. Not a big deal - it's outside and what I use is cheap (rolled oats, lentils, millet etc). I'm thinking ahead to the winter, though. I'd like to have a sensory or sand table inside but I'm worried that it would be a nightmare of cleaning up the floor around it all.day.long. I have an 18mo dcg enrolled, and starting in Oct I will have a 13mo dcb as well. Any advice about how to make an inside sand or sensory table work?
I'd also limit the number of users while inside. That's made a big difference for me. I only allow littles to use when partnered with an older buddy so the messier actions are limited as the older kids play with more purpose and less flinging etc.
kitykids3 10:35 AM 09-03-2016
I use long/wide shallow totes (kind of like underbed totes) on the floor so like 3-4 kids can play at a time. I put them on the dining room floor so I can just easily sweep up anything that gets flung out.
For other things like moon sand, and such, I give them each a cookie sheet with the ridges about half inch high on the sides and that contains a lot of the mess. The rest I just wipe/sweep off the table.
Water play/more liquidy type stuff I use dish tubs that are deeper, on the floor on top of towels.
There are lots of other sensory activities that also don't require boxes/bins, such as walking on contact paper, playing with things like aluminum foil, wax paper, etc. making foot prints with barefeet in paint, etc. etc.
For other things like moon sand, and such, I give them each a cookie sheet with the ridges about half inch high on the sides and that contains a lot of the mess. The rest I just wipe/sweep off the table.
Water play/more liquidy type stuff I use dish tubs that are deeper, on the floor on top of towels.
There are lots of other sensory activities that also don't require boxes/bins, such as walking on contact paper, playing with things like aluminum foil, wax paper, etc. making foot prints with barefeet in paint, etc. etc.
daycare 06:59 AM 09-04-2016
I do a combo.
I lay down the shower curtain and towels if using water. I use large long on the floor containers, like poster above suggested.
One word of caution. Make sure the towel you use under the tub of using a shower curtain too is long/thick enough to absorb the water.
I slipped on the shower curtain one year and got hurt.
Also I try to use larger material in doors. My rule you make a mess you clean it up. But my kids are preschool age.
I lay down the shower curtain and towels if using water. I use large long on the floor containers, like poster above suggested.
One word of caution. Make sure the towel you use under the tub of using a shower curtain too is long/thick enough to absorb the water.
I slipped on the shower curtain one year and got hurt.
Also I try to use larger material in doors. My rule you make a mess you clean it up. But my kids are preschool age.
LK5kids 10:50 AM 09-04-2016
Mine has a lid. I open it during am free play but do not keep it open all day. I have 2 little dust brooms and 2 small dust pans. Kids keep it fairly cleaned up.
It was a different story when I had all two's and under. I kept a closer eye on how they were using it, modeled and reminded how to use it. Sometimes I had to be there the whole time to monitor.
I generally have oatmeal or lentils in mine.
It was a different story when I had all two's and under. I kept a closer eye on how they were using it, modeled and reminded how to use it. Sometimes I had to be there the whole time to monitor.
I generally have oatmeal or lentils in mine.
Pestle 04:12 PM 09-04-2016
Anybody have a kid who immediately dumps it--never plays, just runs over and turns it over, every time? I gave up on the sensory bin inside and the water table outside after several weeks of this. Any suggestions?
Josiegirl 04:52 PM 09-04-2016
Originally Posted by Pestle:
Anybody have a kid who immediately dumps it--never plays, just runs over and turns it over, every time? I gave up on the sensory bin inside and the water table outside after several weeks of this. Any suggestions?
How old is the dck? S/he wouldn't be allowed to use it. Period. Maybe try it with that dck once a month or so, until they grow out of that.Anybody have a kid who immediately dumps it--never plays, just runs over and turns it over, every time? I gave up on the sensory bin inside and the water table outside after several weeks of this. Any suggestions?
My dcks can get a bit messy, even if I'm right there. But the messiest I've ever had was playing in a rice table, with a 7 yo dcb.
For some insane reason he thought it'd be fun to dump scoops of rice down his shirt.
Mike 05:26 PM 09-04-2016
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
But the messiest I've ever had was playing in a rice table, with a 7 yo dcb. For some insane reason he thought it'd be fun to dump scoops of rice down his shirt.
That's boys for ya. But the messiest I've ever had was playing in a rice table, with a 7 yo dcb.
For some insane reason he thought it'd be fun to dump scoops of rice down his shirt.
Pestle 08:45 PM 09-04-2016
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
How old is the dck? S/he wouldn't be allowed to use it. Period. Maybe try it with that dck once a month or so, until they grow out of that.
17 months and he's a terror.How old is the dck? S/he wouldn't be allowed to use it. Period. Maybe try it with that dck once a month or so, until they grow out of that.
TwinMama 06:02 PM 09-05-2016
During winter I usually bring in snow and then use plastic animals/figurines. It doesn't get too messy. The kids are usually laughing because it's so cold.