Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>What To Fill The Sand Table With
countrymom 12:37 PM 02-12-2011
so I brought my sand table in, so what can i fill it with NOT SAND.
Little People 12:54 PM 02-12-2011
Originally Posted by countrymom:
so I brought my sand table in, so what can i fill it with NOT SAND.
I read a thread where someone filled with cornmealso I brought my sand table in, so what can i fill it with NOT SAND.
DCMomOf3 12:55 PM 02-12-2011
Packing peanuts, small sorting blocks, rice. You can mix in small toys as well, hide little animals or other small toys in too.
You could also use it as a Playdoh table.
You could also use it as a Playdoh table.
blueclouds29 02:18 PM 02-12-2011
You can use it as a sensory table too. With magnify glasses-- seashells, pastic bugs, leaves, or nature items. I've also colored rice different colors and then mixed it together. Cotton, sandpaper or bubble wrap works too!
AfterSchoolMom 02:41 PM 02-12-2011
Cotton balls are easy, cheap, and not messy!
countrymom 02:53 PM 02-12-2011
hmmm the sensory table sounds good, less mess. One year I did rice and I was picking it up everywhere.
heyhun77 05:49 PM 02-12-2011
Right now we have dirt, scoops, cups, washable animals, magnifying glasses, spoons, etc. in ours as and the kids have been playing farm. I'll leave it until the end of the month and in the final day or two I'll let them add some water to make it muddy and we'll have a Mrs. Wishy Washy day.
Other things I put in the sensory table (we call ours the "please touch table" because whatever is in there is meant to be touched and played with) including noodles, colored rice, water, sand, cornmeal, flour, playdough, woodchips, birchbark, I know there's more but that's what I can think of.
Other things I put in the sensory table (we call ours the "please touch table" because whatever is in there is meant to be touched and played with) including noodles, colored rice, water, sand, cornmeal, flour, playdough, woodchips, birchbark, I know there's more but that's what I can think of.
AAA713 07:10 PM 02-12-2011
We put a couple of different types of dried beans, play kitchen spoons, pots and pans. The kids had a blast with these!
Kaddidle Care 08:03 PM 02-12-2011
Originally Posted by AfterSchoolMom:
Cotton balls are easy, cheap, and not messy!
Ooooh I like that idea! We've used sand, rice and these colorful little plastic things - very small. They all made a huge mess. Dirt was the worst! Oh yuck! Cotton balls are easy, cheap, and not messy!
Cotton balls... I like it!
juliebug 08:27 PM 02-12-2011
dried beans, corn (my kids love this), balls, snow (messy),
GretasLittleFriends 08:29 PM 02-12-2011
My son's preschool also used field corn and oatmeal, as well as the other things already listed. His favorite was the water. (And though it's wet, it cleans up well and doesn't stain...)
Missani 07:18 PM 02-15-2011
So far I've had (since September): cornmeal, oatmeal, potpourri, packing peanuts, white sand, rice (messiest), birdseed, popcorn (popped or unpopped-choking hazard for littles), water, snow (very fun but wear mittens), cotton balls, different types of noodles, woodchips, pet bedding (think hamster cage), dried beans and shaving cream. There might be more that I can't think of right now, though.
SilverSabre25 04:36 AM 02-16-2011
right now I have a bunch of scrap paper for tearing practice and I've been having them tear into the sensory table. They are having a lot of fun with it.
Blackcat31 07:09 AM 02-16-2011
Originally Posted by AAA713:
We put a couple of different types of dried beans, play kitchen spoons, pots and pans. The kids had a blast with these!
I haven't looked into this to see if it is true or not but I went to a child care conference not to long ago that said NEVER use dry kidney beans for crafts, sensory tables or anything else because they are actually toxic! Not cooked ones, just dry ones......so I figured I throw this info out just in case..We put a couple of different types of dried beans, play kitchen spoons, pots and pans. The kids had a blast with these!
I found this link...if you scroll down, kidney beans is on the list, click it and it will give the info...http://www.ucsfchildcarehealth.org/h...afety_tips.htm
Symphony 09:18 AM 02-16-2011
Also be careful with birdseed. Many kinds contain cayenne pepper which can burn little eyes!
We do dried beans, rice, corn, wood chips, dried leaves, pinecones, snow, shredded paper (from an actual paper shredder), paper scraps and scissors, wrapping paper and bows, dried noodles, cooked noodles (with a little oil to keep it from making a big sticky ball!), soil and shovels, cotton balls, fruit loops and skewers to lace, ice, cool whip, pudding, cornmeal, crepe paper, tubes-pvc pipes, straws, painter rolls.
I often will have a week with one kind of beans like white and a week with small black beans, then the third week we will mix them together. This gets a little more time out of the activity.
I also try to change the material without having to switch it out. Such as we'll do cornstarch peanuts for a week and then on the last day, I'll pour in some warm water and let them make mush.
Probably the biggest hit here is super easy. I fill my sink with warm water and a bunch of baby bath soap. Then I skim the bubbles off the top and put them in the table. They LOVE it and it really is not very messy.
We do dried beans, rice, corn, wood chips, dried leaves, pinecones, snow, shredded paper (from an actual paper shredder), paper scraps and scissors, wrapping paper and bows, dried noodles, cooked noodles (with a little oil to keep it from making a big sticky ball!), soil and shovels, cotton balls, fruit loops and skewers to lace, ice, cool whip, pudding, cornmeal, crepe paper, tubes-pvc pipes, straws, painter rolls.
I often will have a week with one kind of beans like white and a week with small black beans, then the third week we will mix them together. This gets a little more time out of the activity.
I also try to change the material without having to switch it out. Such as we'll do cornstarch peanuts for a week and then on the last day, I'll pour in some warm water and let them make mush.
Probably the biggest hit here is super easy. I fill my sink with warm water and a bunch of baby bath soap. Then I skim the bubbles off the top and put them in the table. They LOVE it and it really is not very messy.
momofthree 09:27 AM 02-16-2011
This morning I pop to bags of popcorn in the microwave.
I put it in the sensory tub with spoons and bowls and the kids had fun with it. Yes one child did put it in his mouth.
I put it in the sensory tub with spoons and bowls and the kids had fun with it. Yes one child did put it in his mouth.
countrymom 09:30 AM 02-16-2011
how big are your tables, I think mine is too big. Its a step 2, its not very deep (burgundy in color ) its big.
Symphony 09:41 AM 02-16-2011
I have a step 2 water table that is deep on one side and then shallow on the other. My group is on the younger side, so mostly I just use big rubbermaid tubs. I really like the ones that are made to slide under beds. They are long enough to accommodate a good size group of kids, but not too deep that my infants can't play too.
snbauser 09:50 AM 02-16-2011
I think my kids favorite is pom-poms. They have a blast with them and although they do get on the floor they are quiet and are fairly easy to clean up.
dEHmom 10:02 AM 02-16-2011
this would be cold for bare hands, but what about ice cubes?
I like the water tables outside in the summer, fill with water, and dish soap and you got bubbles!
I like the water tables outside in the summer, fill with water, and dish soap and you got bubbles!
DCMom 10:48 AM 02-16-2011
I have large white pompoms in mine right now; cotton balls is a good idea too.
I saw this in a catalog the other day and thought about ordering it. Has anyone ever tried it?
http://www.ecmdstore.com/product/Pro...46&category=97
I saw this in a catalog the other day and thought about ordering it. Has anyone ever tried it?
http://www.ecmdstore.com/product/Pro...46&category=97
momofthree 10:49 AM 02-16-2011
Originally Posted by countrymom:
how big are your tables, I think mine is too big. Its a step 2, its not very deep (burgundy in color ) its big.
I went to the dollar store and pick up a kitty litter container. It is cheap $1 and it is a good size to hold three kids at oncehow big are your tables, I think mine is too big. Its a step 2, its not very deep (burgundy in color ) its big.
My Lil' Monkeys 11:56 AM 02-16-2011
Recently, I took a plastic bowl and filled it with water used a couple of drops of food coloring and put it in the freezer. The next day I put the huge ice cube in the sensory table with animals. My dck loved it!! I've also put towels under the table and used a small amount of water with cups, spoons, boats..etc. I've used snow and leaves. When I worked in a center they used real dirt and put worms then theirs with shovels and containers. They used different colored pasta and rice.
Here's a link for different ideas for the sensory table...
http://craftyteacher.blogspot.com/20...ory-table.html
http://prekinders.com/sensory-table/
Here's a link for different ideas for the sensory table...
http://craftyteacher.blogspot.com/20...ory-table.html
http://prekinders.com/sensory-table/
Unregistered 01:03 PM 02-16-2011
Besides for what others have said, I have used:
pom poms with kids tweezers (from DSS) great for fine motor
pattern blocks with pattern paper
links
Legos
Eye droppers with ice cube trays
baby dolls with soap and washcloths
dirt with gardening equip and fake flowers
paper dots with measuring cups
shredded paper (I think someone mentioned this)
"Clean mud"- Ivory snow, water and toilet paper
Flax seed- messy but fun- watch for static in winter
easter grass and eggs
sand with small bugs and wire nets
easter grass and small plastic animals
packing peanuts
water with everything imaginable- boats, animals, fish, meauring cups, etc
If I think of more I'll post more later.
pom poms with kids tweezers (from DSS) great for fine motor
pattern blocks with pattern paper
links
Legos
Eye droppers with ice cube trays
baby dolls with soap and washcloths
dirt with gardening equip and fake flowers
paper dots with measuring cups
shredded paper (I think someone mentioned this)
"Clean mud"- Ivory snow, water and toilet paper
Flax seed- messy but fun- watch for static in winter
easter grass and eggs
sand with small bugs and wire nets
easter grass and small plastic animals
packing peanuts
water with everything imaginable- boats, animals, fish, meauring cups, etc
If I think of more I'll post more later.
countrymom 01:46 PM 02-16-2011
Originally Posted by momofthree:
I went to the dollar store and pick up a kitty litter container. It is cheap $1 and it is a good size to hold three kids at once
what a great idea.I went to the dollar store and pick up a kitty litter container. It is cheap $1 and it is a good size to hold three kids at once