Senosry Bins |

Christmas Sensory Tub

December 16, 2014 By Callie Leave a Comment

I’m not gonna lie. I love a good party. I especially love a good toddler party.I’ve waited my whole infertility life planning events like these just to soak them into wonderful memories. I must be completely crazy though. 21 toddlers and their mamas is crazy and fun and the quickest way to trash your house ever!

Our toddler party hosted a book exchange for the toddlers. Row has been “reading” hers every night! A cookie exchange for the mamas-yummy! I’ll share my recipe soon. Oh and a Christmas Sensory tub for the littles. I made it into a Christmas sensory sand box tub-extra large. I mean there were 21 of them.

Supplies-all found at the dollar store!!!

cotton balls for snow

bells

tinsel

tiny packges

Row had a chance to sneak a play with her best friend E before the party while her Mama and I ran around crazy! The snowballs were tons of fun because they could pull them apart. But I must warn you the tinsel was fun and everyone loved it but oh my was it a crazy clean up.

Several children simply rolled in the tub-how cute is that?

This sensory tub can be made smaller and it’s also great for winter months. Instead of presents and bells add in snowflake cutouts. I already bought some! The great part about these tubs is as soon as we are done I simply bag them up, label, and they’re ready for next year. If you’re an oil person you could add peppermint. I had a thin mint overdose as a child and have never overcome it so no peppermint in our house!

This weekend was crazy fun!

Mama went to see the rockettes-amazing!

One of our local families put on an amazing free light show to music-yes they have their own radio station.

Somebody loved it.

What’s Row wearing-Matilda Jane Party Dress-this thing is amazing!

Fall Sensory Tub

October 9, 2014 By Callie 1 Comment

It’s Fall ya’ll and what better way to rake in Fall then with an inexpensive sensory tub!

This week has begun with a bang! Ibloom mommy group focused on parenting and the traps of being enough as a mom, as a wife, as a woman! It was wonderful. We talked about comparison and how comparison steals joy. So true. One thing I know myself and many others do is compare our children’s abilities. Are they walking, talking, do they know numbers and colors?

Now you all know I’m a play advocate. Let them be little and play. Let them learn to build social emotional skills. That is what is lacking. Alphabets can be taught at school social emotional now that’s a different story.

I love to find fun ways for Row to explore through sensory play and learn! It’s also an easy activity for her to do at the high chair when I’m working in the kitchen. Luckily my mom is usually over when I’m cooking but it’s fun for her should I need something for her to do to keep her busy. This is a keeper-she actually seeks out this tub and cries to play with it.

All of the supplies were bought at the dollar store. See my previous post about shipping the dollar store.

Simply make your base-I used beans and Fall colored pasta. Add in Fall items such as fake gourds, pumpkins and leaves and bam Fall sensory tub.

Why do we do sensory activities for two reasons. 1. It allows our toddlers to explore the world around them through their senses. I can also talk to her about colors and textures, weight, sorting you name it. Don’t overload-it’s fun! 2. Many toddlers, especially boys are sensitive when it comes to sensory activities. This is a chance for them to explore in a safe environment and bring down those sensory phobia walls.

Sensory tubs are so easy!!!! You can add or change. I plan on bagging the supplies for this one and upcoming tubs to use for next year as well!

On the home front Row and I hosted a Toddler Halloween party today. It was so cute! Row’s birthday is this month but I didn’t want to miss out on Halloween. We all dressed in black and orange and brought treats for the kiddos. They attempted to trick or treat each adult but ya know. They had a blast as you could have told by the giant mess. But we loved it!

I also finished my mantle and hutch decorating this weekend! I love Halloween! Notice the hutch is only decorated so low-uh hum.

Shopping at the Dollar Store like a Teacher

September 9, 2014 By Callie Leave a Comment

The dollar store ahhhhhhhhh!!! It’s teacher heaven, unless you live in Houston because there is an actual store called teacher heaven and I must say they nailed that one on the head. It’s so amazing the things you can find at the dollar store. Even more amazing is how teachers look at things a little differently and can find ways to use the most ordinary things in extraordinary ways. Come shop with me!

As a teacher I went to the dollar store weekly. As a mom I go monthly. It’s a great inexpensive resource for sensory play. I’m going to layout what’s in the bags and telll you how I plan on using the items. No doubt you’ll see a bunch of them in upcoming posts.

We will be going left to right, top to bottom-the way we read-teacher habit.

1. Brushes-snag these-they’re $10 at Hobby Lobby! I plan on using these to chalkboard paint my crock pot-hopefully sooner rather than later. I also am dying to make some burlap wreaths. Only problem I can’t really draw.

2.Pack of Gourds-Fall sensory tub

3. Spiders-Halloween Discovery bottle, sensory tub, cupcakes toppers-I used these to play a one to one correspondence game in Kindergarten where you roll the dice and put that many spiders on your hand-super cute.

4.Hair Ties-color discovery bottles-I want to make them so badly! I need more glitter!

5.Pumpkin-sensory tub and bathtub/water table play.

6. Vanilla Pudding-sensory play-put edible food coloring in and we will be making edible finger paint.

Next Row

1.Strainer-sand table

2.Beads-cutting apart for discovery bottles-notice a trend?

3. Grow a Robot-scientific method-I mean robots are cool!

4.Dinosaurs-Dino discovery bottle, sand table

5.Glow Sticks-bathtub play in the dark, discovery bottle

6.Baster-water table, bathtub play, and painting

7. Measuring Cups-sensory tub play, water table play

Bottom Row

1.Leaves-Fall sensory tub

2.Mike Wysowski-green discovery bottle-had too.

3. Q-Tips-used to make skeletons on paper for Halloween and an upcoming contact paper sticky project, also great to use for paintbrushes or for sharing glue.

4.Beans and Pasta-sensory tub base

Once you start looking at things differently it’s amazing what you can find. I always go with some upcoming projects in mind-on the burner and look for things that might fit. For example, I knew I wanted to make a Fall sensory tub for Row and start with the basic color discovery bottles. Have you found anything cool at the dollar store? Any upcoming projects? BTW-water beads are at the dollar store too!!!! We already have them.

The same goes for garage sales! I’m a garage sale junkie! You’d be so amazed at what you can find.