Surprise! It's another sensory tub! Actually, it's probably not much of a surprise since I did mention in a previous post that I was going to make two tubs for August. But, if I'm honest, this isn't that 2nd "outdoor" tub - I never got around to making it (note to self: don't blog about doing something until you've done it!). This one is just as fun though - take a look!
I was inspired when Maggie, from Redtedart, very sweetly reached out to me about her upcoming "Get Crafty: Yellow" blog carnival. Be sure to check it out for some crafty ideas!Tia (my niece) and I had so much fun putting this together. There are LOTS of goodies in this tub, and really too many to list in full, but here's a sample of what's inside:
:: Star shaped pasta (we dyed only some of it yellow to give it that mottled look)
:: Various types of pom poms
:: Buttons
:: A bean bag
:: Google eyes
:: Beads
:: Mini erasers
:: A wooden egg
:: A Rubber ducky
:: Number beads
:: Popsicle sticks
:: 2 cups for scooping or sorting
:: A strawberry huller for picking out objects
I've added a little twist to this tub. I photographed some of the objects and created a "bingo" card.
The idea is that James will use the photos on the card to hunt for and find the corresponding object. Sort of an I Spy kind of thing. Instead of a bingo card, another idea I had (but didn't end up implementing) was to create individual cards for each object, laminate them and then put them together on a ring.
James used his magnifying glass (his most favorite thing at the moment) to investigate the tub. :)
My very creative niece, Tia, is here visiting us and she has been brainstorming with me about some new sensory tub ideas. Oh my goodness did we come up with some good ones - I can't wait to share them with all of you!
:: Star shaped pasta (we dyed only some of it yellow to give it that mottled look)
:: Various types of pom poms
:: Buttons
:: A bean bag
:: Google eyes
:: Beads
:: Mini erasers
:: A wooden egg
:: A Rubber ducky
:: Number beads
:: Popsicle sticks
:: 2 cups for scooping or sorting
:: A strawberry huller for picking out objects
I've added a little twist to this tub. I photographed some of the objects and created a "bingo" card.
The idea is that James will use the photos on the card to hunt for and find the corresponding object. Sort of an I Spy kind of thing. Instead of a bingo card, another idea I had (but didn't end up implementing) was to create individual cards for each object, laminate them and then put them together on a ring.
James used his magnifying glass (his most favorite thing at the moment) to investigate the tub. :)My very creative niece, Tia, is here visiting us and she has been brainstorming with me about some new sensory tub ideas. Oh my goodness did we come up with some good ones - I can't wait to share them with all of you!
I'm linking this post up to Montessori Monday, Tot Tuesday and The Preschool Corner.
~Thank you for your comments!~
47 comments:
fun a ispy yellow sensory tub. I just posted our sensory tub: Red Beans and Rice to go with the Cajun Cornbread Man book:
http://lettersnumbersandbooksohmy.blogspot.com/2010/08/cajun-cornbread-boy-well-loved-tale.html
This picture just made me happy, all the bright sunny yellow gathered together in one place!
I love the picture of your son investigating the tub with his magnifying glass.
Very cute. My son came up to me today and showed me something yellow and said yellow. He's 20 months. I need to make up some sensory tubs for him.
LOVE IT!!! What a fabby idea!
I have a been bag with a transparent side and it has lots of things hidden inside. the idea being you can find different items a you move it about. they are all hidden amongst the white polistyrine balls that it is filled with..... i find this a great toy to sit and play with. i loose hours when holding this toy!! I feel the same would happen with your sensory tub!!
Pipx
I love the idea of making a bingo card. I will definitely be making one of these for my children. Amazing!
I love it! What a great way to focus on each color throughout the school year!
Fantastic search and find tub...that will be so much fun. I'll have a tub post on Monday. I really enjoy your lovely ideas.
Thanks, Karen
Sippy Cup Central Mom
ADORABLE tub Mari-Ann! I love the bingo card idea! And i cannot wait to see what you and your niece came up with!
What a great tub! I have a couple of questions - I love the idea of sensory tubs, but we have limited space and two little boys who love making messes. So I was wondering how you store your tubs when you're not using them? Do you have any tips as far as storing all the small items you use for them, too? And do you ever have trouble with your son making a mess (purposely, I mean) with the tubs? How do you manage that? I know that's a lot of questions - thank you so much for sharing what you do with your little guy!
How glorious! Love the matching-bingo-card addition.
Blessings...
I just found your blog and I love the ideas. As a teacher who has a student with sensory needs, I feel like I won the lottery. You have so many ideas for sensory tubs! I'm going to start my back to school tub ASAP. Any suggestions? Ideas so far, crayons, mini apple erasers. What do I use as the filler?
I made our first sensory tub and will have it on my blog tomorrow. It has been fun! Thanks
ooo love it!! Love the I spy bingo card! I created an I spy bottle this week for our beach trip!
I like this extension of sensory tubs. I can't wait to see your new ideas.
This is the cutest idea!
I like the idea of a control
bingo card or cards on a ring...
matching up the objects to
a picture extends the exploration
aspect of the tub. You could
also have matching colored
bowls (in this case yellow)
to put the objects into.
Looking forward to more ideas
along these lines!
K.
www.kathysmontessorilife.blogspot.com
LOVE James & his magnifying glass.. which is now one of Aidan's favorite possessions too! :)
Love the idea of doing the sensory tub in all the same color. Thanks for sharing!! Kerri
That is fabulous! You are the queen of sensory tubs! Seriously! Love the ispy bingo addition to this one. So creative!
Thank you all very much for your kind words!
Anna: I only make one tub at a time, usually every 3-4 weeks. I re-use the same tub, which means when I'm finished with a theme I put all the contents from that tub back to where I found them (e.g. the beads go back to the bead container, the puffs go back in the "puff bag", etc.) It takes time, but I'm kind of OCD like that and I LOVE organizing and sorting things. :) I use a lot of containers, homemade baggies and repurposed jars to store things. I keep it all in my Montessori supply closet. As for the mess, it happens, but I don't stress about it. Fortunately James doesn't intentionally throw stuff everywhere - I made it clear when I created his very first sensory tub that it's for exploring, not for throwing. :)
S. Parker: I think you're off to a great start for your 'back to school' tub - love the idea of putting crayons and erasers in there. Perhaps there are other back to school type supplies you could include as well, such as pencils, mini rulers and paper clips (of course that's assuming your child is old enough not to put these things in his/her mouth). As for the filler, I wonder if shredded notebook paper would work?
Hope that helps!
Mari-Ann
Wow - what a fabulous sensory tub! You are such an inspiration with all your different sensory tubs! I think I might start doing this with my kids too!
I did something similar for my youngest when we were focussing on colours, but nowwhere near as cool as yours :D Love the I-spy idea!
I wanted to let you know that on Monday I will be featuring your blog for our Monday Meanderings on sensory tubs. You have such great ideas! Love the bingo card.
Oh my! I am blinded by all that wonderful Yellow-ness, I think this is a STAR yellow Get Crafty feature. Wow. I love sensory boxes and this one trumps. We haven't made one yet, but I think the time has come... you have inspired me!! :-)
Can't wait for Yellow Get Crafty to go live! Thanks for linking!!
Maggy x
Red Ted Art
This is such a wonderful idea!!
and ps Yellow is Egg's fav colour :)
Love it - it's so very cheerful. I love the picture of James inspecting it!
this is great Mari-Ann... I will be using this bingo idea for sure (if I can ever get around to making the sensory tub lol!!)
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James is sooo cute! Such a little scientist!
Yellow is my favorite color so I really LOVE this tub!! Oh and I thought exactly the same thing as Activity Mom, you are the QUEEN OF SENSORY TUBS!!
I love the idea of a one-color sensory tube. And all the hidden objects with a bingo card is awesome! Kind of like those "Find It" tubes I keep reading about. Love the photo of James with the magnifying glass. Finn just got a magnifying glass, too, and he loves using it for everything!
I have GOT to make one of these! xx
I just found your blog a couple weeks ago, and I LOVE it! :) I especially love this idea, the I Spy Sensory Tub. I'm going to do this for my daughter. She will love it. Thanks for sharing all your wisdom with the rest of us!!
super super cute with the bingo card idea!
What a terrific collection and fabulous ideas to go along with the sensory tub! Thanks for sharing!
Love it, as usual! and, had to laugh about your note to self, which i can count a number of times I should have taken!
This is so beautiful. I really like the I SPY addition to the sensory tub. What a wonderful idea!
haha my daughter literally gasped with delight when she saw this and said she wanted one! :) I hope I can make something like this for her, so very creative!
Oh goodness, what an amazing sensory tub! It's so pretty and bright... and happy! :) We've done I Spy sensory tubs before, but nothing as nice as this (I just plop the items on the scanner and photocopy them, lol). I really like the idea of doing one color and you included some really neat things!
I love your blog and your sensory tubs are wonderful. I had a question though. In all my reading about Montessori, I've never come across the mention of a sensory tub. Am I missing something? Are they your invention? Whatever the answer, I love them and will definitely use them when my daughter gets a bit older and stops putting everything in her mouth (she's 1 today).
Thanks,
Fiona
Fiona,
Thanks so much for your comment and question! You're quite right - sensory tubs are not affiliated with Montessori. While we do a lot of Montessori and Montessori inspired activities in our home, there are quite a few non-Montessori activities too - sensory tubs being one of them. :) They are simply a fun thing I read about once a few years ago (not my personal invention!:) and thought it would be something my son would enjoy.
I also wanted to mention that you needn't wait until your daughter is older to make a very safe and simple sort of sensory "tub" and one that is very Montessori, too! Simply gather some basic materials from around the house - for example: a large wooden or metal spoon, a ball of yarn, a rattle (avoid plastic if possible), a felted ball and perhaps a knitted toy. Put it all together in a box and watch your child explore! :)
Happy 1st birthday to your daughter!
Mari-Ann
Love the bingo card idea
love this esspecially the bingo card
Thanks for the ideas for an infant sensory tub, Mari-Ann! I'll be putting one together tonight. I'm sure my daughter will be fascinated with it.
Thanks for linking up to Montessori Monday! This is such a great idea - I'm going to have to use it soon as Pita is working on his colors. :)
This tub is amazing! I just found your blog from preschool corner and I am soooo following! I love how bright the tub was, it made me want to play, lol! thanks for sharing
Wonderful ideas. Lots of yellow summery colors from a very tropical place. We are a little cold now in the mountains of N. Mexico on our camping trip. It's so beautiful.
Thanks for sharing.
I think this is so lovely to look at!! I am in love with your sensory tubs!!
I have been doing "Colour Fun" posts over at my blog, and colour sensory tubs is just another wonderful idea to add! I will let you know when I post about it and I will link back to you!
Take care,
Georgia
Hi Mari-Ann,
I am linking back to your post on my blog, thank you so much for the inspiration. Honestly, I just giggled on seeing a yellow rubber duck in your tub too. I had noticed it before. Here's our yellow sensory tub http://umamahlearningacademy.blogspot.com/2011/04/sensory-tub-2.html
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