Saturday, January 1, 2011

January Sensory Tub & Playdough - Outer Space

~Happy 2011, Everyone!!~

We're kicking off the year in a fun way - our theme for this month is space! My husband is an astronomy enthusiast and his interest has definitely rubbed off onto James (and me, for that matter!). We used to have a solar system poster and I remember when James was about 18 months old he had memorized all the planets by name and sight. Two years later and he loves to build rockets out of Legos and searches for the moon whenever he's outside at night. Needless to say, I think he's really going to enjoy this tub!

Here's what's inside:
:: Navy blue aquarium rocks - this is my first time using these as a filler and it won't be my last. They are affordable and pleasing to touch. If you plan to use aquarium rocks for your own tub, be sure to rinse them off with water beforehand - they're very dusty otherwise.
:: Small plastic crystals.
:: A variety of glass beads, all colors. I just love glass beads because each bead is so unique. I happened to have a good collection of them on hand (I do a bit of jewelry making from time to time), but you can find a variety pack of these at any good craft store.
:: Marbles - large and small.
:: Superballs - I found these at a toy store here, 6 for $1. They're sort of translucent and VERY bouncy! :)
:: Jacks. These caught my eye as I was contemplating what to put in the tub - they sort of remind me of stars.
:: Pieces of a geode - this is the same geode from our November discovery tray.
:: Crumpled balls of tin foil.
:: Astronauts, a moon buggy, and a rocket - all from this Toob.
:: Silver pitcher and spoon - for pouring and scooping.
:: A variety of rocks and minerals.

Starry Night Playdough
My hands are still blue from making this dough! I wanted to make it a nice, dark blue so I had to use a lot of food coloring. I added silver glitter to it to give the effect of stars against a night sky.

For more solar system fun check out what was on our shelves this month!


~Thank you for your comments!~

35 comments:

Kat said...

Great ideas! This tub looks really fun.

Plants seeds of knowledge...for our future! said...

This is a great sensory table and I love the dark blue! I have never used aquarium rocks in the sensory table either. I have used river rock in the spring with water, plastic turtles, floating duckies and silk flowers to make it look like a pond.

Jen said...

Ok this one definitely makes my top 10 list of your sensory tubs and the playdough looks just like a stary night! My boys are space nuts too and would love something like this. Thank you for another fantastic idea!

Anonymous said...

ohhhhhh my goodness love both the bin and the playdough! I know James is just going to love it!

Darcey said...

The sensory tub looks great and I'm sure James will have fun with it. What a great idea for the play-dough!

Darcey said...

By the way, happy new year! I meant to put that in my first comment too.

Natural Expressions said...

ooooooooo! I love it Mar! Can I please come and work at your "center"???

You have the most amazing ideas...I wish I could apply them to my "onesies"...they sure do like to eat small objects :)

bekkah

Lots of Fun with My FaMiLy said...

Hi Mari-Ann,
What another beautiful tub :) I love space themes (always have) and You have such an amazing imagination! I am hosting my first ever Blog Hop today and as a newcomer to the blogging world I am asking people like yourself to share a link to one of your posts from when you first started out.
If you have a moment, please stop by and check it out. I hope you have a Happy New Year! Tish
http://lotsoffunwithmyfamily.blogspot.com/2010/12/trying-to-blog-hoplets-see-how-this.html

Vallimasoos said...

OMG! I love it! Great idea! Thanks for sharing all your ideas! With a small tribe of 3 and one on the way ...my brain is fried!!

Unknown said...

This sensory tub ROCKS (as in Moon Rocks, of course!)!

I just wanted to give you a quick thank you for consistently posting great tub ideas- they are gonna help with the planning of my Homeschool Co-op Preschool class SO MUCH...

twolittleseeds said...

LOVE!!!!!

Anonymous said...

This is such a great sensory tub! Wow my kids would have so much fun with it! I HAVE to make this one, that's for sure!

Did you use regular blue food coloring (just lots of it) for the playdough? Or was it already a darker blue than what comes in the usual kits?

The girl who painted trees said...

My daughter saw the picture of the tub and said that looks so nice.:) Great ideas as usual.

Fiona said...

Oooh I love this! I was wondering what to do for my January theme (other than Winter which really was combined with Christmas in December) so I think I will be copying this idea-hope you don't mind-will make sure I link back :-)
Also not forgot about your Liverpool postcard-hoping to go into th city center tomorrow as the ice has gone :-)

Packer Family said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE It!!! My Caden is gong to go nuts over this! Can't wait to set this up! Great ideas!

Insightful Brain said...

Beautiful! I love that you also pulled in the Starry Night playdoh work! The sensory tub is amazing!

Natalie PlanetSmarty said...

Very cute tub! I am so tempted, but I don't think Lars will let me go on another shopping spree so soon after Christmas :) Maybe later this year.

Leigh said...

Love it!

Elle Belles Bows said...

Love how the play dough turned out! Perfect shade of blue but can only imagine how much it took to get there! Kerri

Dizzyhappymama said...

this has inspired me to start a monthly sensory tub at our house!!

Rebecca said...

Such creativity!! I am not surprised though :) Love the idea to use aquarium rocks and aluminion foil.

Olives and Pickles said...

Great job mama!!

Vanessa Gonçalves said...

You have such a wonderful ideas. I'm a Portuguese pre-school teacher and I think my children will love such a great imagination!!!

Unknown said...

I love this! What a wonderful idea. My son is about the same age as yours and has loved space for about as long. I had planned on doing an outerspace sensory bin when we had that as a theme and you've provided me with some wonderful ideas. If I blog about it, I will link back to you, of course. I also love the idea of using the aquarium rocks. That is so versatile. Great job!

Sippy Cup Central said...

I love this idea... you scored again! Happy New Year! Karen

Unknown said...

I love the playdough. It looks so shimmery and fun. The sensory tub is great. I have had trouble with rice maybe rocks are going to be better for my son.

Elisa said...

Space I love it what a great idea! Ours is snow/winter based this month. It has been so much fun putting them together. I'm already thinking up things for next month.

Darcey said...

I'm back letting you know that I included this post in my weekly favorites: http://play2grow.blogspot.com/2011/01/weekly-favorites-for-january-2-2011.html

Stacy of KSW said...

Love it!! I found this amazing homeschool pack today and thought you might like it as much as I did http://homeschoolcreations.com/astronautpreschoolpack.html

Thanks to you & the astronaut pack, my lesson plans are almost done for the week!! Hooray

EmilyM said...

Love the space tub idea. My son would totally love it! Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

Oh, I can't wait to make this! I haven't done sensory tubs, but my almost 3 year old will LOVE it!! Keep up the great ideas! I just have to put your link on my blog because you're brilliant!

Ewa said...

Happy New Year to you and your family. Recently I have done my first sensory tub ever which was inspired by your wonderful tubs. I wish you could visite my site and tell me what do you think of it. Here is the link to the site:http://przygodazmetodglennadomana.blogspot.com/2010/12/swiateczne-pudeko-sensoryczne.html
Lots of love. Ewa

The Activity Mom said...

B would LOVE that sensory tub! Great idea! So clever!

Eva said...

wow what a fun sensory tub! :)

Maureensk said...

Missed this somehow before and just saw it on the link up at Our Worldwide Classroom. I actually started a link up also, before I knew of Our Worldwide Classroom's. I'm doing a monthly one, however, so if you want to link up each month, you might stop by. Anyway, I just had to comment about how cool this sensory tub is! Now I am eager to do a space theme week just to do this tub! Thanks for sharing!

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