Sensational Sensory Stations
To Explore With Early Learners
The Full-Day Early Learning - Kindergarten Program
Play nourishes every aspect of children’s development – it forms
the foundation of intellectual, social, physical, and emotional skills
necessary for success in school and in life. Play “paves the way
for learning”.
Canadian Council on Learning (Early Childhood Learning
Knowledge Centre), “Let the Children Play: Nature’s Answer
to Early Learning”, Lessons in Learning(Ottawa: CCL, 2006), p. 2
Kool-Aid Play Dough
2 ½ cups flour
½ cup salt
2 packages of flavoured Kool Aid
3 tablespoons of oil
2 cups of boiling water
1 teaspoon of Alum
Mix flour, salt, Kool Aid, Alum
Add boiling water and stir with a fork until cooled
Stir with hands and mix in oil last
The more you knead the play doh the better it is
Pumpkin Pie Play Dough
Pumpkin Pie Play Dough
Ingredients
5 ½ cups flour
2 cups of salt
8 teaspoons of cream of tartar
¾ cup oil
1 35g container of Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 cups of water
Red & Yellow food colouring
Instructions
1. In a large pot (saucepan) dump in your flour
2. Add salt
3. Measure out the Cream of Tartar and add it to the pot
4. Add in Pumpkin Pie Spice and stir
5. Add oil
6. Add water
7. Add the food colouring until you get the desired pumpkin colour
8. Warm the ingredients up over medium heat – stir, stir, stir until there are no lumps
9. Stir for about 5 minutes until mixture looks like brown sugar
10. Place the dough onto a floured space
11. Knead the dough until it is no longer sticky and takes on a play dough consistency
12. Play & enjoy, BUT DO NOT EAT IT! It smells amazing.
13. Use cookie cutters and be creative
Ice Cream Play Dough
Ice Cream Play Dough Recipe
3/4 cup hair conditioner
(I used just a very basic, super cheap generic dollar store brand conditioner)
1 1/2 cup cornstarch
The basic recipe is fun on it's own and can be played with exactly as play dough.
It has a very light and airy, silky texture however,
**The secret to keeping it looking like ice cream is to not roll
it into a ball or smooth it over too much.**
However, keep in mind that it shouldn't be too runny. It should resemble real dough or playdough so if yours is looking a bit like "melted" ice cream, then try adding a bit more cornstarch.
Ice Cream Dough "Flavor" Ingredients
Vanilla: Imitation Vanilla, no food coloring
Chocolate: Chocolate Extract and Cocoa Powder
Strawberry: A bit of red food coloring and Imitation Strawberry
Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten Programs
ONLINE RESOURCES
Why Children Need To Play
http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/kindergarten_report.pdf
International Play Association (Canada) "Promoting the Child's Right to Play"
http://www.ipacanada.org/children.html
Play Dough Power
http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/music-math-more/playdough-power
Play Dough : What’s Standard
The Wonder of Play Dough
The Full-Day Early Learning - Kindergarten Program
When children are fully engaged in their play, their activity and learning is integrated across developmental domains. They seek out challenges that can be accomplished...Through play, children learn trust, empathy, and social skills.
Pascal, Every Child, pp. 8, 9