sensory play Archives - Happy Hooligans

Dramatic Play Flower Shop for Preschoolers

Jackie Currie — Fri, 22 May 2020 21:32:05 +0000

Hello Lovely!

The weather has FINALLY warmed up here, so I wanted to share a terrific backyard activity that will keep your little ones entertained and learning for ages.

Check out our pretend play flower shop!

It's super-easy to set up with some dollar store artificial flowers, and a few jars, containers and scoops.

You'll love what we've used for the "potting soil". It makes for such a wonderful sensory experience and it's much more interesting than dirt (although that will do just fine if that's what you'd like to use).

Check it out with the link below!

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Shaving Cream Writing Tray for Preschoolers

Nicole Black — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 09:06:06 +0000

Here's a really fun way for kids to practice their writing skills.

Preschoolers can practice forming letters, numbers and writing their name, while older kids can work on strengthening their writing skills and practicing spelling and sight words.

It's super simple to set up, and what a wonderful sensory experience!

Click the link below to check it out!

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Christmas Sprinkles Writing Tray Activity for Kids

Nicole Black — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 15:15:18 +0000

Here's a fun pre-writing activity for toddlers and preschoolers, and a great way to use up the leftover sprinkles from your Christmas baking!

Click the link below to check it out!

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Nativity Sensory Bin for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Jackie Currie — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 19:37:14 +0000

A Nativity Sensory Bin is easy to make and a wonderful Christmas activity for toddlers and preschoolers play with at home, daycare or preschool. I really enjoy coming up with fun activities for the toddlers and preschoolers in my daycare at Christmas time. The hooligans love digging their hands into a sensory bin, so I recently...

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How to Make Oobleck for Sensory Play – an Easy 2 Ingredient Recipe

Jackie Currie — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 15:23:49 +0000

Is it a solid or a liquid? It's BOTH!

Have you made Oobleck with your kids yet?

You must! It's so simple to make and it's an absolutely fascinating substance to play with.

Squeeze it and it's a solid, let it go and it transforms into a liquid. It will keep your kids entertained and learning for ages, and all you need are two ingredients found right in your kitchen!

CLICK the link below for details!

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Calming Glitter Jar and Calm Down Song (Inspired by “Esme & Roy”)

Jackie Currie — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 18:32:44 +0000

Happy Friday!

I'm really excited to show you these calming glitter bottles! They're so easy to make!

They're mesmerizing to play with and they're a great tool for helping preschoolers learn how to relax and regulate their emotions when they're upset, anxious or just feeling like they need a quiet moment to reflect.

I'm also super-excited to tell you about a new preschool series that airs on Saturdays on Treehouse TV. It's called Esme and Roy, and it's an adorable animated series that helps kids manage their emotions and navigate through challenging situations.

I've watched a few episodes and I just love it. I hope you'll check it out with your little ones!

Click the link below to learn more about it, and to see how to make our glitter jars.

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3 Easy Chemical Reactions for Preschoolers

Alana Pace — Wed, 06 Jun 2018 19:49:04 +0000

If you're looking for some fun, easy and educational science experiments to do with your kids, I have 3 kid-friendly chemical reactions to share with you.

If you've never done the 2nd one before, you simply MUST! It's so awesome! I've included a video in the post so you can see it in action.

All of these experiments can be done with common ingredients you likely already have around the house.

They're great for introducing young children to science, and perfect for daycare, preschool or homeschool.

Call the kids in to watch the video. It will blow their minds!

Click the link below to get to the post.

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Gingerbread Play Dough Cookie Decorating Activity for Kids

Jackie Currie — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 06:55:58 +0000

I'm so excited! Take a look at this simple Gingerbread Cookie Decorating Station I made for the kids.

It's so pretty and inviting, and they'll play with it all month long.

The no-cook dough is really easy to make and it stays super-soft even if you leave it out for hours.

The kids have a ton of fun rolling, cutting and decorating their cookies with odds and ends from the craft cupboard.

It's the perfect Christmas activity keep little ones busy and having fun at home, daycare or preschool.

Just click the link below to check it out now!

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Painting on a Mirror – an Outdoor Art Idea for Kids

Jackie Currie — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 19:38:33 +0000

If you're looking for something really different for the kids to do outside this week, try our painting on a mirror activity!

It's such a cool experience and it will keep your toddlers and preschoolers entertained for ages!

Check it out through the link below!

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International Mud Day Activities for Preschoolers

Jackie Currie — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 19:36:59 +0000

International Mud Day is June 29th.

Here are 8 of our favourite mud-play activities to make the day a screaming success for your kids.

From car-washes to mud-slides to painting with mud, these fun and fabulous activities will make mud day one of your kids' favourite days of the year!

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How to Make the Best Sensory Bins: Everything You Need to Know

Jackie Currie — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 05:10:14 +0000

Let's talk sensory bins!

You've probably heard of them, but have you made one yet?

If you haven't, oh MY, you are missing out!

They're SO easy to make. You can literally create an amazing bin that will provide your child with hours of learning and entertainment, using items you already have around the house.

I've put together a bit of a SENSORY BIN 101 for you to help you get started.

Today, I'm talking about what a sensory bin is, and the benefits of sensory play (it's so GOOD for your child), and I'm providing you with all kinds of suggestions for containers to use, base materials, tools and instruments, and items to include in your sensory bins.

I'm also suggesting themes, and I've included loads of photos of our most popular sensory bins here in my daycare.

So, if you've never made a sensory bin before, you're in for a treat! You'll be making bins for all occasions in no time. Seriously. They're that easy and addictive to make.

And your child is going to be thrilled! We're talking hours and hours of engaged and focused play and learning here. You have to LOVE that!

Click the link below to find out how easy it is to make the BEST sensory bins your kids. I'm hoping you'll be so inspired that you'll get right to making one today!

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The Funnest, Easiest Way to Clean your Art Table

Jackie Currie — Sun, 03 Jul 2016 21:07:20 +0000

This method for cleaning your art table will have your kids begging to help clean up! With a little shaving cream, cleaning the art table, becomes a fun sensory activity for kids. Every few months, here in my home daycare, our art table gets to the point where it’s so messy and caked with paint,...

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DIY Salt Tray Writing Activity for Preschoolers

Jackie Currie — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 06:23:44 +0000

This fabulous salt tray writing activity is a terrific way for little ones to practice their pre-writing skills!

It's a fun and creative way for preschoolers to work on letter and number formation, and printing their name. Even toddlers can strengthen their pencil grip while they doodle and draw in a salt tray.

We coloured our salt, but you can leave yours plain if you'd rather. This activity sets up in under a minute, and will provide hours of fun and learning.

Make designs, print letters, doodle and draw, and then shake it clean and start all over again!

Have a look! You and your preschoolers are going to love this one!

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Frozen Clean Mud

Jackie Currie — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 04:59:43 +0000

Here’s another cool activity that Elsa and Anna fans will love! We’ve made an ooey-gooey, beautifully scented batch of Frozen Clean Mud! The kid will love this Disney inspired activity, and you’ll hard time keeping your hands out of it too! The hooligans are just crazy about the latest Disney Movie. They sing the Frozen...

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Toddler-Safe Cloud Dough Recipe (No Baby Oil)

Jackie Currie — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 01:43:57 +0000

There’s no doubt about it, our regular 2 ingredient cloud dough is amazing for sensory play. Recently however, we figured out how to colour our Cloud Dough, and even more recently, we tweaked that coloured cloud dough recipe to make it toddler-safe. This is great news because I often hear from parents who are concerned...

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Coloured Cloud Dough – How to Colour Cloud Dough for Sensory Play

Jackie Currie — Wed, 14 May 2014 05:55:08 +0000

How to make coloured cloud dough with 3 easy ingredients. We’ve done it! We’ve successfully made a batch of vibrantly coloured cloud dough! If you’ve never heard of it before, you can find out how amazing cloud dough is here, in an article I wrote a couple of years ago. If you are familiar with...

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Fall Sensory Table

Jackie Currie — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 06:55:17 +0000

Fall Sensory Table Ideas – set up an autumn tablescape for toddlers and preschoolers to explore the textures, colours and wonders of fall. With October on the horizon, I’ll be sharing all the Fall activities we’ve been doing. To start, we combined mirror play with our Fall Sensory Table this week. The hooligans have really enjoyed exploring...

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Sensory Play on a Mirror – a fun way for preschoolers to explore and discover

Jackie Currie — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 04:19:16 +0000

Using a mirrored surface for sensory play is a fun and exciting way for toddlers and preschoolers to explore and examine small items in a way that they haven’t before. You can see all of our mirror play activities here. Earlier this week, I did something I’ve been wanting to do for a while now....

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Fairy Mud with Toilet Paper and Ivory Soap

Jackie Currie — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 05:36:41 +0000

Whip up a batch of “fairy mud” with a roll of toilet paper, a bar of soap, and some seashells, flower petals and glitter. It’s a fantastic sensory activity for toddlers and preschoolers! We’ve done lots of fairy activities lately, and today, we’re busting out the glitter! Yes. I actually said the G-word. You’re probably...

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Ghost Mud Sensory Dough with Toilet Paper, Soap and Water

Jackie Currie — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:52:35 +0000

Ghost Mud (also known as Clean Mud) is the most fun you can have with a bar of Ivory soap and a roll of toilet paper. This incredible homemade sensory dough is easy to make and it’s a wonderful sensory activity preschoolers. Ghost mud smells fantastic, and it’s delightfully ooey and gooey when you squeeze it...

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Corn Run with Funnels and Hoses

Jackie Currie — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:27:38 +0000

I have tons of science activities on my blog, and a corn run is always a favourite here with the hooligans. I set our corn run with funnels and hoses set up in the backyard play space about a week ago, and it’s provided hours of entertainment. The kids are co-operating and collaborating, exercising those...

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Easy 2 Ingredient Cloud Dough – Ready in 5 minutes!

Jackie Currie — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:42:43 +0000

2 Ingredient Cloud-Dough: the ultimate sensory dough! Cloud dough requires only 2 common household ingredients: Baby Oil and Flour, and it’s ready in minutes. It smells heavenly, and it’s a delight to run your fingers through! I’m a sucker for a good, homemade sensory play activity, and this flour and baby oil Cloud dough is...

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A Vibrant Coloured Rice Activity Bin for Sensory Play

Jackie Currie — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:05:08 +0000

Kids will enjoy hours of sensory play with a coloured rice activity bin! Grab the recipe for my rainbow rice, and let’s put together a coloured rice sensory bin for your kids! We earn a commission from sales made via product links in this post. To make our coloured rice activity bin: After making our rice and letting...

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Rainbow Rice – How to Dye Rice For Sensory Play (without Rubbing Alcohol)

Jackie Currie — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:03:04 +0000

Rainbow Rice! How to dye rice for sensory bins in three easy steps. This easy process for dying rice is mess-free and doesn’t require rubbing alcohol. The weather is dull and dreary here today, so I thought I’d make some coloured rice for our sensory bins to brighten things up a bit. You’ve probably seen...

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Homemade Playdough in a Rainbow of Colours

Jackie Currie — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:50:08 +0000

I made a big batch of rainbow play dough the other night by dividing it and colouring into 6 different portions. I’ve made a LOT of playdough in my day because it’s one of my favourite sensory activities to offer my toddlers and preschoolers. This is my very favourite recipe. You can make it in...

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Valentines Activity Bin

Jackie Currie — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:44:18 +0000

Make a Valentines Activity Bin using things you have around the house. It will keep toddlers and preschoolers entertained and learning for days. I just love Valentines crafts and activities, don’t you? It’s so fun to get creative with a holiday theme, and Valentine’s day is one of our favourites here in my home daycare. Last...

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Halloween Sensory Play

Jackie Currie — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:32:23 +0000

The spookiest night of the year is only a few weeks away, so we’re kicking the holiday off with a little Halloween sensory play. I love making sensory bins for my daycare kids. You can see all of our favourites here. The hooligans really enjoyed our Fall Sensory Bin, but I dismantled it this past...

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Cardboard Box Sensory Bin for Small World Play

Jackie Currie — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 15:27:30 +0000

Turn a cardboard box into small world construction site for hours of imaginative play. It’s an easy, inexpensive way to set up an engaging activity that will keep toddlers and preschoolers busy for hours. I love making sensory bins for the hooligans, and I often make them without spending a dime. I have a new little...

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Water Beads – Sensory Play for Preschoolers

Jackie Currie — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:47:53 +0000

Water beads are small polymer beads used in sensory bins, sensory bags and all kinds of sensory activities for preschoolers. They wiggle, they jiggle, they’re soft and squishy, and they’re wonderful for sensory play! Water beads are all the buzz in the preschool circles and among the kid-bloggers at the moment. You can buy waterbeads here with my...

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Shaving Cream Sensory Play with Glitter

Jackie Currie — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 03:46:05 +0000

Shaving cream sensory play with glitter and small toys – a wonderful messy play experience for toddlers and preschoolers. We were playing with shaving cream last week, and it was a big hit with the kids. Well, this week we were playing with shaving cream again and we’ve added glitter! and glitter, and we used a...

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