One of my goals for the upcoming year is to improve my sensory table station.
I have always used sand, or a like product,
and it has always been just a play station.
But this year I want to make this area a WOW.
Incorporate learning into the PLAY.
Why haven’t I made a better sensory table in the past 9 years?
Stupidly… should I even admit it?
It is all because our sensory table doesn’t have a lid.
It is all because our sensory table doesn’t have a lid.
Isn’t that the lamest reason ever???
So, a sweet blogging friend, Tiffani from Time for Kindergarten
told me about this website what shared this link showing us how to make a sensory table.
{It ended up costing about $40 a table, not $30.}
And I asked hubs to make it happen.
I came home on Saturday to see THIS in my living room.
HE DID IT.
He built my sensory table with a lid for me.
LOVE
Then, I got really selfish and asked him to make me ANOTHER one.
{Because one is never enough…}
And he did.
Well, I couldn’t be happier.
And either could our two girls.
In fact, they couldn’t leave it alone.
THEN…
A Lakeshore delivery came.
{I mean, being a teacher’s kid can be fun but sometimes it is just plain mean.
Here is a FUN and engaging activity that S, my 5 year old can’t touch.}
Wait…
Sensory table + Sink/Float Game = GAME ON
So S
{who is dressed as Pocahontas with a necklace as a headband no less}
got to work I mean play.
I gave her time to experiment with all the toys materials.
Then, we pulled out the STEM question cards.
I propped one of them up and let her think about how to answer the question.
Here she is working.
This question asks her, “How can you make a sinking lily pad float?”
{There are two types of lily pads in this pack. Some sink and some float.}
S played to learn and discovered that is she put a sinking lily pad
ON TOP of a starfish,
it would float.
Pretty smart.
She had to play to discover this.
Isn’t this the ideal learning scenes we want at our sensory tables?
I wouldn’t have thought of that solution.
Of course, the baby couldn’t stay away either…
so E joined in on the FUN.
Although she could barely see, her height didn’t prohibit anything.
Also notice E’s accessory?
She has this obsession with this blue necklace.
She wears it all the time, except when she sleeps of course.
She thinks it is pretty.
And it cracks us up so we let her.
Even though we have the STEM cards to help PROMPT our thinking and solutions,
S easily went into “discovery” mode.
She asked us to give her a plastic baggie so she could make all “those things” sink.
But she discovered the baggie needed water in it to actually sink.
And our floor was obviously getting wet, so we had to grab a towel
to hopefully avoid slips and falls.
I can say that I strongly feel this sensory table will be a hit with my kinders!This year I am committed to making the best themed sensory tables
I can to promote learning in my classroom.
I hope you will continue reading on my adventure this over this school year.
Now, help me out.
What are YOUR favorite sensory tables I should try out this year?
I love your ideas for the sensory table! I've wanted to start one in my class for quite some time, but I have lacked inspiration, and like you said, I didn't want to for it to be just a play table. Thank you so much for doing this post, and I can't wait to see what other ideas you have for your sensory table this year!
Mrs. B's Beehive
Thanks for this post. I hope you will do a post with all of the sensory ideas, if you get a lot. I have a sensory table in my classroom, but have never put anything in it. I wasn't sure what was best and I knew that most things will make a mess. I'm not afraid of a mess, but having sand, rice, or water all over my room everyday does not sound appealing. I would love to hear other ideas and hopefully change my mind about the sensory table. 🙂
~Kayla
Ms. King's Kinders
This is AMAZING! I'm gonna have to do some sweet talkin' to get my hubby to make one too!
Thanks for sharing!
-Andrea
I have seen so many cool sensory tables and small worłds on Pinterest lately. The ultimate blog about sand and water tables seems to be http://tomsensori.blogspot.com.au/ this guy has taken it to a whole new level.
Love the sensory table! Hubby rocks! I have never had one, but I am adding it to my list. Love all your ideas. Thanks so much for sharing.
~Laura
Luv My Kinders
I love using our classroom sensory table. The favorite this past year was when I filled it with green crinkle paper or Easter grass and added plastic bugs and snakes. I also included tweezers and bug catchers. Every group seems to like something a little different:)
Love it! Thanks for the idea
Ummmm….any chance that wonderful cabana boy will share the numbers of the pvc used to create the table? I have a husband who, while normally-Bless his heart-is not really adept at FIXING things, he is, however, a sales manager for a plumbing supply house, so THIS he can make. He made a half dozen of those cool stand-up mini anchor chart things for me, and is making more for landscape charts. He will grumble when I ask him to make it because he knows my goal this year is to get rid of stuff in my classroom, not add more…but, he's put up with me for 36 years, so he'll do it. As to my kinder-bears favorite tables: polar region with the fake cold snow and western/desert habitat with wild rice for the sand. I love the tubes of animals and characters since they can meet so many different themes. I am going to try a magnet sensory tub this year and try to use my NEW tub a lot so my admins see its advantages for STEM, STEAM, and STREAM. At some point, I'd like to create a hands-on area with all of the biomes-similar to what would be on a mural, but in the tub.
Ummmm…nevermind. I need to do some CLOSE READING myself. I just went back up and found the website with all of the instructions and materials.
Mary, your tables look fantastic. I have all my materials, just waiting for the Mr. to get on it. Thanks for the shootout. I think I need those lakeshore products, they look like a lot of fun.
✿Tiffani Time 4 Kindergarten