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Tag Archives: Sensory play for toddlers

Math For Toddlers: Easy Sensory Bath Time Activity

Introducing math skills at an early age should definitely be done through fun activities. Connecting math to positive feelings is great for confidence and self-esteem. Bath time at our house is a happy moment. The warm water, the bubbles, the warm bathroom. It is a moment that gives us all peace. As the kids splash around and play in the warmth I get a moment to pause for the day. In this moment of comfort it is possible to sneak in some math for toddlers through play with an easy low-prep activity that requires materials you probably already have at home. It has so much learning potential; color mixing, math and even literacy skills can be practiced. So read on to find out how you can create some bath paint and use the wall as a learning canvas to get their little minds working.

bath time paint shaving cream math

Easy Sensory Bath Time Activity

Important! If you are doing this with young kids that still put things in their mouth be very careful and pay attention so that they don’t eat it. I personally would do this activity once they are over with the sticking-everything-in-their-mouth phase

Materials

  • Baking pan for cupcakes/Ice cube tray
  • Shaving cream 
  • Food Coloring 
  • Optional paint brush (playing with your hands is always more fun for kids!)

Preparation

You can prepare the tray with the colors and the shaving cream beforehand and have it as a surprise (we did this the first time with our kid and she was really excited) or you can prepare it together. Preparing it together gives you the chance to talk about color mixing! Either way, here are the steps for the preparation:

  • Squeeze some drops of food coloring into each shape. Mix different primary colors to create a whole variety of colors. Remember you are mixing with white so you will be getting different color tones too! Explore and see what color palette appears on your tray  
  • Next add some shaving cream to each shape. 
  • Mix it with your child and watch the colors appear “magically”

Usually the blue color is overwhelmingly strong when mixing with the other colors so use less than you think, you can always add more later. 

Math For Toddlers

Now it’s time to sneak in some math for your young toddlers! But first of all, let your child explore by themselves with this new bath time paint. When I tried the activity for the first time my daughter loved the different colors but didn’t know what to do with them. Painting at bath time? A bit out of context… Having a bath had always been about getting clean not painting. So I showed her how she could use it on her body as well as on the wall. Then I let her take over and she was happily playing by herself for a long time. 

At one point I asked her if I could paint too. We created a big happy mess on the wall and all the colors ended up mixed together, creating a brownish-grey mush. At that moment I realized that the wall had become a learning canvas. We could draw numbers and letters, erasing and repeating all the time. Great for motor skills and perfect for sneaking in some STEM through play!

bath time paint math shaving cream

How To Create An Educational Experience

There is so much you can do with that lovely learning canvas depending on your child’s age! However, if you are looking for math ideas for toddlers here are some suggestions to inspire you:

  • Draw a number on the wall and have them trace it with their finger
  • Explore shapes: prepare a shape matching game by drawing pairs of shapes that they have to match
  • Counting practice. Draw a number of circles and ask your kid to count them or ask them to make a number of lines. Connect this with the number by using an extra blank canvas. Draw a number of circles and then the number on the other one. Ask them to count and then trace the number. 
  • Patterns: create simple patterns with dots and lines and say them out loud together

In terms of math skills, there is not much more to explore at this age, so just focus on developing their vocabulary by talking about shapes, numbers and counting.

If you are reading this and thinking of doing it with older kids here are some more ideas:

  • Ask your kids to draw their own numbers. This can be done by asking different questions that have a number as an answer such as how many pets do you have? or how many times do you brush your teeth?
  • Bring in some equations and ask them to solve them! They can use an extra blank canvas if they need some assistance in figuring it out. For example, on one canvas you can write the equation 4-2= and on the other one draw 4 circles and they can erase 2 to find the solution. With adding, they just draw extra circles and count how many they get in total.

Connecting Math To A Quality Moment

By doing this with your child you are connecting math to a quality moment within their comfort zone. There is no better way for a child’s mind to learn than when they feel safe, happy and motivated. Use this moment to have fun, explore together and to boost confidence in their math abilities.

Once the fun is over, I do recommend that you quickly rinse your child off so they don’t smell like a freshly shaved man. It comes off easily from the body and wall. Also, this activity does not need to be just at bath time, it’s just easier to clean up. You can also just use some trays as your learning canvases and do this math for toddlers activity outside. I hope you can get into it in whatever way you choose and can share the excitement your child will show. They will be thankful you made the extra effort that day. 

More Fun Activities and Games:

  • Milk The Cow STEM Challenge: Can You Mimic Nature?
  • Hands-on Activities For Preschoolers: STEM Nature Eggs
  • STEM Nature Box: Sort, Categorize And Learn
  • String Rainbow Art Project: Explore Shapes With String
  • Stay At Home Math: Fun Games For Movement And Learning
  • STEM Game: The Sound and Feel of Materials
  • STEM challenge: The Tower of Random Things
math stem skills shaving cream messy play bath time paint
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Fun Color Experiment For Toddlers Who Love A Good Mess

Before you start reading I would like to clarify something about this post. The idea behind this sensory stem experiment was to see if we could make different jello color combinations to explore colors with a sensory side to it. The blending colors part was a bit of a “fail” but it was so much fun and it opened up the chance to talk about colors while experimenting with our sense of touch. And because STEM is all about making mistakes and learning from them I wanted to share this with you anyway. Even though the colors won’t mix properly, you still see certain hints of new colors and it is a great way to engage your child in some messy sensory play. A heads up, it can get really messy so I would suggest to do it outside and have some old towels to wipe your kid’s hands.

sensory stem experiment

But for now, I will share the experiment with you and the activity as it was still a very fun way to talk about colors! And with a failed experiment you also learn something, so it’s a great way to teach this to your kids too. So I will describe the preparation and then suggest a few ways you can guide the experiment to create some learning from it.  

Preparation

My daughter helped me prepare the jello beforehand so she was very excited to do the experiment later. This type of motivation is great for any experiment! At this point, you can introduce the experiment and make some hypotheses of whether or not mixing the jello will mix the colors. Write your hypothesis down for later, or any other thoughts you might come up with. Time to prepare our experiment!

Things you will need for the preparation:

  • Clear jello mix
  • Food coloring (we just used the primary colors: red, yellow and blue)
  • Small containers to separate colored jello

Prepare the jello following the instructions on the package, before putting into the fridge, separate into small containers and add food coloring, mix with a spoon until it’s dissolved and has a strong color. Once the jello has cooled down, it is time to start the experiment!

Fun Color Experiment

So let’s go ahead and take a look at what the experiment could look like. The idea was the following; to mix jello with food coloring and once it gets cold try to mix different color jello to make new colors. I know now that once jello gets cold you can’t really mix it together and therefore you can’t blend colors (I’m sure there is some science behind that and I will look into it to update the post in the future). Things you will need for the sensory STEM experiment:

  • Colored jello
  • Big bowls where the mixing magic will (or will not) happen (we used 2)
  • Old towels or cloth that you don’t mind getting dirty to wipe off the jello

Now it’s time to have some messy playful fun! Bring out the colored jello and try mixing different colors (with your hands!) in the bigger bowls and see what happens. It is so good for children to feel different textures and playing with jello is quite interesting! It is very beneficial to use your senses when learning and while they have their hands in the jello you can have some good talks about colors!

Observation and conversation guide for the experiment

The main thing to do with toddlers is talk, talk, talk. Have conversations about what is happening, make observations. This will help build vocabulary. The term “hypothesis” might be a bit over their heads but you can start to use the concept. Ask them if they think colors will mix and write a big YES or NO. Color-code it for better understanding, YES-Green or NO-Red. Put your prediction on the fridge and go explore other things until it is ready. Just like real experiments that usually require time, jello takes time to cool down.

Next up, when it’s time for the experiment, grab your “hypothesis” and all the jello containers. Put it all out and let the mess begin! I suggest saving some containers for later and just letting your kids play first. If possible, you can try answering following questions:

  • What happens to the colors when we mix the jello? Is your paper right or wrong?
  • Does it mix better or worse with different combinations of colors? (try all three combinations and see if there are any differences)
  • What actually happens?
  • Why do you think it happens?

Feel free to get messy too and observe while your toddler plays. Point things out and start some color conversations. Here are some suggestions of observations you can make and what you can talk about:

  • Look at what happened when I mixed these colors!
  • If your kid is receptive, you can explain the colors you have and introduce the concept of primary colors
  • Ask your kid to pass you some colors. Can I have the blue and yellow? What do you think blue and yellow make?
  • Explain color combinations and what new colors they create (you will see a faint hint of new colors when mixing the jello)

And that’s it! A simple color experiment that will keep your children entertained and will allow them to “feel” colors! I hope you can enjoy this experiment with them and if anyone knows what the scientific concept behind the jello color not mixing please let me know in the comments!

Want to know how to transform your STEM activities at home? Check out this post:

  • 5 tips to transform STEM activities at home

Other fun activities to sneak in some STEM learning:

  • STEM challenge: The Tower of Random Things
  • STEM activity: Build a pyramid and learn about shapes

Happy STEM learning!

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Hi! We are Anni and Stefan, a mix of engineering with a dash of education and a pinch of social work, blended together and turned into parents who have a passion for creating lightbulb moments. We want to help you bring STEM learning into your home in a way that is fun, educational and challenging enough so that children can develop their thinking skills. ♥

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astemfulmind

Anni | STEM + Nature Learning
The wonder of simple experimentation ✨ When you The wonder of simple experimentation ✨
When you let the child lead you never know what will happen. Sometimes nothing really happens, and that's ok too. But then there are times when you bring out some materials and "tools", add a bit of water and you suddenly have a full on experiment station on your hands!
I saved some pumpkin seeds from a pumpkin I had baked, thinking they might come in handy some time. I didn't have anything in mind, but when my 5-year-old said she wanted to do an experiment I offered them to her. 
She directly asked for water to check if pumpkin seeds sink or float. So we gathered water, some containers and a few extra tools (just some kitchen utensils). Turns out some actually sink and others float! We discussed why this might be happening and then I asked her if she thought she could find a way to separate them with the tools we had… this led to some critical thinking, some trial and error and a lot of experimentation and conversations. She was engaged, on a mission, and she had initiated the experiment herself. 
💜 I love watching these moments unfold and they just further convince me that experiments don't need to come with flashy reactions, or bright colors. They can be simple, like this one. Experiments should make us think, tickle our minds with questions about what we see and drive us to test possibilities that will reveal answers, solutions or rethink our questions. And childhood is full of moments like these if you look close enough.
The art of noticing the small details 🐚✨ A s The art of noticing the small details 🐚✨
A simple activity with natural materials and a magnifying glass. I just set this up on the table and we started looking at each material and paying attention to what we could see. It made us think and wonder about patterns, irregularities and just other things we might not notice otherwise. 
We learned to pay attention to details and that things might look different depending on how close you look. And these observations lead to questions and these questions lead to a search for answers, discovery, learning. 
And all it takes is a magnifying glass and some nature 🤎🧡
DIY OOBLECK BLOCKS 🧱🌽💧 These Oobleck blo DIY OOBLECK BLOCKS 🧱🌽💧
These Oobleck blocks are so easy to make and were a perfect addition to our dry Oobleck play as it gave us the chance to build structures and create small worlds. 
Materials you'll need:
🌽Cornstarch
💧Water
🧊Ice trays
🧘‍♀️Patience
To prepare the Oobleck you mix 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water. If you have never tried Oobleck you are in for a fun treat! It is a great sensory experience for kids and really engaging as it behaves both like a solid or fluid depending on the pressure it's under. 
Once you are done experimenting with Oobleck try filling some ice cube trays with it and then let it dry (it can take some days, which can be tricky for little kids but is also a great opportunity to practice patience).
❗A lot of ours cracked and broke so make sure you prepare enough. We made 3 trays.
🧱 That's it! We crushed some of the broken blocks and used the other ones to create, nurturing some STEM skills through play. 
For more ideas for STEM and nature play follow along!
"If children are to keep alive their inborn sense "If children are to keep alive their inborn sense of wonder… they need the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in." Rachel Carson
These words truly resonate with me.
Sharing the path of learning and discovery with our children is so beneficial and not only for our kids. It is so positive for us too! It reawakens our inner child, our own sense of wonder. It allows us to slow down, to play. 
We explore together, we seek out the answers to our questions, we experiment and play, we struggle to find solutions, we persevere and through these experiences we learn. About the world, about each other, about ourselves, giving us the chance to bond over something beautiful.
👉 Follow along for inspiration on family activities that nurture curiosity and drive learning
Have you ever let Oobleck dry? ☀️ Letting Oob Have you ever let Oobleck dry? ☀️
Letting Oobleck dry is the best way to clean it up but it also gives you the chance to use it again in a different way. 
I like to leave it in a tray or cooking pan so it spreads out and dries faster. Once it's dry you can just poke it and scrape it out.
It crumbles and cracks nicely between your fingers and has a lovely texture that my kids (and I) really enjoy.
You can keep it dry or combine it again with water to get the gooey, slimy, and fascinating Oobleck back.
👉 I'm also testing a different way to use dry Oobleck so make sure you stay tuned!
DIY STONE STACKING GAME 🌈🪨 Stone stacking h DIY STONE STACKING GAME 🌈🪨
Stone stacking has many benefits, for both kids and adults. It encourages patience, creative processing, concentration, focus, and hand-eye coordination. We love doing this when we are outdoors and in nature, it gives us a moment to stop and relax. 
This simple DIY is inspired by all those stone stacking moments and adds a bit of a challenge to nurture those skills even more. 
👉 This is how we prepared it:
We collected stones and selected 6 of them for the game, we painted them using acrylic paints, and borrowed a color dice from one of our board games. If you don’t have a color dice just add stickers to a normal one.
👉 How we played:
Players take turns to roll the dice, find the stone that matches the color and place it on the stack. 
🌈 It’s pretty simple, but it adds a new layer to simple stacking, as you navigate having to put bigger and heavier stones on top. It also encourages problem solving, conversations and observations which are key drivers of learning. 
💫 For more simple nature and STEM play you can take outdoors and that nurtures learning make sure to follow along
Motherhood is definitely reawakening my childlike Motherhood is definitely reawakening my childlike curiosity and wonder 💫🌱🦴 
As we were on one of our nature walks one day we found some animal bones in the forest and our reaction was… wow!! Let’s take them home! After packing them in a bag, we decided it would be a good idea to clean them before examining them.
A quick google research revealed that we could use hydrogen peroxide to clean and whiten the bones. Gloves on and to work!
With great care we handled the bones and the hydrogen peroxide, saw the fizzy bubbles come out and observed the reaction (a bit of chemistry at play here!) We talked about what was happening and about the bones themselves, how they are different from ours, what type of animal they could be from according to their teeth (herbivore?) and a lot more.
This process of curiosity, hands-on exploration and discovery is a key part of childhood. Children are naturals at this, and if we follow along and support this process who knows what amazing things we might discover together. What is certain is that by exploring together like this we are nurturing their natural curiosity, cultivating a love for discovering new things and giving them the tools to drive their own learning. 
Never would I have thought that cleaning bones would turn into a great hands-on learning experience. But I have learned that following my children usually leads to moments of discovery like this.
OOBLECK WITH NATURAL MATERIALS 🐚🪨💫 Oobl OOBLECK WITH NATURAL MATERIALS 🐚🪨💫 
Oobleck will never cease to amaze me! This fascinating sensory STEM play is always a win in our home. 
👉 For those of you who have never tried it, Oobleck is a mixture of cornflour and water (the ratio should be about 2 cornflour to 1 water). I always keep extra cornflour around cause my kids love making the mixture themselves and they usually add too much water.
👌 What is special about Oobleck is that it behaves differently depending on the amount of pressure you put it under. It can behave like a solid or a liquid!! 
➡️ Try rolling it into a ball and it will more or less keep its shape as long as you keep putting pressure on it. As soon as you stop, it will flow out of your hands.
➡️ Try to poke it really, really fast and your finger won't go through, do it slowly and you can dip your finger in it. 
💫 Oobleck by itself is a great way to encourage observation skills and critical thinking. Most of the time I let my kids prepare it and as they try to get the perfect consistency, they test it out and decide if they need more water or cornflour. It is also just a great sensory activity!
🐚 We love adding natural materials and color to the mix. One day it became snow, another it was a beach… There are so many possibilities. And many times that involves my kids letting it drip over their arms and legs 🙈 yes… Oobleck can get quite messy, but that's part of the fun!
Have you tried Oobleck before? 
👉 Follow along for more simple STEM and nature play 💫🌱
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#childhoodlearning #natureactivities #stemactivitiesforkids #educationforkids #funactivitiesforkids #stemkids #kidsactivityideas #stemactivities #activitiesforchildren #stemlearning #activelearning #playfullearning #childrensactivities #activityforkids #kidactivities #steameducation #stemforkids #familyactivities #funactivities #earlyyearsideas #naturelearning #kidslearning #kidswhoexplore #funwithkids #gooutsideandplay #natureplay #handsonlearning #activitiesforkids #kidsactivities
SKELETON PUZZLE 🦴🧩🦴 Puzzles are a wonder SKELETON PUZZLE 🦴🧩🦴
Puzzles are a wonderful way to nurture your child's memory, problem solving and critical thinking skills, spatial awareness and attention to detail. We even discovered a few extra games to extend the learning even more! 👇
🧩 Simple puzzle: sort out the pieces and recreate your skeleton
🧩 Correct your skeleton: identify what is wrong and correct it, takes turns to build an incorrect skeleton
🧩 What is missing?: Find out how many pieces are missing and try to name them. Take turns taking the pieces away
We had so much fun with this activity. I had seen it on @one_little_project and thought it would be perfect to try it out for some STEM play, and it did not disappoint! Not only are puzzles and games a great way to cultivate important STEM skills, but this specific skeleton one also encouraged some great conversations about how our body works and the names of different bones. We tried feeling the bones in our body and had fun creating funny skeletons.
❓ Can you think of any other ways to use this in your play?
🧩 This just came to mind while writing… What about having two skeletons and playing a copycat game!?
For more simple STEM play make sure to follow along 🤗💫
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