Sunday, October 4, 2015

Sensory ideas....on a small scale

Hello! Happy October! I put together two small sensory bins for my October centers. I was inspired by this post on Differentiated Kindergarten. Needles to say, if you've read my blog, you know I have a very small classroom. I wanted to find a way to incorporate sensory bins without moving in another big piece of furniture. I am using 2 small bins; the first one is a  plastic shoe box style with rice:

There are small Halloween pictures in the rice. When the children find them, they cross them off of a laminated chart. 

The other one is a pasta filled, orange plastic bin:
Wow! I have to say...it was so much making this colored pasta!! I love the Halloween colors and I have to credit Differentiated Kindergarten again for this idea. (I used neon food coloring for the purple and green...didn't have to mix anything for that. I used red and yellow to make the orange pasta.) If  you've never colored pasta...give it a try! Just put a few drops of food coloring in a zip lock along with a few drops of rubbing alcohol. I never measure...it's not an exact science! Put in uncooked pasta and squish the bag until all of the noodles are colored. Spread them out to dry...it won't take long. I put rhyming pictures in this bin. 
Here are both of the bins together...you can see they are small! I am also opening the playdough center this month....more sensory fun there!

Thanks for checking in and have a great day!