For those that don't know, a Sensory Table is basically a table with a shallow tub in it and it's used to put things in for kids to explore and play with.
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| Photo provided by Google. |
My husband is going to build the frame of the table, and then for the tub I purchased one of those long, flat storage totes designed to slide under a bed. I wanted the tub part to be removable so I can take it out and clean it or easily empty it's contents.
The table will be 18" tall so it'll be a little too tall for my 10 month old (roughly at her armpits when standing), but she'll grow into it.
In the meantime, I've been too excited to wait for my husband to get around to actually building the table part so I've started using the tub and just setting it on the floor. It's a lot messier since her legs prevent her from sitting close enough to keep her hands directly over the tub, but it's completely worth the mess to watch her play!
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| She chose to sit right at the corner. It actually helped her legs not be in the way so much. |
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| She's playing with colored rice. |
Benefits of a Sensory Table:
- Children are wired to receive and utilize sensory input from day one.
- This is how they explore, process, and come to understand new information.
- As we talk with them about what they are observing and sensing, we give them new language tools to connect with these more familiar sensory tools, building language as well as supporting cognitive concepts specific to the experience.
Stay tuned for details on how to make colored rice!
Have you used a Sensory Table before (with your own kids or in a teaching setting)? What are some fun things you've used in it?
4 comments:
I don't have any experience with sensory tables, but it seems like a good idea! Especially if you could take it outside in the summertime to cut down on the mess. :)
They have something like this at the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point where we live. It has sand and the kids can play in that with little dinosaurs and trees. That is a great idea to have. I might really think about that.
Sara, once your baby is big enough we'll have a play date so you can try it out and see what you think! Taking it outside will be nice, but for the most part I want to be able to sweep up whatever spills on the floor and be able to reuse it again and again. I think once we start using it more, and especially as she gets bigger and understands it better, it'll be less messy.
We have a sensory tub. I would LOVE to build a table that would provide more room around it. We usually have rice and occasionally dried beans in it. We have several scoops: measuring cups from thrift stores, laundry scoops from powdered detergent and then things to bury in it like little cars and toys.
In the past we've filled it with wheat instead of rice. I love how easy it is to sweep or vacuum up.
All my kids love playing with it from the 17 month old to the 10 year old!
I love that you used colored rice. I think I might do that as a science activity with the older kids.
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