St. Patrick's Day Sensory Bin

With St. Patty’s Day coming up, I thought it would be the perfect time to create this little ombre green rice & cereal activity bin! My sister in law recommended this awesome cereal called Magic Spoon which has healthy versions of all your old school favorites (like Fruit Loops and Cheerios) which I used for this sensory bin. Sofie loves this cereal so they made the perfect little “coins” to go with our green money rice! I also designed these adorable little Money Flash Cards to start teaching her about money, coins, and currency. She loves using her cash register and her little Lovevery Coin Box and loves to put the coins in the box so this made for the perfect St. Patrick’s Day themed activity. Also, if you haven’t check out this amazing little compartment tray, it’s so perfect for toddler sensory play and color sorting.

Felt wool ball color sorting

Color sorting activities are a great way to introduce young children to the world of colors and shapes. These activities not only provide a fun and engaging way for toddlers to learn, but they also offer a variety of benefits to their early education.

One of the main benefits of color sorting activities is that they help to develop a child's fine motor skills. Sorting and matching small objects requires the use of small muscle movements, which helps to improve hand-eye coordination and dexterity. This can be especially beneficial for children who are just learning how to use a pencil or scissors.

Another benefit of color sorting activities is that they help to improve a child's cognitive development. Sorting and matching objects by color requires children to use their problem-solving skills and think logically. This type of activity helps to develop a child's ability to categorize, compare and contrast, and make predictions.

Color sorting activities are also a great way to teach children about the different colors and their names. By sorting and matching objects by color, children can learn to identify and name different colors, which is an important foundation for learning in other areas such as reading and math.

In addition, our Color Sorting Flashcards are specially designed to make the learning experience more fun and engaging for your toddler. These cards are made of durable and thick cardstock, coated with a matte slobber-resistant coating that makes it easy to wipe and clean. These cards are built to last and will provide countless hours of learning and fun for your child.

In conclusion, color sorting activities are a great way to introduce your toddler to the world of colors and shapes, helping to improve their fine motor skills, cognitive development, problem-solving skills and color recognition. Our Color Sorting Flashcards are the perfect tool for this type of activity, providing a fun and engaging learning experience for your child. Order your set today and give your toddler the gift of learning!

Lesson Plan: Colors of the Rainbow

Duration: 1 week (5 days)

Age: Preschoolers (3-5 years old)

Objective:

• Students will be able to identify and name the colors of the rainbow.

• Students will be able to sort objects by color.

Day 1: Introduction to the Colors of the Rainbow

• Introduce the colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) to the students using flashcards or pictures.

• Have students repeat the names of the colors and point to the corresponding color on the flashcards or pictures.

• Introduce the color sorting activity and explain that the students will be sorting objects by color throughout the week.

Day 2: Sorting Red Objects

• Provide the students with a variety of red objects (examples: red apples, red crayons, red balls, etc.).

• Have the students sort the objects by color and place them in a red bin or container.

• Review the name of the color and have the students repeat it.

Day 3: Sorting Orange Objects

• Provide the students with a variety of orange objects (examples: orange slices, orange crayons, orange balls, etc.).

• Have the students sort the objects by color and place them in an orange bin or container.

• Review the name of the color and have the students repeat it.

Day 4: Sorting Yellow Objects

• Provide the students with a variety of yellow objects (examples: yellow lemons, yellow crayons, yellow balls, etc.).

• Have the students sort the objects by color and place them in a yellow bin or container.

• Review the name of the color and have the students repeat it.

Day 5: Review and Assessment

• Review the colors of the rainbow by having the students point to the corresponding color on flashcards or pictures.

• Have the students sort a mixed bag of objects by color and place them in the correct bin or container.

• Assess the students' understanding of the colors of the rainbow and their ability to sort objects by color.

Note: Repeat the above steps for the rest of the colors of the rainbow (green, blue, indigo, and violet) in the next week or as per the schedule.

Note: The above lesson plan is a general guide and can be modified to suit the needs and abilities of your students. It is also important to keep in mind that preschoolers learn best through hands-on activities, so make sure to provide plenty of opportunities for them to explore and manipulate materials.

Rainbow Playroom

If you’re on the hunt for inspiration for your Pinterest perfect playroom you’ve come to the right place! I’ve spent countless hours scouring the web for the perfect playroom inspiration and I’ve finally noted it all down here so that hopefully I can save you some time in designing your own playroom. This rainbow themed playroom is Montessori inspired, design for fun and play, and organized so that you can always find the toys you need. Now let’s just into some tips and tricks!

And if you just want links to everything here scroll to the bottom!

Tip 1: start with the storage

If you’re already a mom you know that toys get out of control fast. Between gifts from friends, toy subscriptions (Lovevery parents over where!) and holidays and birthdays, the collection grows faster than you likely have space for. So first and foremost, I recommend starting your room design with storage you can use to organize the bits and bobs and loose pieces that will otherwise end up scattered everywhere. I started with these amazing shelving units from Crate and Barrel called Aspect Modular. They don’t make them anymore, but I’m sure you can find some on Facebook Marketplace or in outlet stores. I love these because they combine open and closed storage. This allows toys and books to be accessible to kiddos, but also give your room to hide things away in drawers and cabinets.

I get compliments on these shelves all of the time and the main difference between these and shelves from IKEA for example are that the closed units provide a reprieve of what space which makes the overall aesthetic less cluttered feeling bright and white and clean.

Tip 2: Find your centerpiece

Once you’ve designed your storage wall, it’s important to find the centerpiece of focal point of the play space. It could be a couch, a jungle gym, or a sensory play table. If you have hard wood floors like me, grounding the focal point with a rug is super helpful and provides a nice clean look. I love this “Play All Day” rug from West Elm because it’s mostly white (again remember white space!) but it brings a nice pop of rainbow color. Even after messy sensory play, this rug always washes bright clean white and looks so good.

Focal point ideas:

• Light rug or play mat: I love this West Elm Play All Day Rug! A rug or soft play mat can make a hardwood floor so much nicer for a play space. This rug is a little on the thinner side so I’d definitely recommend a rug mat.

• Sensory Table: I’m lucky to live in California where there’s an IKEA right nearby so snagging a Flisat Table was a must! I also got a few White Trofast bins to go with it because I’ve heard they may stop selling them. Anyway, we’ve already gotten so much use out of this table when she was just learning to stand and obsessed with water play (outdoors) and now sensory play indoors. I use this table for pretty much all of my setups and it’s the perfect height for her. They also have matching stools if you have a toddler who can sit still :)

• Pikkler Triangle: I will admit that at first I was super skeptical. But I actually bought this set when Sofie was about 10 months that old and I’m so glad I did. She’s such a little monkey and loves to climb on everything. This Pikkler triangle plus rock bridge plus arch set was perfect for our play room setup and helps her get all of her climbing energy out.

• Ball Pit: We were gifted this amazing ball pit from Crate and Barrel and it’s such a nice way to end the Pikkler Triangle bridge and Rainbow setup that we have. I also love that the whole set is ombré shades of blue and white. This again gives the space a break from too much color and adds a cool calming effect. Use this link at Crate & Kids to get a discount: https://www.talkable.com/x/GQOH8h

• Circular Play Table: I love this table from Crate and Kids because not only is it compact, but it’s got room for book storage and Sofia has sooooo many books from her Literati Subscription. Use this link at Crate & Kids to get a discount: https://www.talkable.com/x/GQOH8h

Links to items!

1. Play All Day Rug - West Elm

2. Aspect Modular Shelves - Crate and Barrel (Get 15% off with this link)

3. Toys & games - Lovevery

4. Books - Literati

5. Pikkler Triangle - Etsy

6. Nesting White Play Table - Crate and Kids (Get 15% off with this link)

7. IKEA Skadis Peg Boards

8. Sloan Book Rack - West Elm

Tip 3: Decorate the walls

There’s nothing quite like an open white wall to get your creative juices flowing! Two of the walls in Sofie’s play space have windows but one wall is completely wide open! I can’t wait to get these shelves / book bins on the walls to add more book storage and keep the clutter off the floor. But until then, I’ve added these awesome IKEA Peg Boards to this narrow wall space in order to organize all of Sofie’s sensory bin fillers. Of course they’re rainbow themed, I couldn’t help it. But it just looks so nice to have all of the fillers stored and organized out of her reach for daily play but accessible if I want to whip something up in a hurry. Because the peg boards have some many container options, they’re perfect for small parts storage and playroom organization.

Montessori Approach to Designing a Playroom: Unlocking Your Child's Potential

Creating a playroom that nurtures a child's natural curiosity and creativity is vital for their overall development. A Montessori approach to designing a playroom can provide children with the freedom to explore and learn at their own pace.

According to Lovevery, an expert in child development, “The Montessori method of education is based on the idea that children learn best through self-directed play and exploration.” This approach emphasizes open-ended materials and a child-centered environment that encourages children to learn through hands-on experiences.

One of the benefits of a Montessori playroom is that it allows children to develop their autonomy and independence. Lovevery states that “Montessori classrooms are designed to be free of adult interference, allowing children to explore and learn at their own pace.” This encourages children to take control of their own learning and develop their decision-making skills.

Another benefit of a Montessori playroom is that it fosters creativity and imagination. Lovevery states that “Montessori classrooms are designed to be open-ended, providing children with the freedom to explore and create.” The use of natural materials and open-ended toys encourages children to think critically and come up with their own solutions.

Montessori playrooms also promote social and emotional development. Lovevery states that “Montessori classrooms are designed to be inclusive, allowing children to learn and grow together.” The social interactions that occur in a Montessori playroom encourage children to develop empathy, respect, and communication skills.

In conclusion, a Montessori approach to designing a playroom can provide children with the freedom to explore and learn at their own pace. It fosters autonomy, creativity, and social and emotional development. Lovevery states that “Montessori classrooms are designed to be open-ended, providing children with the freedom to explore and create.” It is an effective way to support children's cognitive, physical and emotional development.

Flisat Sensory Play: Egg-Cellent Eggs

This morning Sofie was sick with a runny nose so during her nap I threw together this egg-themed invitation to play. With Easter coming up, it felt like the perfect theme. Sofie loves eating eggs everyday for breakfast so this gave us the perfect excuse to learn more about eggs and where they come from.

Egg-centric Activity Ideas:

1. Make some eggs: Okay this one is super obvious but if your toddler has a play kitchen then I’m sure they’ll love whipping you up something that you usually make for them. Sofie typically likes her eggs hard boiled but will occasionally request the scramble or fried like her momma. And if you don’t have the play setup, nothing is a substitute for the real thing. So jump in the kitchen and scramble away!

2. Lifecycle of a chicken: Sofie has just started to learn about lifecycles and how animals go through phases and change throughout their lives. For Easter I made her this adorable lifecycle of a Chicken Card Set so that she could learn more phases. Paired with this amazing Lifecycle Board from Kinderspiel, she’s learning and connecting so many dots it’s amazing. I also love these wooden eggs and this Plan Toys wooden breakfast set.

3. Egg shape & color matching: Sofie got this awesome gift last Christmas and she just loves it! I crack open all of the eggs one by one and lay them out on the floor. Then I pick one up and ask Sofie to find the match. She gets a total kick out of its awesome!

4. Breakfast felt food & flashcard matching: I’m a total sucker for felt food and this avocado toast set up was no exception. Sofie has pretty much all of the breakfast foods in felt so we started matching her Breakfast Flashcards with her felt toy collection. And she loves laying them all out on the floor side by side. Hae Handmade makes the cutest felt toys so I highly recommend checking out her shop.

5. Play Kitchen Cooking Play: Sofie loves her new play kitchen and having wooden food play on hand has been awesome. She loves going into her kitchen to cook. I also love these wooden eggs and this Plan Toys wooden breakfast set. I paired this setup with this amazing book Touch Think Learn Food book.

Bumblebee Sensory Table

I’m so ready for spring! The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping. And Sofie and I have been talking about bumblebees. Especially this weekend because she caught a little cold and for the first time ever, she got to taste a little honey to help coat her sore throat. To celebrate spring, we set up this fun little bumblebee sensory play table. This was so much fun we did a few different activities:

• Colored Rice & Sprinkle Sensory: We used this little wooden tray, some simple black jimmies sprinkles and we used the yellow pastel food coloring for the rice. We used our little wooden scoop from Busy Littles to scoop and pour.

• Flower Petal Rice Sorting: We used this amazing flower petal tray from Kinderspiel to sort white and yellow rice between the two trays.

• Reading about Bees: Sofie loves these ThinkTouchLearn books, so we used this Little Critters Book to match the bees and talk about how bees make honey, honeycomb, and bee hives.

• Button Sorting: I recently bought all of these amazing rainbow colored buttons for sensory tables and we used the Lovevery felt bowl and pinchers to pick out buttons and sort them by size. We also used the bumblebee antenna pipe cleaners to practice threading the buttons.

• Bumblebee Flying: We used these amazing little felt bumblebees to fly them around the room, land them in the rice, and buttons. We also paired them with our Bugs Flashcards to talk about all of the little critters in the bumblebee world.

And of course we used our amazing little IKEA Flisat play table to hold the whole setup. Sofie’s best friend Bear Bear (Slumberkins Honey Bear) joined us for the fun because after all, bears love honey!

5 Tips for Consistent Baby Milestone Photos (with your iPhone)

Ahh yes, baby milestone photos! If you’re here it’s because like me you aspired to have the most coveted Pinterest-worthy baby milestone photos for your new little one. But you’re just a super exhausted mom to a newborn (and maybe older kiddos too) and you don’t have time to lug out your expensive DSLR to snag those monthly milestone photos. I knew before I even had my first baby that there was no way I was going to be able to keep up with the milestone photos with my real camera and that I was going to have to find a way to get great photos with just my iPhone. Of course, they’re not perfect, but I think they turned out well considering they took me less than 5 min per session!

5 Tips for Consistent Milestone Photos

Tip 1: photograph at the same time & place each day

This is tip number one for a reason. Consistent lighting and placement of the baby or so critical to ensuring it looks like the only thing changing in the photo is your babe. For my photos, I laid Sofie at the bottom of my bed on a blanket because my bedroom got the best morning light in front of the window. Light changes quite a lot season to season and throughout the day. And while you can’t change a gloomy day outside, you can at least limit the other factors. I recommend natural light (no inside lights turned on) and taking photos in a brightly lit room in front of a window. Morning light is great, you want is void any harsh shadows that might look strange or inconsistent day to day. And if the lighting doesn’t look great that day or you’re too tired to set up the scene, see tip 5!

tip 2: use a consistent background or object

once you’ve chosen a color palette, you’ll want to choose a consistent object, setting, or look that you know you can replicate over and over again. It’s easy to solve for baby laying flat but as baby grows and can sit up on her own, she might not be so cooperative with the laying down pose. So if you want to accommodate sitting up, think about what you’ll need to make that set up work.
for example, if you want to use baby milestone cards in your photos, you’ll need something to prop them against (or ask a teddy bear friend to hold them up for you). If you want to go for laying down photos, then a consistent blanket works great. Pro tip on the blanket front — make sure the blanket is big enough for when baby gets bigger so that they still fit on the blanket and you can stand over them and fit the blanket in the photo. Or using a. Layered effect works great too — swoop a blanket over top the bed spread and lay the baby overlapping both for a nice layered look.

Here are some of my favorite props ideas:

• A blanket or swaddle: there’s nothing sweeter or simpler than seeing how baby grows with her special blanket. I used a super fluffy pink fur blanket that I found on Amazon. With the lighting and presets that I used it' really looks like a very soft almost off-white peach color. So I definitely recommend practicing ahead of time to make sure you get the look that you want.

• Baby milestone cards: these are so great for tagging photos so that you don’t lose track month over month. You can also find milestone stickers, pennant flags, or wooden milestone cards. I don’t love the milestone blankets just because I find them too busy and distracting and they look funny as baby’s size changes over the months.

• Teddy bear: how cute is it to watch baby grow up next to her super special lovey! I did Sofia’s half birthday theme all around her Slumberkin’s Honey Bear / Bumblebee Theme and we took our newborn photos with him as well. But bear bear didn’t make it into our milestones photos because it was too distracting for Sofie and she kept covering her face.

• Letter board: If you can find a cute sign board that matches your aesthetic, it can be the perfect way to capture more details about each milestone. You can add baby’s favorite things, likes and dislikes, height and weight, month and year. The possibilities with the letter board are endless!

• Unique clothes or simple white onesies: My biggest tip here is just to plan in advance the outfits you want for each photo. I chose a simply white onesie because I knew I could quickly and easily find it in her size as she grew. And it wouldn’t be too expensive to have the same one in every size. But remember babies age don’t always align to size so even if you buy in advance, you don’t know which ones will fit at which months. So just plan ahead and make sure you have outfits you love in each size range.

• High chair or laundry basket: You’ll see in some of the photos below that momma used a cute little basket & high chair. Once baby is standing or walking and no longer wants to participate in a lay-down style photo, using something to hold baby propped up can be great! We had this Stokke TrippTrapp High Chair which would have been perfect because it’s got a clean white design that would fit with pretty much any aesthetic. I also love photos of baby’s in water tubs, and we did a couple of shoots in these awesome white drink tubs. Or a soft woven laundry basket like this one can be perfect for getting that super cute and dreamy photo of your little babe as he/she goes from lying to sitting to standing!

• Favorite object / theme: I’ve seen some really great photo inspiration over the years with rainbow colored toys, slices of pizza, you name it! As long as you know you can consistently execute and the object will look similar each month, go for it! But also know that if you go with something super unique, you might run the risk of it being too trendy and you not loving the look later on. So when in doubt, keep it classy, simple works best in my opinion!

tip 3: choose a color palette up front

So I definitely recommend doing some research up front to find a look that you love before diving in. It will be easy to want to change midway through because maybe you’ve gotten better at taking photos or your taste or style has changed, or now you hate the blanket that grandma gave you. So find a look you love that you know you can stick to. It helps to draw inspiration from your nursery since hopefully you chose a look that you adore that baby is in all of the time.

If you’re stuck, a neutral black and white or grey and white can be a great way to go. You know you’ll always have a white onesie on hand in baby’s size so you won’t be scrambling each month to choose the perfect outfit. If you have a bouncer or high chair that you plan to use on a regular basis, consider finding a color scheme to match. Don’t you just love boho milestone color scheme in these photos?

tip 4: use a Lightroom filter

I resisted this for the longest time because I thought it would be extra work, it wouldn’t look the same in all my photos and I figured if I had natural lighting that would be good enough. But after trying Lightroom filters for my iPhone photos, I can safely say that I won’t be going back. You still have to consider lighting and time of day, but the boost you get with a filter is pretty awesome. My favorite is called “Add to Cart” by Six Little Babes Presets but you can find a ton of others out there depending on your style and mood. You can find light and airy photography filters, moody and boho, etc. And they’re usually between $2-$8 and the Lightroom app is free!

tip 5: be flexible with the dates

when you have a newborn life is exhausting. And there two month milestone might fall in the middle of a work week or while you’re baby is sick and you’re super stressed out. It can be easy to just say forget it and snap a quick photo or not even take on at all. Give yourself a break and some flexibility — if you have time a week or so before or after the actual milestone take the photo then, don’t worry about it being on the exact date. Trust me you won’t look back and go “Hmm that wasn’t exactly 3 months was it?” Plus if baby is fussy one day, there’s nothing you’ll hate more than looking back at a sad pouty little face.

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So there you have it! 5 Tips for amazing and consistent baby milestone photos. And one little bonus tip in case you missed it — Practice Practice Practice! If you practice your set up before baby arrives at different times of day, you’ll know exactly what you’re going to get and how your filter will look so you won’t be caught off guard when you go to take your first photo.

Check out Black & White and Grey & White Baby Milestone cards at Goodnightfoxstudio.etsy.com

Valentine's Day Kissing Booth Dramatic Play Kit

This year for Valentine’s Day we decided to put together this fun and unique sensory activity. I got out the lipstick and some white paper and let Sofie make kisses all over the paper. She absolutely loved it! Usually sensory play is with her hands, but this was such a great way to engage new senses and let her play with her mouth — normally I have to find taste safe activities because she still likes to put things in her mouth. But this was so much fun and she enjoyed it when daddy and I stopped by for some kisses. And even our labradoodle Milo joined in for the fun! He manned the kissing booth for a bit while Sofie went to gather more supplies.

Here’s what you’ll need to bring this together:

• Valentine’s Kissing Booth Kit - $7 - This kit is so adorable and it includes the Pennant Flag, Bunting Banner, Paper Letters, Paper Mailbox, Cut out hearts, and more!

• Flisat Table - $185 - We do all of our sensory play and kits on our table. It’s the perfect height for her size and the bins help us contain the mess and keep everything organized.

• Wooden Toy Cash Register - $36 - Sofie loves to play with this! It gives us a good excuse to talk about money and how it’s use and what it’s for.

• Pink Ribbon

• Hole punch

• Scissors

• Tape

6 Taste Safe Toddler Valentines Activities

Valentine’s season is here and it’s so inspiring to see all of the adorable small shop goodies out to celebrate the love in the air. I’ve done so many Valentine’s Day Toddler activities that I figured it was time to do a little round up. Looking back, check out these awesome taste safe, Valentine’s Day inspired activities.

1. Moon Sand - This was super fund and super simple. Just ground up graham crackers, cornstarch and I think I used the opportunity to get rid of some cheerios.

2. Love Machine - Last year I was looking to get rid of some old boxes and pulled together this awesome little Love Machine using an empty wipes package, tops of baby food, empty boxes and some pink & red ribbon.

3. Heart Water Beads - Obviously water beads aren’t edible, so we cut a heart shape hole in a cardboard box and sealed the water beads inside with a plastic bag. This made it easy for Sofie to play and poke without getting messy or throwing beads around the room. Perfect for those 10-18month olds.

4. Cloud Doh - This doh is so easy to make and while sugary, you don’t have to worry about your toddler putting it in their mouth. Just mix frosting, cornstarch, and powdered sugar and you have the perfect doh!

5. Valentine’s Jello - Everyone forgets how easy Jello is to make and what a great sensory activity it is. We filled a baking pan with red jello and then I let Sofie use some hearts sprinkles on top to make it festive. She scooped in this tub mixing and stirring for hours!

6. Taste-safe Finger Paint - This one was by far the simplest to make, but not so fun to clean up. I’d recommend doing this one in the bath tub next time. But it’s super easy — just mix food coloring in yogurt, spread a mat of paper out on the floor and let your toddler paint (I’d recommend doing it naked).

There you have it! 6 awesome, Pinterest-worthy toddler taste-safe Valentine’s Day sensory activities. You can easily fill up the weeks leading up toward the holiday with all of this fun!

Lady Bug Valentines Day Basket

This year we got inspired by one of Sofie’s favorite books and Slumberkins and did a Lady Bug themed valentines basket and sensory bin. We started by making a bright red colored rice using vinegar and food coloring. Unfortunately the vinegar made the rice really smelly so we’ll be doing it with paint next time around. To create this cool ladybug effect we started with uncooked black beans for the head and inner wings. With those shapes in place we poured a vase layer of rice and then went back and forth until we filled the dish. Then we used an empty toilet paper roll to funnel the black beans on top for some nice round spots. The contrast of the black and red created quite a stunning effect. And Sofie loved scooping and pouring the rice. It’s the only activity she’s been talking about for the last two weeks! I wasn’t loving the mess of rice all over the room but luckily Sofie was happy to help me clean it up.

Valentine’s Basket Fillers:

• Cuddle Bug Book: This is one of Sofie’s favorites and since we were doing a Lady Bug theme, I had to include it. Even though she’s already read it, she’s still at the age where I can repurpose gifts which is awesome for me.

• Slumberkins Love Bug: I love that Slumberkins did a lady bug this year! It’s so stinking cute. And the set even comes with classroom Valentine’s cards. Sofie will be taking hers to the park along with these cute little Valentine’s Memory Game sets since over here we’re big fans of non-candy Valentines.

• Colored Rice & Black Beans Jar: I made this one by hand, but I highly recommend checking out @busylittles on instagram for great sensory kits pre-made and mailed directly to you!

• Bugs Flashcards: These are so great for expanding your toddler’s vocabulary and teaching new words in both English and Spanish. Sofie loves using these to match things like toys to each flashcard as she learns the words. These are also great mealtime distractions for quizzing her when she’s getting challenging at the dinner table.

• Floss & Rock Magnetic Dress Up Character: Sofie absolutely loved the one that she got for Christmas so I bought her another doll in the set for Valentine’s day. This little dress up down keeps her entertained for at least and hour. She loves taking the clothes off and on and the more dolls you have in the set, the more outfits you have overall.

For our sensory bin we paired the rice play with the Cuddle Bug book and our favorite letters from Chars Jars shop.

Color Mixing & Matching

Last weekend we did some awesome color mixing and matching. This activity was so perfect for Sofie because she’s obsessed with all things water play. And this one combined a little learning practice as well. She’s really struggling with confusing a couple of her colors (like red and green, black and white, and yellow and blue). So it was so fun to show her how to mix two primary colors to get secondary and tertiary colors. And this was so simple to set up:

5 Easy Steps to Color Fun

1. Find 5 jars for each of the colors

2. Fill each glass jar with water

3. Place them in the flower pedal learning tray https://www.etsy.com/listing/1148479868/decorative-wooden-flower-petal-tray

4. Drop food color in (I like the pastel colors!)

5. Keep a separate jar to use in the middle for mixing

6. Use rainbow droppers to suction and release colors

7. Bonus: We filled a spray bottle with various colors so that she could spray a paper towel and see the color soak in!

And don’t forget to snag Color Flashcards from the shop so that you can guide through each color as you mix and match and help improve your toddler’s vocabulary by showing the words associated with each color.

Sensory play is a vital part of toddler education, as it helps to develop important skills such as fine motor coordination and problem-solving. One fun and easy way to incorporate sensory play into your child's routine is through a food coloring and water dropper activity.

To set up the activity, you will need:

• Food coloring (various colors)

• Water

• Droppers (or small plastic syringes)

• Plastic cups or containers

Step 1: Fill each cup or container with water and add a few drops of food coloring to each, creating a different color in each container.

Step 2: Set the cups or containers on a table or tray and provide your child with droppers or syringes.

Step 3: Encourage your child to explore the colors by using the droppers to mix the colors together and create new shades.

Through this activity, your child will learn about color mixing, and how different colors combine to create new shades. They will also develop fine motor coordination as they use the droppers to transfer the water and color from one container to another.

Sensory play is a crucial part of toddler education as it allows children to explore, experiment, and discover the world around them. Play-based learning is essential for toddlers as it helps them to develop and refine their cognitive, physical, and emotional skills.

Sensory play activities like this one offer children the opportunity to experiment and discover new things, which can help to build their confidence and foster creativity. Additionally, play-based learning activities can help to improve focus and attention, which is an essential skill for children to learn.

Overall, this simple food coloring and water dropper activity is a fun and easy way to incorporate sensory play into your child's routine. It encourages creativity and experimentation while also providing opportunities for children to develop important skills such as fine motor coordination and problem-solving.