Sensory play is just plain fun, I love it just as much as the kids do.  I find it therapeutic for all of us.  Art can sometimes be tedious for me with the kids, and this is probably because I don’t consider myself any good at it, but sensory play- that I can do all day!  Here are some of my favorites, and if you have any you love to do, please pass them on.  

Sooper beads:  One pack will last you, and a couple friends a year (or more).  I’ve sent these home in a ziploc for a lot of friends after trying them at our house, and we’re still on our first pack. They expand in water and are a fun texture for them.  I find the texture bizarrely relaxing (:  !  How big they get is based on how much water you put them in.  We put them in different amounts of water as a kind of experiment to how big they each can get.  These are also fun for sorting based on sizes and colors.  They go back to their original teeny size after they are dried out, so essentially one pack could last you a lifetime.

Corn starch:   All of us kids remember my mom doing this with us.  You simply add water to a bowl, and texture is so fun.  My kids are just as obsessed as I was.  I usually let them do this in the sink.

Playdoh:  Some parents aren’t big fans because this can get messy.  But we do most of this stuff outside, though messes don’t bother me much.  It’s so good for gross and fine motor skills – especially when you have the little tools.  A fun way for them to use scissors without actually using real scissors (;

Oatmeal and beans:  a big rubbermaid tub of oatmeal, and put different beans in it.  We use this with strainers, so they can kinda sift through to explore to find the different beans.  One time I bought little army men and put them in there to find.  My mom used to do this in one of those baby pools.  I buy this stuff at Aldi for super cheap.

Kinetic Sand:  this is a lot of fun.  and a great gift for kids of all ages.

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