kids activities

Pot of Gold St. Patrick’s Day Themed Oobleck

March 17, 2019 By sensoryplay Leave a Comment

This pot of gold St. Patrick’s Day themed oobleck is perfect for young children to engage in play-based learning. The gold rocks and pots of gold add a fun dimension to a classic oobleck recipe.

Yesterday, my kids had a sensory play-filled day. First, we went out and played in the forest. They threw rocks, stomped in mud puddles, and splashed in the river.

Then, we made St. Patrick’s Day themed oobleck. And finished off and cleaned up by making soap foam.

The St. Patrick’s Day themed oobleck had them squealing with joy and playing for over an hour.

This morning, my two-year-old headed outside to play with the oobleck again.

We love this St. Patrick’s Day themed oobleck because it:

prompts scientific discovery,
is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day,
has all the benefits of sensory play,
is soothing to play with,
is taste-safe for one-year-olds,
can have essential oils (like peppermint) added to it.

What you need for St. Patrick’s Day themed oobleck

4 cups of cornstarch
2 cups of water
Green food colouring
Small rocks
Terracotta pots
Black acrylic paint
Gold acrylic paint

How to Make St. Patrick’s Day themed oobleck

Paint rocks 1-2 coats of gold paint on rocks.
Let paint fully dry.
Paint terracotta pots black.
Mix water and food colouring.
Add coloured water to cornstarch.
Mix well.
Add gold rocks and pots.
Have fun!

Store oobleck in an airtight container. Add water if it has started to harden. It can be kept in a fridge and reused for months.

When we made this, I had a warm bowl of water and a towel nearby. The clean up was easy.

Other awesome St. Patrick’s themed activities

Find out how to make the best glitter slime recipe. It’s fail-proof and such fun sensory play. Plus there’s a fun add-on for St. Patrick’s Day. Click here to see more.

This digging for gold edible sensory play set up is perfect as a St. Patrick’s Day activity for kids. Baby-safe edible play is so much fun! Click here to learn more.

This shamrock slime uses a gold slime base with an addition of green glitter. Adjust the recipe to make the slime moldable and kids can make shamrock shapes. Click here.

We hope you enjoy these St. Patrick’s Day themed activities as much as we did.

20 Oobleck Activities for Sensory Play

January 15, 2019 By sensoryplay Leave a Comment

Oobleck activities are such a fun way to engage in sensory play as it has a squishy, goopy texture but also provides wonderful opportunities for learning. As a non-Newtonian fluid, it has the properties of a liquid and a solid, which has inherently encourages scientific exploration.

Fun Ways to Play with Oobleck

Oobleck is quick and easy to make at home by mixing cornstarch and water (see full oobleck recipe here) and can be colored with food coloring or liquid watercolors for an added bit of fun.

Below are some fun ways to play with oobleck so that kids can explore this material over and over again!

A list of oobleck activities for sensory play with kids. From glow in the dark oobleck to fun crafts with oobleck, there is something for everyone.

Oobleck Activities for Kids

Oobleck is so simple to make, but can be ‘upgraded’ to create fun thematic setups for kids. Check out the list below for fun ways to play with oobleck, including making it glow in the dark, taking it outside for paint on the sidewalk, or making it fluffy!

Oobleck Drip Painting on the Sidewalk // Views From a Step Stool

Lavender Oobleck Recipe // Sensory Play for Kids

Dinosaur Small World // Messy Little Monster

Fluffy Oobleck Slime Recipe // Fantastic Fun and Learning

How to Make Oobleck Out of Potatoes // STEAM Powered Family

Frozen Oobleck Sensory Play // Messy Little Monster

Bartholomew and the Oobleck STEM Activity // STEAM Powered Family

Magic Color Changing Oobleck Science Experiment // STEAM Powered Family

Creative Painting with Oobleck // Twitchetts

Glow in the Dark Oobleck // Schooling a Monkey

Frozen Oobleck // Inspiration Laboratories

Glowing Oobleck // Inspiration Laboratories

How to Make Oobleck with Baby Powder // STEAM Powered Family

Gingerbread Oobleck // My Bored Toddler

Oobleck and Leaves // Happy Toddler Playtime

Rainbow Oobleck // Busy Toddler

Watermelon Oobleck // Gift of Curiosity

Marbled Oobleck: Science, Art and Sensory Play // Little Bins for Little Hands

Easy Sensory Activity: Blocks and Gak // Busy Toddler

Rainbow Oobleck and Pig Play // Fun Littles

Earth Day Goop // Little Bins for Little Hands

We hope you find a fun way to play on this list of obbleck activities for kids!

Don’t forget to check out the recipe for oobleck on our sensory play recipes page!

What is Sensory Play?

January 11, 2019 By sensoryplay Leave a Comment

Sensory play is full of terms that can seem like a foreign language. This is your go-to resource for many of the terms in sensory play that you will come across on this site.

Sensory play is full of activities that encourage touch, taste, smell, sound and hearing; and includes activities that stimulate movement and balance.

A resource for sensory play terms and benefits. Understand why sensory play is great for children and how to apply it at home or in the classroom.

Why is sensory play important?

Sensory play is important for many reasons:

children use their 5 senses to explore the world around them
it is a natural way for babies and children to learn
it encourages scientific exploration and investigation
builds neural pathways in the brain
supports language development
builds gross and fine motor skills
involves problem solving and critical thinking
calms stress and anxiety
and more!

Set up a sensory table in your classroom or your home to reap all of these benefits of sensory play. See 8 sensory table benefits here.

What are some common sensory play terms?

Materials:

Oobleck: This is a non-Newtonian fluid, meaning it mimics the substance of a liquid and a solid. Made of cornstarch and water. See recipe here.

Play dough: A modeling compound similar to clay, but easy to use for kids. Can be purchase in stores, or make at home. See recipe here.

Slime: A gooey, squishy substance made by mixing water and sodium borate. It has a thick, glue-like texture and can make at home. See recipe here.

Water beads: Water absorbing polymers that absorb water and expand exponentially. Grow the beads, then dehydrate to use again. Fun for scooping and pouring.

Goop: Another name for oobleck as shown above, which is made of cornstarch and water.

Soap Foam: A thick, foamy, soapy mixture to blend and turn into stiff peaks of bubbly foam. Great for outdoor play. See recipe here.

Moon Sand: A sand that is squishy and sticks together, which makes it more moldable and shapable than traditional sand. See recipe here.

Cloud Dough: Similar to mood sand, a combination of flour and oil that is shapable and moldable as well.

Colored Rice: Dry, uncooked rice that has been dyed and colored with paint or food coloring.

Activities:

Sensory Bin: A bin or container that is filled with materials that are specifically chosen to stimulate the senses. Typically include a sensory base with some thematic tools and toys.

Sensory Bottle: A bottle that to secure and contain contents inside. When moved or shaken, the contents typically move about the bottle, stimulating the senses. A great sensory tool for babies.

Sensory Bag: Similar to a sensory bottle, where the contents are contained within a plastic bag, allowing for squishing and exploring the contents while secured. A great sensory tool for babies.

Messy Play: Play that encourages hands-on exploration and creativity. It allows children to play in an unrestricted way, encouraging imagination and exploration. Children can learn to think messy by playing messy.

Mess-Free Sensory Play: This is play that contains the materials inside a container, such as a sensory bottle or sensory bag, so that choking hazards and large messes are avoided. This is great sensory play for babies as well.

Sensory Table: A designated space where children are encouraged to explore the materials presented to them with all of their senses.