Preschool Sensory Table Ideas - Sand, Water, & Fun

I have many recent requests for ideas for preschool sensory table ideas. I use my sensory table for so many activities for all learning centers. Here are just a few of the ways to use this key part of your classroom.

First of all, keep in mind that you can fill your table with sand, styrofoam packaging peanuts, cotton balls, water, small size gravel, etc. The sky is the limit. **Just be sure that whatever you use is age appropriate for the ages of your children.

Alphabet
Fill the table with sand. Use your letter of the week if you wish and let them take turns making the letter shape in the sand. This helps them develop visual memory, or if they don't know the shape, post it on the wall and they will need to copy the shape. This provides visual and motor input for them to learn.

Treasure Hunts
All preschoolers love a treasure hunt. Use the table to hide objects, letters, numbers, items from the theme of the week, etc. and ask them to find them. You can make this more difficult by asking them to do this with their eyes closed. Next ask them to count what they have found. Counting skills becomes so much fun.

Use this for sorting also. You can mix letters and numbers and see if they remember the differences in shapes and put them in the correct category. Hide items that are different shapes and ask if they can identify the shape--round, square, soft, hard, triangle.

Water Table
When your table is filled with water you can use it to do science experiments. Find out what kind of object floats or sinks. Mix food coloring or paints and watch the dispersion of colors. Add other types of liquid such as small drops of cooking oil to watch the reaction. Definitely make a time when you add child safe foaming soap and allow them to play in the bubbles. Just be sure the floor under the table has something non skid so if water does spill, no one slips and falls.


These are just some of the ways I use the sensory table. Send me your ideas and I will share them here.

If you like these preschool sensory table ideas, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html


Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


P.S. If you would like to receive my free newsletters for ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html