Carrot Patch Sensory Play
Welcome to the carrot patch! We are channeling all of our excitement for spring into play. While our garden isn’t quite up and running our sensory play is in full swing.
We used our Flisat Table from IKEA to set up this play. You can use any tray, tub or container to recreate it though. Follow these simple steps to make your own.
Items you’ll need:
Tub or container to serve as your sensory bin
Cardboard (large enough for a lid)
Scissors (a craft knife would be helpful too)
Green Paint
Sensory Base (pictured here is recycled shredded packing paper and black beans)
Carrots (these came from the Dollar Tree)
Tools such as: scoops, shovels, bowls, or jars (any that you have on hand)
Number discs (numbers written on paper work just as well)
To make:
Begin by measuring your cardboard to serve as a lid for your container. This can fit directly in the tub or lay overtop. Cut the cardboard to size.
Paint the cardboard green and set aside to dry.
Cut the holes for the carrots. Cutting a plus sign shape + works well enough.
Fill the container with your sensory base.
Add the sensory tools.
Add the cover and insert the carrots.
Place the numbers in the sensory tub or close by to add in a math element.
To Play:
Setting boundaries may be necessary if they are new to sensory play. This may include safety concerns such as mouthing items or containment such as “beans are for the table not for the floor.”
Let the kids take the lead. Sensory play is all about exploration. Scooping, pouring, transferring are great real world skills that build hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
Imaginary play goes hand in hand with this sensory set up. They may instantly become farmers or workers at a farmer’s market. In our house, the carrots were picked and taken to the play kitchen where they were washed, cooked and served.
Add in literacy and math skills with a few simple additions. Pictured here are number discs. We used these to practice numeral recognition and to label after counting groups of carrots. Additional math ideas include:
Comparing quantities-which group has less or more?
Adding more carrots to a group
Taking carrots away from a group
Literacy ideas include:
Reading books about gardening or carrots. The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss is the perfect companion.
Creating stories or informational reports about gardening.
Learn about Life Cycle of a Seed vocabulary.
Include the kids in any clean up after the play. This will keep them accountable for any mess that happens as a result of the sensory play. This is also adds ownership to the play and teaches responsibility. Keeping in character and making it part of the play can add an element of fun.
There you have it! I hope your carrot patch brings just as much fun and excitement as we have gotten from it. I would love to hear how it goes. Be sure to tag us on Instagram and/or Facebook as you share your highlights.
