Sensory Play the Easy Way

I admit it. I always Mean to Do sensory play. I downloaded that darn make-your-own-playdough maybe ten times. And I've still not come close to even raiding the cupboard for ingredients... Lunchtime today was a tough mental switchover from work mode to toddler mode. I struggled to.think of an engaging, free-play idea. And hubby had already done the Park in the morning.

I've been meaning to do.more.counting, more shapes, more labelling. So as it was at last a sunny day we went out for a stroll to get some sea air, and to have a play on the beach. As we selected a spot for a run about (always a challenge on pebbles!) I realised that we could combine fresh air with some fun sensory play. First we explored different size pebbles that would fit into a crack in the groyne, looking for thin, flat pebbles. Trying to explain what thin means to a Toddler was a little mentally trying but by trial and error we got there.

The quest for the Perfect Pebble

Next we searched for round pebbles to roll down the ramp to the beach, rolling them up then watching them roll back towards us. The concept.of gravity is a bit beyond me to explain but the pebbles (not literally, fear not for my sanity) did the talking...

Good old fashioned Push a Pebble fun

Chasing a feather in the wind the Toddler found hilarious, as it inevitably blew just out of reach as soon as we got close. Concepts of weight, and floating again - clearly this was our lesson in physics this afternoon!! 

The art of Feather Chasing

Then we finished off with a Pebble Tower, which was demolished before it really began on several occasions, proving tricky to catch on camera! We looked for flat pebbles, learning about balance and stacking... much more choice than our stacking bricks at home!

Stupidly proud of my (ahem, Toddler's of course) pebble tower

So if the sun ever shines again this Autumn, or you are one of those amazing parents/carers happy to brave wind and rain, why not head to the nearest outside space and see what you can explore... There are so many concepts and experiences to be had, for free, which if you include feather-chasing, are pretty likely to get your baby laughing (even if it is mostly At you with than with you!)

Halloween Spooky Fruit Fun

When I was asked to conjure up a Spooky Fruit as part of AlexandAlexa's Halloween competition I couldn't resist. With a Fruit Monster for a toddler I knew there was nothing he'd like better than to play with, and eat, than some fruit! Obviously it had to involve blueberries as apparently they are irresistible. Too worried about toddler's short attention span to try actual fruit moulding or major modification I decided upon a Retro theme that he totally won't get but I would enjoy... 

Pacman. Of course. A round figure handily formed of the end of an apple (do apples have ends? Or sides for that matter?). And blueberries to collect. And Apple Ghosts obviously. I had to make a fair number of each though as they kept being eaten. Tssk who was this competition for anyway?! The Spooky Spaghetti appeared alarmingly alluring, and most fiddly to replace. Pesky toddler fingers finding it fun to wave about in the air...

So here's our five minutes of Spooky Fruit fun as our competition entry. A rush job as all jobs involving an under -2 are a rush. So here's to Halloween and to fruit loving toddlers everywhere. And gosh, Apple Ghosts are yummy!