The Chaos and the Clutter

sensory play

Printable Playdough Mats

Free Printable Playdough Mats

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Playdough is an excellent sensory activity. It gives tactile feedback, can help soothe, and often includes senses other than touch such as scent (olfactory). There are many ways to expand playdough play.

Creating playdough mats using these free printables is a very easy way to make a playdough station. Many of the mats incorporate learning concepts and for most children, they can be done independently.

Free Printable Playdough MatsThese playdough mats are all free to print. The easiest way to create a playdough sensory station with these is to either laminate them once they are printed or insert each page into a plastic sleeve*. They are then ready for endless hours of play!

*Organizational tip: If you put the printables into plastic sleeves that have holes in them, you can keep all of your playdough mats in a binder for easy access.

Print off these adorable Transportation Alphabet Playdough Mats to help kids learn or reinforce their ABCs and the letter sounds. There are so many ways to expand on the fun and learning with this activity.

Get your printable alphabet playdough mats by entering your email address below. You’ll also be signed up to receive our free email series Sensory Activities and Solutions.

Use our Birthday Themed Emotions Playdough Mats or our Pirate Themed Emotions Playdough Mats to help kids explore their feelings.

People Playdough Mats from Picklebums

Printable People Playdough MatsI love this idea as you can include other sensory items like different textured fabric, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, button, and beads. I also like that these could be used to help teach emotions and facial expressions. If I had to choose a favourite, this would be it!

Playdough Flower Mat from Learn with Play at Home

Playdough Flower Mat. Free Printable. Playful MathsThis mat offers all kinds of learning opportunities and hands-on play. Depending on their age and skill level, kids can play with it differently.

Summer Playdough Mats from Totschooling

summer playdough mats printableThis set could be used in the summer or in the middle of winter when we start dreaming of summer and wishing for it to arrive!

DIY Playdough Mats from Tutus and Tea Parties

Garden Playdough MatThis set is so cute. I like that it really allows for the kids to use their imaginations!

Shape Playdough Mats from 3 Dinosaurs

shape playdough matsSpring and Easter Playdough Mats from This Reading Mama

Spring and Easter printable playdough matsI like the open-endedness of these.

Alphabet Playdough Mats from 123 Homeschool 4 Me

printable alphabet playdough matsGreat for preschool and reinforcing pre-reading concepts.

Number Playdough Mats from Homeschool Creations

Number Playdough Mats printable

Old MacDonald Farm Animal Playdough Mats from Making Learning Fun

And a bonus activity from No Time for Flash Cards…Playdough Hairdo Mats that you create yourself with photos of your family!

playdough family hairdo

There are many playdough recipes out there and some are very easy no-cook recipes, but I have still found that the best one out there is our tried and true classic playdough recipe. We change it up a bit by making chocolate playdough or calming lavender playdough but the basic recipe is the same.

Whatever playdough you decide to use, creating a playdough sensory station using these mats is easy and costs next to nothing.

Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get your Birthday Emotions Playdough Mats. 

Here are more printable playdough mats for sensory play including ones for holidays like Christmas.

Seaside Sensory Bin

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I find that coming up with sensory bins in the summer is so much easier than in the winter. Not only are themes somehow easier to think of, there are not as many limits because clean up is so much simpler. If it’s a bin that is going to potentially become a huge mess, I can set it up on the deck or in the lawn and the mess is no longer a consideration. This seaside sensory bin wasn’t that messy, but it still floated between outside and inside as the kids took it where they wanted it.

Seaside Sensory BinWhen I was grocery shopping on the weekend, the pool noodles were on clearance, so I picked one up knowing that I could find a use for it. Out of one pool noodle, I was actually able to make this sensory bin, a busy bag, an activity, and still have half leftover that is currently being used by my children as a sword!

To create this sensory bin, use a serrated knife to cut pieces of the pool noodle. In one area of the bin, put sand and seashells to create the shore. In the other, put the pool noodle pieces, glass beads and little blue foam bits. I chose these items both for the variety of texture they created. I also thought that the pool noodle slices gave the illusion of waves and the little foam bits looked like bubbles.

Seaside Sensory Bin square

Seaside Sensory Bin:

Supplies needed:

Directions:

  1. Slice the pool noodle. This step should be done by an adult. A serrated knife works best.
  2. Place sand, foam bits, glass beads, seashells, and pool noodle slices in a plastic tub.
  3. Invite your child to play.

The seashells make great scoops for play. My kids also invented a game of holding one of the pool noodle pieces in their mouth and having others stack the rest of the pieces on top of that piece to see how high of a tower they could create without it falling. It’s not quite what I had in mind when I made the bin, but I like to let them direct their own play!

If you are looking for more sensory bin ideas or information, you may be interested in my book.

The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Bins

Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.

Check out these other beach themed sensory activities:

At the Beach Sensory Bottle

Ocean Sensory Bag

Stuck in the Mud with Playdough

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Usually it’s the ridiculously simple activities that kids like best and this one is no exception. This has been a favourite at our house for over ten years. I know exactly when we started doing it because I remember being over at my friend Julie’s and seeing her son playing it. I was the mom of three boys at the time so I knew instantly that it would be a hit at my house. I was right.

The premise is this: boys like cars; boys like mud; kids like play dough. It’s about that simple.

Stuck in the Mud Playdough Game

For this activity, you need brown playdough and some cars or trucks. I use chocolate playdough most of the time because I like the scent and consistency.

Once you suggest that they pretend the playdough is mud, kids, (boys especially) love to make roads in it, hills and valleys, and of course, get vehicles stuck. Then they can send their tow trucks to rescue the stuck vehicles or extract them via helicopter or whatever their imagination comes up with.

We always call this Stuck in the Mud. If I say to my kids, “do you want to play stuck in the mud?”, they know exactly what I’m talking about and seem to enjoy it as much now as they did when they were toddlers. It’s also a great simple sensory idea.

I wanted to share this simple activity with you but needed to get a few pictures in order to do so. I tried making my usual chocolate playdough recipe, but I was distracted and missed half a cup of flour plus I substituted hot chocolate mix for the cocoa. The result was that it was lumpy, strange in colour, sticky, and burnt. The pot took forever to scrub because of the playdough burnt to the bottom of it and I was feeling pretty darn frustrated!

I didn’t have enough cream of tartar or arm muscles to try another batch, so I did what any mom would do and looked up a recipe for no-cook chocolate play dough. I didn’t like the consistency or look of it as much as I like my usual recipe, but it was way easier to make and the kids didn’t seem to mind.

I asked if they wanted to play Stuck in the Mud and Einstein ran off to get some cars! This type of sensory play never seems to get old!

Stuck in the MudIf you are looking for other playdough ideas, you may want to follow my Playing with Playdough board on Pinterest. What is your favourite way to play with play dough?

Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.

Simple Summer Sensory Activity

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Summer offers a whole new range of sensory options as you can now move many activities outside and have easier cleanup and more room to move. Last year, I ran a series on simple Summer Sensory Activities and I am finding that now that the weather is nice, we are doing more of our sensory “work” outside again.

Simple Summer Sensory ActivityThe kids had so much fun with this and they had no idea that they were actually doing really important sensory work! Setting this activity up could not be any simpler. All that is needed is a bucket full of water and some sponges. I bought two packs of six sponges each at the dollar store. For twelve sponges, I spent $2 and I am planning to turn them into two other sensory activities after this, so it was a very cost effective idea. If you already have sponges around the house, this can be a free activity.

Most kids love a good water fight, but there are two problems with a typical water fight at our house. One is that we live in the country and have to have our water trucked in so we can’t waste too much of it. The other is that in a water fight involving hoses or water guns, things tend to deteriorate quickly and an actual fight usually ensues. We had better luck with the sponges and I was clear to lay out the ground rules before they started. One of the ground rules was that mommy was not a target!

The kids not only got the sensory feedback of the water and the sponges, they also got the feedback from wringing out the sponges, particularly overtop of their siblings’ heads!!!

sensory water fight with spongesThis easy activity can easily be turned into another sensory game using the same bucket of water and sponges. If the water fight disseminates into chaos or if the kids get bored, they can go over and wash your car or the side of the house. You can add soapy bubbles to the water for this if you want (don’t add the bubbles to the water fight portion of the activity lest someone get it in their eyes) and you’ve now created another simple summer sensory activity and possibly, created enough time for yourself to run and throw a load of laundry in the wash or read a few pages in a book!

If you are looking for other easy activities to do with your kids this summer, you may be interested in joining me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.

5 Trampoline Games

Trampoline Games and Activities

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Please note: Trampolines are responsible for many injuries and common sense and adult supervision should be used with all of these activities. I am not responsible for any injuries that occur as a result of playing these games. As a parent, you know your child’s skill level and ability best and can determine if they are ready for these activities.

Trampoline Games and fun ideas that will keep the kids happy for hours!

As the parent of five kids with sensory issues, our trampoline has been our best investment. We have had ours for 8 years and this year after daily use and being left outside for six winters in the deep snow, the bottom finally tore, making it unusable. I am so used to being able to use the trampoline as a brain break for the kids and they are so used to being able to use it to help keep themselves regulated that it was a miserable few months for all of us without it.

I didn’t want to have to buy a whole new one but then a friend told me that Springfree sells replacement parts. We ordered a replacement mat and The Husband and a friend of his spent an afternoon attaching it and now our trampoline is as good as new!

5 Trampoline Games (plus 5 bonus ideas)

So in celebration of our newly functional trampoline, I thought I would share some of the games our kids play. Some are classic trampoline games and some they invented themselves. All are fun. For those of you who have children with sensory issues or SPD (sensory processing disorder), it may be worthwhile to note that these games are examples of proprioceptive sensory play. You can find more proprioceptive sensory play ideas at the 6 Days of Sensory Play Blog Hop.

Trampoline Games and Activities

Bum Wars

There is no trampoline game more classic than bum wars! The premise of this is that the last one standing wins! You need at least 2 players but can be played with more. Each player jumps a few times to warm up and then when agreed, they each drop down to their bums and then jump back up, landing on their feet. Each player is only allowed one bum bounce and one feet bounce. If they do double of either, they are out. The game is more challenging if there are adults and children playing because of the weight differences. (ask me how I know!)

Velodome

This is a game invented by my children. It can only be played on a trampoline with a net. One player is chosen to be “it”. Everyone, including that player places their outside hand on the net. This hand must stay on the net at all times. In this version of tag, players run around the outside of the trampoline as fast as they can, with their outside hand on the net. The player who is “it” attempts to tag the other players. Once tagged, they are out and can sit in the middle of the trampoline or as a safer alternative, can exit the trampoline entirely!

Popcorn

This is another classic game. One person sits in the middle of the trampoline, holding their knees to their chest. The other person jumps and tries to get the “popcorn to pop” (to get the person’s arms to pop open).

Four Boxes

I think my kids invented this one. It doesn’t totally make sense because our trampoline is round, but it would make sense on a rectangular or square trampoline and they have fun with it and that’s what matters! The person who is “it” closes their eyes and counts to 10, standing in the middle of the trampoline. Everyone else moves to a corner of the trampoline. When he says “10”, everyone stops moving. With his eyes still closed, “it” points to a corner and everyone there is out.

Poison Balls

Put some balls on the trampoline. In this trampoline game, the kids pretend that the balls are poison and jump while trying to avoid the balls, which of course roll around unpredictably. If someone is touched by a ball, they are out and must sit out for the rest of the round. To add to the sensory experience, you can use other items instead of balls such as pillows, stuffed toys, crumbled tin foil, or other soft items your imagination can think up.

Other trampoline fun:

1. Our kids love getting their bathing suits on and jumping in the rain. The water makes the trampoline bouncier. This can also be achieved by putting a sprinkler under the trampoline. trampoline in the rain 2. Another favourite trampoline activity here is having sleepovers on it. They set up sleeping bags and have a campout using the trampoline as their huge bed.

3. Lay out a large sheet of bubble wrap on the trampoline mat and let the kids jump!

4. We attach an old parachute to ours (you can see in one of the pictures below how the wind poofs it out and makes it like a tent inside). I don’t know how safe or smart it is to do it, but the kids really like jumping inside their homemade bouncy castle! trampoline fun5. Have the kids do tricks like multiple bum drops or flips or jumping as high as they can and try to imitate or beat the one who went before them. Again, trampolines can be dangerous. We are fortunate in that we have not had any major injuries, but please do use caution.

Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.

Sensory Station Ideas

A Bucket List for a Simpler Summer

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Tactile Sensory Cards

Tactile Sensory Cards

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I am participating in the 6 Days of Sensory Play Challenge. I am late due to some issues and extra appointments for some of the kids so mine will not be on the right day but I do have plans for all of them so if you can bear with me, I will be getting to each of them and sharing my ideas.

For Tactile Sensory Play, I created some simple sensory cards. Tactile play involves touch so things such as sensory bins work well. Since we do so many sensory bins, I decided to try something a bit different and make these cards for the kids to explore different textures.

Tactile Sensory CardsThese are very simple to make and allow kids to explore textures and even get used to textures that they made not be as comfortable with. I used paint chips (since I seem to be making everything out of paint chips lately!) but you can make these on cardstock if you prefer.

I glued things onto the paint chips that represented a variety of textures. I used sponge, bristle pad, bubble wrap, foam, cork, tin foil, mesh, cotton, rubber, and sand. The great thing about these is that you can make them using things that you have in your home already and they don’t have to cost a penny. Sensory solutions do not have to be expensive.

You could use pretty much anything that you can glue down: rice, beans, sandpaper, wire, tissue, fabric swatches, corrugated cardboard… What other ideas can you come up with?

The kids enjoyed playing with these tactile sensory cards and even tried to identify which was which with their eyes closed once they got used to them. When they were done playing, I put them into a large resealable bag and instantly made this into another busy bag!

Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.