Homemade Edible Finger Paint (No Cornstarch Needed)

Posted on April 14, 2013 by christiekiley

Today I wanted to try some finger painting with my little guy (20 months old). Unfortunately, I didn’t have any paint and I wasn’t able to go to the store to buy cornstarch or any of those other ingredients commonly used in homemade paint recipes.

Thankfully, I did have flour and food coloring.

So I simply mixed equal parts water and white flour (I did one cup of each) to make a nice painty paste. I put the water in the bowl first, then slowly mixed in the flour to avoid lumps. I divided up the paste into separate compartments of a toddler plate and then mixed in food coloring.

Voila! Easy homemade edible finger paint!

We took our supplies outside and tried it out. Not bad!

I liked this mixture because it was super easy for my little guy to wipe off himself and didn’t smear around on his skin like regular paint would. If he wanted it off, it came off. It also easily washed off with warm water after it had dried on his (and my) skin. Plus, it was no big deal if it got in his mouth. It’s just flour and water.

I wouldn’t recommend using this mixture for “serious” art. It became grainy and bubbly on the paper and wouldn’t be great for making detailed masterpieces. However, it’s perfect if you’re just looking to give your little one easy access to a low-maintenance, low-cost painting experience, which is exactly what I wanted.

Remember to provide tools such as paintbrushes and sponges for kids who are nervous about touching the paint. Also, please, don’t encourage your kids to eat the paint. Just because it can be eaten doesn’t mean it should be eaten, especially if your kiddo has a gluten allergy or Celiac Disease.

What is your favorite homemade edible finger paint recipe?

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How to Make Homemade Instant Snow

Posted on March 24, 2013 by christiekiley

Someone recently told me you can make instant snow by cutting open a disposable diaper and pouring water on it til it turns into a gelatinous, moldable sensory play tool.

What?!

As an OT who is always looking for new sensory play ideas, I decided I HAD to try this for myself. Here’s how I did it:

1. Cut open the diaper so you can extract the absorbent pad in the middle. Be delicate with the pad. It’s super fragile and little particles will start to fall off when you move it around.

2. Place the absorbent pad in a container (such as a plastic toy bin, baking sheet, or large mixing bowl) and slowly add water, poking and prodding the pad as you go to help break it apart. I had to use approximately four cups of water to turn a Size 3 Huggies pad into the appropriate consistency. If you don’t have a long container you could always cut or tear the pad into smaller pieces.

3. That’s it! Ridiculously simple.

Check out that texture.

Encourage sensory exploration, motor planning, and fine motor skills by molding the snow into snowballs or creating sculptures such as snowmen or animals. Practice pre-writing skills by forming shapes, letters, and numbers in the snow. Kids can use their index fingers or can even use a tool such as the non-brush end of a thin paintbrush in order to practice pencil grasp as well.

And for those little ones who are either reluctant to touch the slushy stuff or who need to practice their scooping skills, give them a tool (learn more here).

Make sure your little explorer doesn’t try to eat the fake snow. Though the substance is non-toxic, it doesn’t mean it should be ingested. Your snow will be as cold as the water you make it with. If you want it colder, put it in the fridge or freezer. If you want it slushier, add more water. Throw in a little salt if you (or your child) accidentally made it too slushy; this will help “dry” it out a bit. Create different colors of snow by mixing in some food coloring or Kool-Aid powder.

If you don’t have diapers in your house and don’t want to go out and buy a whole pack, you can purchase name-brand instant snow in many stores or online (click here).

Happy snow play!

*This post contains an affiliate link.

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Intro to Messy Play: Painting with Shaving Cream

Posted on March 3, 2013 by christiekiley

If you have a kiddo who is hesitant to dip their little fingers into messy sensory materials, or even outright HATES it, try giving them a tool such as a paintbrush or spoon. This will allow them to engage with the tactile media without actually having to touch it. It also serves as a nice introduction to messy play! Then as the child becomes more comfortable engaging in sensory play with the tool, she can gradually begin to explore the messy stuff on her own terms, when she feels ready.

When it comes to messy play, shaving cream is perhaps the most classic medium used by pediatric occupational therapists. Some kids LOVE the stuff and could bathe in it from head to toe every day if their mommies let them (like the kids in this picture). Others, like those mentioned above, probably wish it was buried in a deep dark cave far, far away.

So what do we do? Give ‘em a tool!

My toddler son got to try this activity last week since he’s still not so sure about things that are goopy or foamy. All we needed was a baking sheet, some old paintbrushes, a big piece of paper (bought a whole pad from the dollar store for future projects!), and three drops of food coloring.

I squirted the cream onto the pan, showed him how I swirled in the food coloring, and then demonstrated how to brush, brush, brush! on the paper since he was a little nervous about it at first. But once he saw that it was okay and we could sing fun songs while we brushed, he reached for a brush and joined right in! He remained engaged in this process for about five minutes before he decided he was all done. It was a good start!

As mentioned previously, if you have a child who is nervous about or avoidant of tactile sensory experiences like this one, don’t force them to touch it or “just be fine” with it. Gauge their comfort level, offer demonstration and gentle encouragement, allow them to watch peers or siblings engage with it while positively reinforcing them for doing so (but DON’T punish or shame the one who doesn’t engage), sing songs or count or rhyme while doing it, make shapes and faces and sound effects as appropriate, and provide plenty of opportunities for exposure over time. Make it fun! Praise them when they try it and allow them to wipe their hands or take a break when they need to in order to keep it as positive an experience as possible.

Have fun!

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40 Fun Sensory Bags

Posted on September 25, 2012 by christiekiley

Sensory Bags are a great way for kids to expand their sense of touch, creativity, and adventure, and they are so easy to make! Earlier this week I featured four different sensory bags that I’ve introduced to my one-year-old (filled with beads, shells, squishy sparkles, or glow sticks).

Now it’s time to take a look at all the other great ideas out there! I am seriously impressed with all of the incredible ideas people have come up with for how to play with (and learn from) sensory bags — from tummy time to giant waterbeds to practicing pre-writing skills, and everything in between!

Check out the categories and titles below to find something that suits your fancy. Or pin this post so you can come back later…too much fun stuff!

The Basics:

1. Sensory Bag for Tummy Time from Plain Vanilla Mom

2. Sensory Water Bag for Babies from The Activity Mom

3. Sensory Nibble Bag for Babies from Quaint Oaks

4. Bright and Colorful Sensory Bags for Preschool from Teach Preschool

5. Soapy Sparkle Squish Bag from Growing a Jeweled Rose

6. Shaving Cream Sensory Bag from Growing a Jeweled Rose

7. Paint Mixing in Bag from The Chocolate Muffin Tree

8. Baby Oil Sensory Bag from Play Based Learning

9. Sand and Water Sensory Bag from Play Based Learning

Group Fun:

10. DIY Sensory Bag Creation Stations from Fit Kids Club

11. Super Sensory Bag Table from Baby Centre UK

Larger Than Life:

12. Giant Squishy Sensory Bag from Go Kid Yourself

13. I-Spy Redneck Waterbed from Play at Home Mom

14. Outdoor Water Sensory Bag from Growing Our Family (with video!)

Ocean Themed:

15. Ocean Squish Bag from Growing a Jeweled Rose

16. Ocean in a Bag Sensory Craft from Crafts and Art for Children

17. Beach Themed Squish Bag from Growing a Jeweled Rose

18. Squishy Fishy Aquarium Bag from Teach Preschool

19. Baby Oil Aquarium Sensory Bag from Playing House in Maryland

20. Ocean Window Sensory Bag from Activities for Preschoolers

Other Themed:

21. Butterfly Sensory Bags for Preschoolers from Teach Preschool

22. Outer Space Sensory Bag from Familylicious

23. Slimy Eyes Halloween Sensory Bag/Suncatcher from hands on : as we grow

24. Simple Watermelon Suncatchers from Teach Preschool

25. Aloe Vera Googly Eyes Sensory Bag from Familylicious

26. Molasses Cinco de Mayo Sensory Bag from Carrots are Orange

27. Sugar Scrub Foam Fruit Sensory Bag from Familylicious

28. Color in a Bag from Family Fun

29. Touch of Fall Sensory Guess Bags from Pleasantest Thing

Glowing:

30. Glowing Water Sensory Bags from Growing a Jeweled Rose

31. Glowing Paint Sensory Bags from Growing a Jeweled Rose

32. Glowing Soapy Sparkle Squish Bags from Growing a Jeweled Rose

Pre-Academics:

33. Sensory Bag Maze with Finger from Activities for Preschoolers

34. Sensory Bag Maze with Ball from Baby Centre UK

35. Sensory Bag Fish Matching from Baby Centre UK

36. Sensory Bag Number Matching from Activities for Preschoolers

37. Eye Spy Alphabet Squish Bag from Growing a Jeweled Rose

38. Sensory Glitter Bag for Pre-Writing from Play at Home Mom

39. Sensory Writing Mats from Familylicious

40. Paint Bags for Writing with Q-Tips from Bright Starts of CNY

Which ones are your favorites, and what else can you put in a sensory bag?

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Click the buttons below to find more great kids’ play ideas:

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Easy Sensory Bags for Babies and Toddlers

Posted on September 23, 2012 by christiekiley

I have been experimenting with sensory bags lately for my one-year-old and have been pleasantly surprised at how ridiculously EASY they are to make!

For a basic sensory bag, all you have to do is 1) open a plastic bag, 2) squeeze in some cheap hair gel and 3) drop some small items in the bag. That’s it! You can reinforce the zipper seal with some packing tape for added security. The dollar store will be your best friend for this project!

Here are a few ideas for sprucing up your sensory bag and making it even more fun for your little one. Do it yourself or have your little helper give you a hand!

Add a handful of beads.

Put seashells in blue gel for a look that will make you long for the Caribbean.

Mix some body wash with hair gel and throw in a dash of sparkles for some sudsy, sparkly fun. The more you squeeze it, the more bubbly it becomes.

Or see how your little one responds when you give them a sensory bag that glows! (Five-pack of glow sticks also found at the dollar store.)

These are just four quick, easy ways to expand your child’s sense of sight and touch in a fun, non-messy way…do you have any idea how fun it is to squeeze those squishy bags?!

Not only can sensory bags be fun for teeny tiny ones, they can also be helpful for older kids who are always wanting to touch EVERYTHING. Help them make their very own sensory bag and offer it to them when they feel like they need something for their hands. Be sure it’s sealed and reinforced, and provide appropriate supervision for their own safety. I’m thinking about using these sensory bags with some of my very own therapy kiddos. We’ll see how it goes!

If you’re as excited about these sensory bags as I am (and I hope you are!), then come back on Wednesday morning…I will be featuring a round-up of LOTS of different kinds of sensory bags from amazing bloggers around the world. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss out on the fun!

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This post was shared on Tuesday Tots at Rainy Day Mum. Click the badge below for more fun kids’ activity ideas!

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Activity Ideas for Kids: “Growing a Jeweled Rose”

Posted on August 8, 2012 by christiekiley

If you’ve been following MamaOT this week, then you know we’re working on expanding your kids’ play repertoire by featuring different websites that focus exclusively on fun and educational activities for kids. Monday featured “No Time for Flash Cards” (read post here), Tuesday was all about “Productive Parenting” (read post here), and today we will show you the ropes on how to have fun getting MESSY!

You have absolutely got to check out this blog called Growing a Jeweled Rose: Learning and Loving Through Messy Play, which can be found at www.growingajeweledrose.com.

Growing a Jeweled Rose (GAJR for short) is written by a mom named Crystal who has two girls named “Jewel” and “Rosie” (hence her cleverly titled blog), and she primarily writes about how she and her kids explore and learn through sensory play, which often includes getting really, ridiculously, unbelievably messy! Crystal is the queen of messy play and she also rules the school when it comes to glow-in-the dark fun, especially during bath and water play.

Messy play is a very important part of childhood but I find that many parents are either afraid to let their kids get messy (understandably) or they are okay with it but they just don’t know where to start. I give Crystal major props for having the courage not only to allow her girls to engage in full-body mud baths (oh yes she does!), but also to share her ideas, experiences, and awesome pictures of how to do it all. Additionally, I am in love with the fact that she hosts messy play dates for her kids and their friends!!

Here are some of my favorites from Growing a Jeweled Rose (click on title for link):

I am seriously thinking about starting to host messy play dates myself and if you and I live in the same town…watch out…things are about to get messy.

Head on over to Growing a Jeweled Rose and join in on the goopy, muddy, slimy, messy fun!

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Mama OT

Tips and tricks for those who care for children

Tag Archives: Messy Play

Homemade Edible Finger Paint (No Cornstarch Needed)

How to Make Homemade Instant Snow

Intro to Messy Play: Painting with Shaving Cream

40 Fun Sensory Bags

Easy Sensory Bags for Babies and Toddlers

Activity Ideas for Kids: “Growing a Jeweled Rose”