Buy Yourself Some Time: 2 Super Simple Sensory Activities For Your Preschooler

I have a 4 year old. We call her "The Bean" She's a beautiful little blonde headed, blue-eyed spitfire. Full of sass and energy. She can go from happy to total meltdown in about 5 seconds...and when I fail to keep her busy, her frustration with her 4 year old life, is very apparent. 😏

I love to spend time with her... reading, playing in her dollhouse, tossing a ball, and all that good stuff...but I can't give her every second of my time because well-- she has 3 other siblings, and Mom  needs do other things throughout the day. With 4 kiddos that I home school, working from home, and running a household, I just simply cannot entertain her all the time!

Sure, I could stick her in front of the TV, a tablet, my phone...some kind of device, (Click to read about what happened when I took screen time away) and I do from time to time. But those things aren't fueling her imagination, creativity, or her brain. I could also do the obvious things such as sending her outside to play, turning her loose with play-doh, giving her 50 pieces of paper to scribble on, or  help her to make an elaborate blanket fort that she would play in for 5 minutes!  And I do opt for those things a lot of the time... but sometimes, they aren't practical, make a big mess, and worse of all-- she loses interest quickly.

If you're like me, and have your hands full with life, plus a toddler or preschooler and some other kids...and laundry, and pets, and dishes, and all that jazz... let me share a few fun ways you can keep your little (s) busy, while you accomplish other things, (without her taking it personally) 😆😆😆

***Keep in mind, that I reserve this sort of play time for when I really need to direct my attention to something or someone else. I typically only allow her to do these activities when we do home school, or when I'm working on the computer. That way, it's like a treat, which means she's totally into it!

Rice and Noodle Treasure Sand Box 

The total cost of this nifty little fun box is about $5. I purchased the box for 2.50 at Wal Mart. A larger, more shallow box would be better, but hey, this works too! You can use anything you'd like for the "sand." I chose to use rice and elbow noodles because it's what I had on hand. :)  For the treasures, I just looked around the house... domino's, poker chips, dollar bills, bead necklaces, hot wheels...just whatever!  This play time keeps her busy, and is also feeding her mind. I encourage her to group things. When I have a moment to go over and play with her, we will put the domino's together in a pile, and then hide them...next, we do the cars, then the necklaces, and so on. We also count the objects. When I don't play with her, she's just getting some great sensory play in!
Not only does this activity keep her busy, but unlike television or screen time, it is hands-on, thoroughly educational, and encourages imaginative play. She often wakes up in the morning and asks to "hunt treasure" BUT, the key to keeping it fun, and keeping her busy when I need to be busy, is only bringing it out at certain times. Remember that!
There will be a mess...but it sweeps up quickly, (much easier clean up than paint or play doh!!!) and to me, it's totally worth it so I can get some guilt-free time to either work, or help the other kids with projects or assignments.

This next activity is a no brainier, and requires no money! 

Water Play In The Kitchen Sink

Okay, so if you haven't let your kiddo do this yet, you have got to try it! I suggest hiding the soap and making a rule about turning the water back on as to not overflow the sink (I speak from experience) but washing and playing in the sink, is super duper fun for kids. Even older kids enjoy this! Water play is actually very beneficial to younger children! They are learning! How, you ask?

• Learning how much water they can pour into another cup before it overflows
• Examining how big they can splash before the water exits the sink 
• How objects float in water, but when you fill them, they sink! 
• Plus imaginative and sensory play

Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry are all involved in a sink of soapy water play time.
Yes, your kiddo is going to make a mess...but it's water, and will clean up quickly and likely give you half an hour or more to get things done.

**Some great items to include in sink play are barbies, or action figures; spoons, measuring cups, play food, and plastic cups and containers

In today's fast-paced world, it is tempting to turn on the TV, or pass a tablet. There are many educational shows, as well as apps! However, tech devices teach our kids that there is instant gratification... they don't actually touch, smell, or feel objects...and they aren't using their imagination while focused on a screen. Although screen time is good in moderation, I believe that kids benefit much more from hands on  play time. They learn the reactions to actions, how to manipulate objects, and most of all-- spending time fueling their imaginations, and their brains. 💛


How do you keep your little ones busy while keeping it simple?
Leave your comments below!

Blessings,
-L