We’ve been doing a sensory bin for every letter of the alphabet. Letter W gave us so many possibilities: water… water beads… worms! I went with the last option. We put together some pasta and pudding for some edible sensory play.
If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I don’t do enough sensory play. And we definitely don’t do enough messy sensory play. Truthfully, I just don’t have the tolerance for it! But I know that it’s so important for kids to get messy and experience different textures. This was a chance for us to do just that.
First I tried to make some jello worms that I found on Pinterest. That was a failure. Probably because I never make jello and didn’t get that right. I think the problem was that I waited too long after the jello mixture cooled before pouring it into the plastic straws. It was starting to get solid.
Whoops.
The kids were disappointed, since this was the first time they were going to get to have jello. At least at our house.
Linguine to the rescue!
I cooked up a batch and made two packs of chocolate pudding — another thing I’ve never made. Oh, my kids were happy today!
Here was the invitation to play. My One was tentative.
But his older siblings dug right in!
All that ooey gooey goodness… much more pleasant than digging your hands into real mud and worms. (At least in my opinion. The other day my Four brought me a can of worms he had dug up from our flower bed. As I “admired” them I reminded him that worms don’t belong in the kitchen!)
My Four enjoyed taking big handfuls and dropping them in satisfying schlopps. Meanwhile my Three was scooping as much pudding into his mouth as he could.
Until I said, “No more.”
My poor, pudding-deprived children.
Looking for more ideas for messy play? Check out this post from Learn Play Imagine. You’ll find links to 200 ideas!
Alphabet Curriculum for Preschool
$29.00
Our curriculum includes lessons for teaching both upper and lowercase letter names and sounds. You’ll get three lessons per letter, built-in review, simple handwriting practice, rhyming, syllable counting, phonemic awareness, and a whole lot more!
Love Freebies?
Subscribing to our email newsletter is completely free. And when you do, you'll get access to our library of subscriber freebies! Sign up below to get access to a wonderful variety of math and literacy resources.
Mary Catherine
We love messy play at my house, but I can understand how it’s not everyone’s cup of tea! How awesome that you’re introducing it despite your distaste. 🙂 Thanks for sharing at Stress-Free Sunday — I’m featuring you this weekend!
annageig
Thank you so much for the feature!
Beth
ooh – how cool is that! My kids would love this!
Thanks for sharing your creativity with all of us =) Hope to see you linked up again today. I featured this on TGIF today.
Have a great weekend,
Beth
annageig
Thanks so much, Beth!
Carrie
Oh, that looks like a lot of fun!! (and mess). Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!
annageig
Thanks for checking it out!
Sara Phillips
I know messy play is important, but I can’t handle it! That’s what daddy & grandma are for! 😉
annageig
I totally get it, Sara… that’s why I don’t do it very often!
Carla
Hi Anna! I’m just stopping by to let you know that this was the most clicked on post at Teach Me Tuesday last week!! Congratulations!!
annageig
Great news! Thanks, Carla!
Ashley
That looks totally disgusting! lol Thanks for sharing at Mom’s Library!
Ashley
Featured you on Mom’s Library!
Carla
I *love* this!! It looks so fun and perfect my little friends that try to taste everything, lol! I’m featuring this on my PreschoolPowolPackets Facebook page too–thanks for linking up at Teach Me Tuesday at Preschool Powol Packets!!
annageig
Thanks so much for the feature, Carla!
OneMommy
Love this! My oldest would be having a field day!
My youngest would be a lot more tentative…. He doesn’t like things that feel different. Or to get messy. But, he might just get into this one once he sees big sis, and figures out it’s pudding….
annageig
The pudding is the real draw 🙂
Melinda@LookWhatMomFound...andDadtoo
what a lovely mess 🙂 hope you come by and share this on our #kidsinthekitchen linky this week http://lookwhatmomfound.com/2013/06/making-their-own-snacks-kidsinthekitchen.html
annageig
Thanks for the invite!
Charise @ I Thought I Knew Mama
Very cute idea!
Visiting via the Tender Moments Blog Hop.
annageig
Thanks for checking it out, Charise!
Becky
haha! I love this! I will have to do this with our kids this week. 🙂 We are will have a blast trying this! 🙂
Becky @ Your Modern Family
annageig
Let me know if you try it, Becky!
Marty
Oh, my goodness I know they had a good time but that is the grossest thing I’ve seen! The things we do for our kids 🙂
annageig
I’ve seen so much grosser… but not at my house 🙂 This mom doesn’t get much messier!
Andrea @ No Doubt Learning
My kids would have such a ball with this! They love messy play!
annageig
You’ll have to let me know if you try it, Andrea!
Katie @ Gift of Curiosity
I know the mess is never fun to clean up, but what a great experience for your kids! And boy I wouldn’t mind a mouthful of chocolate pudding either! 🙂
annageig
Anything chocolate works for me! (and my kids :))