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PSPKK12336 Comments

Edible sensory play: Ooey gooey worms!

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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.

ooey-gooey-sensory-fun---the-measured-mom

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!

 child playing with linguine and chocolate pudding

Here was the invitation to play.  My One was tentative.

children playing with linguine and chocolate pudding

 But his older siblings dug right in!

children playing with linguine and chocolate pudding

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!)

child playing with linguine and chocolate pudding

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!

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Filed Under: General Tagged With: preschool, first grade, second grade, third grade, kindergarten, sensory play, Pre-K

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Reader Interactions

36 Comments

  1. Mary Catherine

    July 6, 2013 at 10:18 pm

    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!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      July 8, 2013 at 4:12 pm

      Thank you so much for the feature!

      Reply to this comment
  2. Beth

    July 5, 2013 at 5:29 am

    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

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      July 8, 2013 at 4:12 pm

      Thanks so much, Beth!

      Reply to this comment
  3. Carrie

    July 3, 2013 at 10:46 am

    Oh, that looks like a lot of fun!! (and mess). Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      July 4, 2013 at 5:04 pm

      Thanks for checking it out!

      Reply to this comment
  4. Sara Phillips

    July 2, 2013 at 8:25 am

    I know messy play is important, but I can’t handle it! That’s what daddy & grandma are for! 😉

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      July 4, 2013 at 5:04 pm

      I totally get it, Sara… that’s why I don’t do it very often!

      Reply to this comment
  5. Carla

    July 1, 2013 at 3:27 pm

    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!!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      July 4, 2013 at 5:03 pm

      Great news! Thanks, Carla!

      Reply to this comment
  6. Ashley

    June 30, 2013 at 8:15 am

    That looks totally disgusting! lol Thanks for sharing at Mom’s Library!

    Reply to this comment
    • Ashley

      July 3, 2013 at 7:24 am

      Featured you on Mom’s Library!

      Reply to this comment
  7. Carla

    June 29, 2013 at 8:54 pm

    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!!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      June 29, 2013 at 9:50 pm

      Thanks so much for the feature, Carla!

      Reply to this comment
  8. OneMommy

    June 29, 2013 at 7:08 am

    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….

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      June 29, 2013 at 9:50 pm

      The pudding is the real draw 🙂

      Reply to this comment
  9. Melinda@LookWhatMomFound...andDadtoo

    June 28, 2013 at 8:57 am

    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

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      July 4, 2013 at 5:03 pm

      Thanks for the invite!

      Reply to this comment
  10. Charise @ I Thought I Knew Mama

    June 28, 2013 at 8:11 am

    Very cute idea!

    Visiting via the Tender Moments Blog Hop.

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      June 29, 2013 at 7:11 am

      Thanks for checking it out, Charise!

      Reply to this comment
  11. Becky

    June 27, 2013 at 8:10 pm

    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

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      June 29, 2013 at 7:11 am

      Let me know if you try it, Becky!

      Reply to this comment
  12. Marty

    June 25, 2013 at 6:38 am

    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 🙂

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      June 29, 2013 at 7:10 am

      I’ve seen so much grosser… but not at my house 🙂 This mom doesn’t get much messier!

      Reply to this comment
  13. Andrea @ No Doubt Learning

    June 25, 2013 at 12:08 am

    My kids would have such a ball with this! They love messy play!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      June 29, 2013 at 7:10 am

      You’ll have to let me know if you try it, Andrea!

      Reply to this comment
  14. Katie @ Gift of Curiosity

    June 24, 2013 at 9:31 pm

    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! 🙂

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      June 24, 2013 at 9:58 pm

      Anything chocolate works for me! (and my kids :))

      Reply to this comment

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