Preschool Sensory Play Activities: How it all got started!

Sensory Messy Play and Preschool Activities

We've had many great years teaching messy play and preschool classes for The Play Connection and hope the future will send even more blessings our way. Here are our top sensory and messy play preschool activities from 2013. What a blast from the past!

This post contains affiliate links.

Here is a listing of our top posts of 2013. Many offer great ideas for fun, preschool activities, clip art, and lots of fun for kids! Enjoy!

1. Christmas Eye Candy: Photos of Christmas Trees in Snow Clipart
2. Angie's Homemade Artisan Bread Recipe
3. New Year Preschool Party Ideas and Activities for Kids
4. Lots of Snowmen and Marshmallows Christmas Crafts and Activities for Kids
5. Fun for Kids with Phineas and Ferb Printables
6. Lots of photos of Bread Clipart
7. Cute Valentine Clipart and Free Printables for Kids Classroom Valentines
8. 9 New Year Activities for Kids with games for kids too
9. Marshmallows: Fun for kids SENSORY game great for preschoolers
10. The Tooth Fairy Sagas: Free Toothfairy clipart and true Mommy Drama
11. Activities for Kids: Make your own snow for Sensory play fun for kids
12. Birthday Party games for Kids and Moms on a budget
13. Our new Series Made the cut! Creative Country Sayings and Inspirational Quotes

Memories from 2008 - 2012.

Here's my favorite Homeschool Lesson from 2013.

Primary and Complementary Color Homeschool Art and Science Lesson.

Jake's Journey in Homeschool Art Lessons and Projects for Kids

(Pre K to Elementary)

There are many Homeschool Lessons in this series, so make sure you click the labels under each post. (Still Life, Water Coloring for Kids, Weaving, Self-Portrait activities, Building Models for Science, Christmas Gingerbread House how to diy, Color Theory Lessons, Primary Colors, and even some History  along the way - it's art to me how we've designed our lives throughout the years. I hope you will follow along on the journey.)

We published a Kitchen Kids Cookbook with mix and make recipes for kids. We helped fund raise for Santa's Elves of Indy, we started Homeschooling through INCA (Indiana Connections Academy,) and we moved to a house in the country. 

2013 holds many dreams as we look forward to gardening, raising chickens, goats, and hopefully bunnies and alpacas, get that YA novel published, and share a few of the many stage plays and skits for kids I've written over the years. Bring it! I am excited to get started :-) 

What does your future hold? Leave a comment and let us know.

Follow us on Pinterest (Kids Creative Chaos and Pin it! Online Scavenger Hunt for Pre school Curriculum) and Google +  Can't find us on Twitter? Check the right sidebar for a link we're @playconnection. 


Recommended Reading:

Fun with Messy Play: Ideas and Activities for Children with Special Needs

Play Out: How to develop your outside space for learning and play

Children's Party Activities: Toss the Marshmallows Game for Kids

 

Marshmallow Toss Game: Easy, Budget-friendly Birthday Party Game for Kids

BIRTHDAY ON A BUDGET

Get back to the basics with Marshmallows, always fun for kids and perfect for children's party activities!  We have lots of marshmallow activities for kids. Enjoy!

How to Play Marshmallow Toss Game

Things to do with Marshmallows

What you Need:  Bucket or Large Bowl and a bag of Large Marshmallows 

How to Play:  Divide the party-goers into pairs. The first team up chooses a catcher and a thrower. The catcher stands on one end of the room and holds the bucket or bowl on top of their head and the thrower stands on the other end of the room with the bag of marshmallows. The thrower tries to toss the marshmallows into the bucket. The catcher can move and duck to try to catch them, as long as they do not move their feet and they must remain standing. Each team takes a turn to see which team can catch the most!

Recommended Reading:

Owen's Marshmallow Chick

Sensory Marshmallow Game

Turkey Marshmallows? Don't try this one at home: Messy Edible Thanksgiving Craft super fun for kids

Marshmallow Turkey Place Setting fun Favor for Kids to Make

I thought about not posting our failed attempt at Turkey Marshmallows, but it was so much fun for kids; I kept trying hoping for a perfect one. Then, I thought about the difficulty we had and decided more than likely it will happen to you too. We all struggle with perfection. If you want to have some fun with your kids, try this! If you want to make a beautiful, impressive, Thanksgiving table setting... Don't!

Messy Marshmallow Turkey Craft.

Marshmallow Turkey: Edible Craft for Thanksgiving.

I tried with fresh marshmallows. Then with frozen marshmallows to buy some more time.  The kids loved it!   They loved getting messy, they loved eating the mistakes - but it never seemed to work.  I know, I said it's all good and it was good... just somewhat disappointing. You've seen those cute snowman marshmallow party favors or table decorations?

I thought , that looks simple so why not try it with a turkey theme.

Well, here's why not:

First, we stuck toothpicks through the marshmallows for added stability - maybe not the best idea for little ones who like to grab the marshmallows and eat them.

So, then we tried to "glue' them together with chocolate icing.

Marshmallow and Toothpick Turkey.



They looked cute for about two second but the weight of the DOT candies we used for "turkey feathers" caused our turkeys to topple! Every time we tried something new, the marshmallows got gooey and goo-ier.

This part attracted my 4 year old, son who previously had no interest in the project, "Hey, I want to make one! Can I eat your broken one?" "Sure, why not?" Well, his actually stayed standing a little longer...

Thanksgiving Turkey Marshmallow activity 

for your holiday place setting: Jake's (4 yrs.)

I think it's because he has a shorter attention span and wasn't into decorating like the girls were, so the marshmallows didn't melt as quickly. Also, he used plain toothpicks for tail-feathers. 

What you will need to make the attempt:

• Marshmallows - they make chocolate ones that are conceptually great for a Turkey - but stickier than the good, old white variety.
• Icing white or chocolate for "Glue".
• Toothpicks.
• Candies for the tail-feathers - we tried "Dots" and "Milk Duds" but something lighter would work better. Any ideas? I am thinking chocolate chips or mini marshmallows.
• "M and M's", "Red Hots", Chocolate Chips, or Necklace candy for facial features.
• Plastic knife or spoon to spread icing.
• Lots of baby wipes to clean sticky hands.

Good idea, messy results.

Make Turkey Peanut Butter Balls Instead!

Recommended Reading:

Marshmallow Snowman Cupcakes 

Turkey Trouble*






ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Sensory Game for Children with Marshmallows: Fun for Kids!

Marshmallow Sensory Game for Kids

Need a few minutes of peace and quiet, Marshmallows are fun game for kids and this SENSORY game for children is the perfect fix. Kids can't talk with the straws in their mouths!  Everyone is intent on winning and they all loved it! Looking for more marshmallow activities for kids? In the sidebar, enter marshmallow(s) for a list of our posts with Things to do with Marshmallows. Enjoy!

Fold the straw in half and use it like chopsticks 
to pick up the marshmallows. This way is easier for preschoolers.

 Sign up for our free newsletter

Marshmallows make great sensory games for children.

How to play Sensory Marshmallow Game

• Open up a bag of mini-marshmallows and spread them in the center of a cloth covered table. Give every kid a cup and a straw. (The teenage counselors liked it too.)

• Start with a stop-watch to increase the excitement. Let the Marshmallow Games begin!  Ready, Set, Go!  It is a race to see who can suck up the most marshmallows and place them in their cup.  No hands allowed. Suck and hold until you drop into the cup.

• I quickly realized no stop-watch was needed and let them play until all marshmallows were gone. We counted who had the most.  The winner got stickers and candy and everyone else got to eat the marshmallows!

Aren't marshmallows fun?

For another sensory element, poke marshmallows with straw.
Then, try to pick up and place into the cup before they fall off.

Recommended Reading:

The Marshmallow Incident

Fun with Marshmallows

Marshmallow Math; Early Math For Young Children

Owen's Marshmallow Chick by Kevin Henke

Turkey Marshmallows

Gingerbread Man Marshmallow Activity for Kids fun for Preschool

This cute gingerbread man is one of our many  marshmallow activities for kids

Marshmallows- an inexpensive, yummy way to make fun projects for kids and create eatable art. Search in the browse us bar in the sidebar for more ideas for preschool and sensory play. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*