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!

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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

Try These 9 New Year Activities for Kids: Games for a Night of Family Fun

Here are 9 fun New Year Activities for Kids for a night of family fun and games! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Are you staying home with the kids? Looking for fun games and activities to play on New Year's Eve? Try these 9 ideas to celebrate and have a great party with kids. Enjoy!

New Year's Activities for Kids.

• Marshmallows and Straws
• Monsters, Wizards, and Elves in a Rec Room
• Balloon Drop Pop and Printable
• New Year Rocket Popper
• Whip Cream and Gummi Worms Party Game
• Midnight Care Package or Fortune Gifts
• New Year's Noisemakers
• Chinese New Year Dragon Template Printable Stencil
• New Year's Day Bagel Breakfast Sparkler

Recommended Reading:

Holiday Games and Recipes for Get-Togethers*

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! :)

Art: How to Build a Gingerbread House from Cardboard Holiday Recipe Homeschool Art Lesson

How to make a cardboard gingerbread house and frosting paste

This Homeschool ART journey included a trip to the library where we learned how to make a cardboard gingerbread house that looks like the real thing with ginger/cinnamon paste recipe, and how to make royal icing gingerbread house paste. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*

Kitchen Kids: Peanut Butter Turkeys Recipe (Peanut Butter Balls)

Edible Turkeys: Peanut Butter Ball Recipe

Make these cute turkeys, the perfect sensory play cooking activity to do with kids. The easy peanut butter ball recipe tastes like peanut butter fudge. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Carrot Cars

Peanut Butter Balls Recipe.

Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Recipe How To

You need:

1 C.  Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2   C. Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4   C. Confectioner's Sugar
1      Bag Candy Corn
1/4   C. Peanuts
1/4   C. Chocolate Chips

More Peanut Butter Recipes

How to Make Peanut Butter Balls:

In a large bowl, blend together peanut butter, condensed milk, and confectioner's sugar. Then knead with hands to soften.

Divide into small pieces. Roll into 1" balls.

Optional: Roll ball into crushed peanuts or powdered sugar.

Chill for 20 minutes before decorating and keep chilled while working.

Add 3 Pieces of candy corn point down to make Turkey's feathers.

Add 2 Chocolate Chips for eyes. Add 1 Peanut for beak.

Make ahead and freeze.

Warning: These are addictive- so good!

Happy Turkey Day!

You might also like Turkey Songs for your Preschool Class.

Peanut Butter Ball Turkeys with Candy Corn. 
Tastes like Peanut Butter Fudge.

Thanksgiving Sensory Ideas

Recommended Reading:

Turkey Marshmallows

Mayflower Sandwich Ships

Gluten-Free Recipes for Kids: Fun Eats from Breakfast to Treats*

Edible Christmas Crafts

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! :)

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

8 Easy Snowman Crafts fun for Kids they make perfect winter preschool activities

I love Snowman Crafts, what could be more fun for kids?

Snowmen make perfect winter preschool activities with their simple shape structure. There are so many fun Pinterest Winter Snowman Crafts and Activities for Preschool. I've been collecting snowmen over on Pinterest. Here's a list of my favorite winter snowmen crafts for you. Enjoy!

1. From The Educator's Spin On It Snowman Candy Bars

Great Teacher Gift.

2.  From Hands on as We Grow  Magnetic Snowman for Fridge

Magnetic Foamies make a happy Snowman.

3.  From Free and Fun Christmas Doughnut Snowmen

Powdered Doughnut Snowmen.

We made these in our program, one to eat, and a kit to give as a gift in holiday baggies.

4. From The Iowa Farmer's Wife  Snowman Lunch

5.  From Easy Preschool Crafts for Kids Snowman Paper Bag

Happy Snowman.



6.  From It's Gravy Baby Marshmallow Snowman for Preschoolers

Mini-Marshmallow Snow Friend.

7. From Kids Creative Chaos Peanut Snowman Pin or Magnet

8. From TLC Paper Plate Snowman Spiral

Okay 9... I found another.

From The Craft Room

Needlepoint snowmen.

Recommended Reading:

Sneezy the Snowman*

Little Snowman: Finger Puppet Book *

Snowball Soup by Mercer Mayer*









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! :)

More fun things to do with Marshmallows Activities

Fun Games to Play with Marshmallows for Quiet Time

Here are three children's activities using Marshmallows that are oh so fun for children. Marshmallows are a quick way to steal a few second of quiet time. Kids love them with all their puffy squishy goodness they are fantastic for sensory play. Want to add an element of Messy Play? Just add water or edible paint and make marshmallow prints. 

Marshmallows are the perfect companion for kids quiet time.

Recommended Reading:

Marshmallow Fun for Advent

Gingerbread Marshmallow Man

Marshmallow Game

Marshmallow Mystery (Candy Fairies)

Easy Preschool Snowman in a Jar Preschool Activity with Cotton Balls

Snowman in a Jar is the Perfect, Easy Preschool Activity for Winter 

This post contains affiliate links.

This easy kids snowman activity gem, an adorable snowman in a jar, was designed by my 5 yr. old. It is perfect for developing preschool fine motor skills. 

The little hands stuff the cotton balls or marshmallows (we used fiber fill) into the jar and then carefully add in his facial features. 

Sure, you can draw the face on the outside, but little hands will develop more skills if they work to find the perfect placement of that carrot nose. It's a great sensory play activity too. You might also DIY Sensory Snow for play-based learning.  

This is my all time favorite snowman preschool activity.

You Will Need:

Fiberfill, cotton balls, marshmallows, or popcorn

Candy canes and peppermints

Buttons, Pom-poms

Scrap construction paper, felt, or foam pieces

Permanent Marker

Stuff a jar full with popcorn, marshmallows, cotton balls, or fiber fill. Have kids squeeze in cut-out shapes for eyes, nose, and buttons. The kids can also do the mouth inside, but it is more fun and gives a 3D effect if you draw it on the jar with a permanent marker. Glue a pom-pom to the top or tie on a scarf.  Voila!

Recommended Reading:

Olaf Story

The Snowman

Snowman Activities for Toddlers


Pin it!

Gingerbread House: What's outside the window? Penguin and Snowman Peanuts, Popcorn, and Marshmallow Edible Holiday Craft Snack fo Kids

How to make a fun Gingerbread House with Marshmallows and Popcorn and Cute Penguins and Snowmen

Mayhem and I had a yummy, crafty time making this edible Christmas scene with candy cane sleighs and peanut snowmen and penguins. Enjoy!

Marshmallow and popcorn Christmas snow scene.

Candy cane sleigh with holiday characters including
peanut penguin and gingerbread marshmallow man.

 Materials:

  Halloween candy

  Christmas candy

  Popcorn

  Marshmallow shapes

  Unsalted peanuts

  Waffle cones

  Ice cream cones

  Icing

  Edible Glue

  Gel food coloring

Popcorn snow scene.

I made peanut snowmen magnets/pins a few years ago. This prompted me to come up with an edible version for the holiday.  These snowman peanuts are coated with our edible glue, the eyes are Wilton's icing coloring.

How to make a cool Gingerbread house scene.

We glued a cheerio on the bottom of the penguin and snowman to serve as a base. The penguin's hat base is also a cheerio, but the snowman sports a circle cut from Fruit Stripe gum.  The noses are made by dipping a toothpick into gel food-coloring.  Use a pair of scissors to cut the top hat and scarf from gum.

The sleigh is made from two candy canes glued together with icing.  The base is a leftover Almond Joy from Halloween with a big, round gum drop as the back of the seat.  Santa's bag is made from the base of an ice cream cone and filled with jelly beans.  The little mouse atop the sleigh is just a peanut sitting sideways. Did you see that little gingerbread man and those Christmas tree reindeer?  Those are store bought mini-marshmallow shapes.


Recommended Reading:

Best Christmas Party Ever

Bear Stays Up for Christmas Book*






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! :)

Easy Edible Craft Sugar Color your Marshmallows

How do you Sugar Color Marshmallows?

We love all things marshmallows, and we're always searching for things to do with marshmallows. When we saw these sugar colored marshmallows on "A Nut in a Nutshell.com" we had to try them! The marshmallows are colored with cookie sugars. What do you think? These would be great for building a colorful, gingerbread house or fun, marshmallow flowers.

DIY Colored Marshmallows from A Nut in a Nutshell blog.

Recommended Reading:

Kids Creative Chaos Cooks (Kitchen Kids Book 1)

Marshmallow Math; Early Math For Young Children

13 Easy Eatable Edible Christmas Craft Activities for Kids

Fun, Easy, Eatable, Edible, Christmas Art and Craft Activities for Kids

We love any kind of eatable, edible art. It's the best after school snack activity for kids. You get to make it, have fun, and eat it too! These 13 easy, seasonal, holiday snack craft activities for Christmas are sure to get your kids in a happy mood. Enjoy!

This post contains Affiliate Links.

13 Easy Eatable Edible Christmas Craft Activities for Kids.

• From Disney Family Fun, these edible sugar plum gum drop penguins are perfect for the scene around your gingerbread house.

Candy Gum Drop Penguins = Edible Art.

• From Family Fun Crafts edible candy cane reindeer are fun to make and fun to eat too. The heads are made from chocolate covered marshmallows.

Reindeer Marshmallow Pops = Things to do with marshmallows.

• Busy Bee's Marshmallow Snowman Sippers are simple to make. Just slide the marshmallows over a straw and decorate with black icing.

Marshmallow Snowman Sippers.

• Edible Crafts shared these adorable and easy to make powdered doughnut snowmen. In our after school program, we used candy corn for the noses and candy dots for the facial features.

Powdered Doughnut Snowman = Edible Craft.

• Edible Stained Glass Ornaments from Kaboose  (no longer exists) are delicious to eat and double as cool Christmas tree decorations. Click the link to go to our recipe for stained glass cookies!

Stained Glass Cookie Ornaments.

• We found these edible cinnamon cookie ornaments at Completely Delicious. There are also non-edible versions which smell wonderful and last for years. Just don't eat them!

• Christmas Yule Log Roll is the perfect Christmas Eve dessert. Make some hot cocoa, start a fire, and slice up your Yule Log Chocolate Cake! We've got the recipe!

How to make an edible Christmas Yule Log Roll Cake.

Edible Cinnamon Scented Cookie Ornament.

• Make an edible sleigh from candy canes like this one from One Hundred Dollars a Month. Keep scrolling to see our similar version with edible passengers!

Edible sleigh from candy canes from One Hundered Dollars a Month.

Make a Cardboard Gingerbread House.

• Waffle Cone Christmas Trees are perfect for landscaping outside your Gingerbread house. Covered in green icing and fun candy, they are also delicious! We found these at She Knows.

Waffle Cone Christmas Trees from She Knows.

• These sugared marshmallow snowmen are also from She Knows. Candy Rollos make cute little hats!

Sugared Marshmallow Snowman from She Knows.

• This snowman in a jar is one of our all time most popular posts. This one is filled with fiber fill, but you can fill it with mini-marshmallows, chocolate candy, and candy corn to make an easy, edible craft for preschoolers.

Snowman in a jar: We filled this with cotton batting, 
but you could use popcorn, marshmallows, or vanilla fudge.

• Stick a small candy cane through the edible marshmallow gingerbread man seen below, and hang him on the Christmas Tree.

Edible Chocolate Marshmallow Gingerbread Man.

• Pop some popcorn, add some waffle cone Christmas trees, a candy cane sleigh, peanut marshmallow snowmen and penguins, and you have the outdoor area at your Gingerbread Land.

The scene outside a Gingerbread House.

• This little peanut is a snowman. To make an edible version, paint with white icing and decorate with gel icing.

This Peanut Marshmallow is a Lapel Pin, but you can 
make and edible version for your Candy Cane Sleigh.

Recommended Reading:

Get Edible Holiday Snack Crafts and Games on Amazon.

Turkey Peanut Butter Balls

More Things to do with Marshmallows from Amazon.

Book: Christmas Made Easy: Recipes, Tips and Edible Gifts for a Stress-Free Holiday

Mayflower Cream Cheese Boats