Incorporating Sensory into the Preschool Classroom . . . Sensory Tables & Bins of all Sizes

The Sensory System

Sensory-integrative techniques take into account all of a child's senses, with techniques aimed at optimizing a child’s ability to make use of the sensory information.  Most kids are active and will need gross motor activities incorporated into the daily routine.  Some children need a variety of sensory strategies incorporated into the daily routine to stay regulated and calm during a structured class day.  These next few posts will highlight common strategies used in the classroom and how you might use them.

• Visual System- Sight
• Vestibular System- The vestibular system registers the position of one’s body in relation to gravity and lets you know if it’s moving or still, or speeding up or slowing down.
• Auditory System- Sounds
• Proprioceptive System-
  This is another “hidden sense” that takes in information from the environment and sends it to the brain. It is registered by receptors located in muscles, tendons, ligaments and surrounding joints.(Think deep pressure, crash pads, etc)
• Tactile System- Touch (eg: Sensory bins)
• Oral System- This system pertains to textures, tastes and temperatures that enter the mouth.
• Olfactory System- Smells . . .

An outdoor sensory table with bubbles and hula hoops

     For this post, I will start with the most common tactile and the one sensory tool that most classrooms naturally include is a sensory table.  I commonly see rice, sand, and water in these tables.  Today I am going to broaden your horizons and provide you with some tips to get all of your kiddos engaged in sensory table fun.

    Most teacher's have heard of the common items for sensory table: rice, sand, water.  Let's start with a list of items you can put in the sensory table; this is the question I get most frequently.

 ** For older children who do not mouth objects

• Colored water - using liquid watercolor to change the color of the water is best
• Water with liquid soap or bars of soap
• Clean mud (mix 1 roll white toilet paper (shredded), 1 bar grated Dove soap (use a cheese grater), and warm water (make the water warm enough to melt the soap), only mix enough water to make it the consistency of thick cool whip. This can be saved in airtight containers for later use
• Snow
• Instasnow- can be purchased on Amazon, Discount School Supply, etc
• Hay
• Soil 
• Homemade silly putty (For a more child safe version, Discount School Supply has a bio putty you can make)  ***
• Acorns***
• Sponges (natural and man made)
• Shells of various sizes
• Leaves, twigs, pine cones
• Easter grass
• Shaving cream - can be colored with liquid watercolor
• Ice cubes or crushed ice, or a large block of ice
• Shredded documents - from a regular or cross-cut shredder
• Birdseed **
• Grain - or pellets used for animal feed
• Fabric samples with varying textures
• Fish tank gravel **
• Make your own moon sand: 4 cups sand + 2 cups cornflour + 1 cup of water
• Packing peanuts
• Cedar chips - check your local pet store (Be mindful of allergies)
• Marbles and cardboard tubes (Not for under three) **
•  Feathers 
• Colored craft pom poms
• Cotton balls
• Strips of bubble wrap - you can buy it, save it from packages, ask parents to save it
• Plastic "jewels"
• Beads and string or Mardi Gras beads **
• Bubble solution (you can make your own) and bubble wands
• Curling ribbon
• Homemade play dough
• Yarn and string
• Confetti
• Hair gel, liquid soap, etc. - Be mindful of allergies - This would be more of a sensory tray activity than a table activity.
• "Oobleck" - equal parts cornstarch and water.  For extra fun, color it brown or gray and add dinosaurs.
• Finger paint
• Homemade slime (For slime recipes, check this out: http://chemistry.about.com/od/letsmakeslime/tp/slimerecipes.htm)
• Magnets and small metal objects, like paper clips**
• Sponges and soapy water
• Stretchy/squishy toy worms/insects
• Poker chips
• Tinsel
• Smell bottles- Tray activity
• Natural clay
• Real or fake flowers
• Crepe paper streamers
• Polymer crystals - they are used to provide water to plants; they absorb it and turn into a gel.  You can purchase them from most craft stores.
• Jingle bells
• Wood scraps and sandpaper
• Papier mache - soak strips of newspaper and put in blender with flour and water
• Doll or pillow stuffing
• Buttons**
• Insides of a cleaned-out pumpkin - or whole gourds/mini pumpkins/decorative corn 

     In addition to the items listed above, Lakeshore Learning and Discount School Supply have also developed some items for the sensory table.  Lakeshore Learnings series of items is pricey, but they say it is washable.  You can find them here:  http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/product/productDet.jsp?productItemID=1%2C689%2C949%2C371%2C927%2C759&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181113&bmUID=1390367360078

    With the exception of the pumpkin, I don't include food items, although you can.   Many preschools have eliminated food in the sensory table.  (Children's allergies are frequently a consideration)  If you have any questions about food items in the sensory table, please feel free to post a comment.

  Now how do I get all the kids in the sensory table?  Some kids are aversive to textures that we put in the sensory table.  To put it simply, to touch the items makes them very uncomfortable.  There are two strategies that you can use to encourage sensory play.  The first is incorporating toys that you know they like.

     This little one really liked cars and bugs, so I included them in my bin.  The second strategy is the use of tools.  In the bin above, I have included a cup.  In this way, the child can scoop and pour with minimal touching.  Over time, with repeated exposure to the material, the little one can become comfortable enough to play with the materials.  Below is a list of tools you can use with sensory materials.

Tools and Accessories

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cooking and serving utensils: Spoons, tongs, mashers, whisks, etc.
• Eye droppers or pipettes
• Turkey basters
• Small lidded containers 
• Nesting cups
• Bowls
• Scoops
• Child sized cups
• Strainers/colanders
• Safety scissors
• Popsicle sticks
• Clothespins
• Dowels
• Cookie cutters
• Small buckets and shovels
• Bubble wands (Or hula hoops if you have a big enough table)
• Funnels
• Waterwheels
• Lengths of plastic pipes and flexible tubing (hardware stores carry different diameters)
• Magnet wands
• Toothbrushes
• Plastic fruits and vegetables  (Use with play doh, putty, etc)
• Toy people, boats and vehicles
• Plastic animals and insects
• Magnifying glasses

    What if you don't have room for a sensory table?  Discount School Supply makes small table sized bins that are pretty easy to store.  You can find them here:  http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=3487&keyword=bins&scategoryid=0&CategorySearch=&Brand=&Price=

     This is one of the bins in action.  I have used it indoors and outdoors.  2-3 kids can use it pretty comfortably.  The bins stack inside of each other when you aren't using them.  But, if you have a small classroom or home daycare, the individual bins (See bean and noodle bin) or tray activities may be the ideal fit for your space.  No matter what size your classroom is, there is a sensory bin to fit your needs.

Next post:  More sensory strategies . . . Tactiles, (continued) proprioceptive, and vestibular

  Disclaimer:  I am not an Occupational Therapist.  I have worked with OT's for 5 years, attended many trainings, and learned many helpful sensory strategies for the classroom.  The strategies I have and will share here are the ones I have used most commonly.