Sensory: Frozen Jello

One of my goals for this summer is to provide sensory play activity for my kiddos.  My eldest, 10 years old, still gets very excited with this...and it's just plain good for my other two.  :-)

Yesterday's sensory experience was from The Imagination Tree.  What an awesome blog by the way!  So many great ideas!  

T.'s turn this time to "have the show".  Made him a happy camper!

Adding a little fine motor component and had him cut the tops off the Jello bags before dumping.  

 C. observing and wishing it was him.  He likes anything that involves making food.  :-)

We used whatever Jello was on hand...so we had a package of blackberry fusion, a package of berry blue and two packages of grape.  Yes, C. wanted to try it.  Ha!  It tasted like grape.  We let it sit on the counter over night but I think next time I'll go ahead and put it in the fridge so it's a bit firmer when we stick it in the freezer.

Jello is frozen!

"It's cold!  It's heavy!"

 Getting started...first problem...how do we get it out of the bag?

 I decided it was just easier to bring out the dramatic play tool set for their initial play.  Plastic tools don't work the greatest but they seemed content. 

Water bottles do make the defrosting to happen more quickly.

Impressed that C. thought of something before he did.  :-)  Clamps!

  

 Working together to thaw/smash the last large chunk.

I was hoping it would get to the point that it did in Imagination Tree's...where it would turn into an actual jello texture.  However, my kiddos were enjoying the water a bit too much for that to happen.  :-)  I took the youngest in for a nap and by the time I came back out they had it completely watered down.  

Their consensus was, yes, let's do it again!  But we each want our own.  :-)  So, that's quite a bit of jello!  We'll be looking for a jello sale!
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There are a couple days in the week that are rather full so those days we do "easy for mom" sensory play.   

Yep, easy...dump the playdough toy container in the middle of the table so all can reach.  :-)  

Actually, only one child did playdough, another did flubber and the other worked with Incredible Foam.  I find that having three different materials to work with encourages them to explore longer because they'll "switch" in the middle.  ;-)  

Enjoying our summer...hope you are too!