Tubs and Trays!

My February sensory bin is almost ready to go. I dyed some rice pink and it's still drying, but other than that, it's good to go!

There are all sorts of objects that are interesting to the eyes and to the touch inside the tub - smooth lima beans, satiny ribbon, prickly hair rollers, fluffy pom poms, soft flannel, shiny plastic, crinkly paper, sanded wood, glittery letters - all in pink, red, and white for Valentine's Day! Maddie gets to explore the bin tomorrow - I hope she likes it as much as I do!

And our tot trays for this week (just a couple since we're just starting!):

Alphabet beads to string onto pipe cleaners or tipped laces.


Beans to pour between cups - I think she'll love this. She likes putting things inside other things. ;-)

And so Tot School has begun! I'm so excited!

And now, because I know you Grandmas and Grandpas and Aunts and Uncles (and adopted Aunts and Uncles) are dying to know how you can help (ok, maybe you're not dying), we need items to fill our upcoming sensory bins! We're looking for fun items for the upcoming themes: St. Patrick's Day in March, Easter in April, Spring in May, Summer for June, Americana for July, and we need lots of items for continuous alphabet/color/shape/number themes. Also, we need sets of things we can sort by shape, size, color - anything you might have that you no longer need! So if you're cleaning out your cabinets or spot something at the dollar store that has an interesting look or feel, think of Maddie!

And in case you're at a loss for what to get Maddie for her birthday, here are some ideas that will (mostly) help us with Tot School! Maddie's List

Last but not least, if you have any great ideas for tot trays, sensory bins, developing gross and fine motor skills, or anything else, please let me know. This is all very different from teaching middle school!