Sensory GardensLil sprouts in the park was so much fun! Thanks to all who made it out for our first event. It will definitely be just one of many more to come. The lil sprouts came ready to learn and have fun. They learned a little about vegetables and where they grow. Then they painted a tomato (which we all know is actually a fruit), and two varieties of carrots an orange one and a purple one. The lil sprouts thought it was pretty neat to see a purple carrot. They used their magnifying glasses to get a closer look. They pointed out the stems and examined the carrots very closely. While their vegetables were drying each lil sprout made their very own sensory garden they counted out their scoops of rainbow rice and added a gardening tool, a seed pack shaker and their painted veggies. Sensory bins are a great way for children to explore new concepts through play.
The art of Carrots
Our lil sprouts took their painting skills to new heights with a little finger painting. You should have seen the giggles and smiles as their messy little hands played in the paint.
Our lil sprouts practiced their math skills with some adorable little bunnies. Each lil sprout counted out 20 cottonballs for their bunny. They counted as they placed each one onto their bunny. This is a great sensory activity to help reinforce counting skills at home. For quick practice take the bunny out and have your lil sprout count them over and over, touching each one as they go making that relation with one to one correspondence a skill they will definitely need as they begin school. We also had our lil sprouts fill up a carrot for their counting practice with jelly beans (10) reviewing their counting skills and even introducing subtraction as they start to crave those sweet little jelly beans.....I'm pretty sure my lil sprout would like to start with 10 - 10 = 0....yum!!!!!
A Scientific Snack
We ended our activity day with a fun dessert. The kids made a dirt cup, complete with worms, grass and of course a carrot patch.
They stirred in their mud layer ( pudding) and then added a few wiggly worms, next they added some top soil ( crumbled chocolate cake) and then added a few sprouts of grass ( edible Easter grass), last they added some mini carrots to their cup for an irresistibly fun scientific snack.
As it was time to say goodbye and our little sprouts hopped away, they each got a treat to take home. A tiny little pot with a few little seeds. Just for their lil hands to take care of and watch as it grows.
Hopefully we planted a seed of creativity and curiosity in our lil sprouts.
We hope that you will join us at the
next Lil Sprouts event!