…smart!
Yes, it is very true when you are two. This is a common activity that is all over the preschool world. I am posting about it because it is one of my toddlers favorites.
It is the bean box.
When I take this simple box of beans into a home, children cry when I have to leave. I am not exaggerating. They love it and parents think that it is a doable. They usually say, “We’ve got some beans. We’ll make a box!”
All you need is: a box for the beans, a large bag of beans, utensils to scoop, measuring cups or containers, and a vinyl table cloth is nice to help keep everything contained for clean up.
Why is this activity important?
This activity provides an opportunity for sensory integration. It engages a variety of senses in learning, such as touch, hearing, vision, and smell. Hopefully, we won’t taste this one!
Fine motor development – As children pour, scoop, and manipulate utensils it improves eye hand coordination and control.
Language development – As you play with your child, engage in parallel talk: talk about what she is doing, what she sees, and hears. Children can learn prepositions such as in, on, under, and over. They can learn verbs such as scooping, pouring, filling, dumping, and etc.
Pre-academics – It gives them the opportunity to explore and experiment with the beans. They can learn measuring, cause and effect, empty/full and in/out. You can count beans and scoops of beans.
These are just a few of the basic concepts that children can learn through a sensory box.
Other options -You can use a multitude of items in a sensory box. For example, you can use rice, corn meal, sand, flour, dirt, sunflower seeds, corn, shredded paper,and the list can go on and on.
Safety – We present a bean box at 23 months, however; if your child puts small objects into her mouth and other various orifices this activity is not for her. Please use your good judgment. Be safe, provide supervision.
Have fun together!
