The Icky Sticky Way of Learning

I love to incorporate sensory play into learning, even with my own children.  When I taught a multiple disabilities support class I loved to incorporate sensory play as a daily part of the day.  I loved combining science into the sensory play.   Studying different textures, solids vs liquids, etc lends itself to a great deal of sensory activities.  When I taught students at higher levels I found that they still loved sensory play but that I could explore deeper into Scientific lessons or other topics.

Playing with slime

Slime is an awesome way to talk about solids and liquids, sticky, soft, etc.  You can even incorporate lessons on color.  The ingredients are fairly simple- equal parts school glue and liquid starch.  Pinterest is an awesome resource for different slime recipes.  I found that I needed more liquid starch then suggested.  Please keep in mind that this is not an edible recipe!  At the right texture, this is even great for cutting practice.

Gooblek is another fun sensory play.  It is simply equal parts cornstarch and water.  This substance is fascinating.  It may appear completly liquid in the container but when you squeeze it, it turns solid.

Shaving Cream, Mashed potatoes, or Whipped Cream- This is an awesome way to practice writing, paint colors into, or simply have fun running your hands through it!

Soap Foam- I was ecstatic when I discovered this one day.  I thought that I really invented it, then I found pinterest and discovered that it had been done before.  You start with about 4 parts dish soap for 1 part water and you use a hand mixer to combine them.  Mix until a nice thick foam is created.  During play if the substance starts to liquify, simply mix some more and it replenishes the foam- good clean fun!!!

Ivory Soap bar experiment- my students love to play with the end result of the experiment!


Cooked Spaghetti Noodles, Jelly, Jello, Soap, Pudding, Water, hair gel, salt.. the ideas are limitless!  Use your imagination.

Sensory play of course does not have to be messy either.  Hide things in rice, have fun with beans, put the messy substances in ziploc baggies for those kiddos that just can't touch them.  Remember to have plenty of utensils on hand for those kiddos too!!  I have found that eventually even my trickiest sensory aversive students start to explore materials closer and closer.

Adding in sensory play to early learning concepts such as writing your name is often fun.  Write your name at a center in salt, then write your name at a center in shaving cream, then write your name at another center in paint, then make your name at another center by gluing beans on a name card.