One of the things that I have been trying to do is make sure that the girls are having a variety of experiences - some at home on our own, some out at playdates with friends, and some "on location" (zoo, SeaWorld, etc.).
A couple of weeks ago, on a day when it was just Lexi and I, we mixed water and cornstarch and played in that for a while. I eventually added the fun of shaving cream, squirted directly on our hands, as an added sensory experience. Maddie was pretty jealous after hearing about it and has been asking for it ever since. Today I finally got the products back out again and we had fun with it. They both loved it. LOVED IT. It's funny how something so simple can be such fun for them. All I did was put about 1/2 inch or so of warm water in a 9x13 pan and added a bit of cornstarch (I didn't measure, but I'd guess it was about 2 tablespoons or less). Mix that up with your hands (together with the kids). I do suggest using something as a drop-cloth (or doing this outside). The first time, I didn't, and Lexi and I had quite a mess to clean up. Kids this age are all about sensory experiences, so just experiment with different products to make some opportunities for cheap fun at home. I took it a step further with Maddie and she and I talked about the experience. What does the mixture look like, what does it feel like, what does is smell like, etc. It kept her interested in it a bit longer. Here is a link to some sensory play activities:
http://www.learning4kids.net/list-of-sensory-play-ideas/
I'm toying with the idea of having a "tech-free" day each week with the kids. I think a key to this will be planning ahead. As it currently stands, we don't spend a ton of time watching TV or using other technology, but it is a crutch I use when Lexi is napping and I want Maddie to be quiet while I get other things done. Once implemented, it will definitely be a blog post. I would love to hear feedback from those who don't use tech as a crutch and already have tech free days.
A couple of weeks ago, on a day when it was just Lexi and I, we mixed water and cornstarch and played in that for a while. I eventually added the fun of shaving cream, squirted directly on our hands, as an added sensory experience. Maddie was pretty jealous after hearing about it and has been asking for it ever since. Today I finally got the products back out again and we had fun with it. They both loved it. LOVED IT. It's funny how something so simple can be such fun for them. All I did was put about 1/2 inch or so of warm water in a 9x13 pan and added a bit of cornstarch (I didn't measure, but I'd guess it was about 2 tablespoons or less). Mix that up with your hands (together with the kids). I do suggest using something as a drop-cloth (or doing this outside). The first time, I didn't, and Lexi and I had quite a mess to clean up. Kids this age are all about sensory experiences, so just experiment with different products to make some opportunities for cheap fun at home. I took it a step further with Maddie and she and I talked about the experience. What does the mixture look like, what does it feel like, what does is smell like, etc. It kept her interested in it a bit longer. Here is a link to some sensory play activities:
http://www.learning4kids.net/list-of-sensory-play-ideas/
I'm toying with the idea of having a "tech-free" day each week with the kids. I think a key to this will be planning ahead. As it currently stands, we don't spend a ton of time watching TV or using other technology, but it is a crutch I use when Lexi is napping and I want Maddie to be quiet while I get other things done. Once implemented, it will definitely be a blog post. I would love to hear feedback from those who don't use tech as a crutch and already have tech free days.