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As Shark Week is wrapping up, I’m excited to share some of the “jaw-some” fun that my little adventurers had with sensory activities centered around some of these magnificent creatures. Try them out with your explorers at home!
1. Chia Seed Slime
I had intended on this being a shark habitat, but my kids were more interested in squishing and squeezing, which was just fine! When chia seeds are mixed with water it makes this fun slimy consistency, perfect for play!
To make your own Chia Seed Slime you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 2 cups water
- Food coloring (optional)
Mix ingredients in a bowl, then stick it in the fridge overnight!
I don’t allow slime in our house, I am not a fan of the ingredients and honestly, it grosses me out, but I have no problem with Chia Seed Slime!
Add in your sharks, rocks, fish, and whatever else you want, to turn it into a fun world.
It can get messy. I suggest trying to do it outside or with old clothing, you don’t care about.
2. Sensory Bags
There are so many possibilities for these! They are also fantastic for the littlest ones who may still mouth objects they shouldn’t or you’re not quite ready for messy sensory play.
I like to use gallon-sized Ziplock bags and wipe off the logo with some rubbing alcohol. Then you can use so many options for your base: water, hair gel, oil and water, shaving cream, paint, pom-poms, or even chia seed slime.
For my shark-themed sensory bags, I drew a shark with its mouth open. In one bag I added water and little pom-poms and in the second one, I added hair gel and pony beads. Then we used our fingers to push the objects into the open shark mouth to ‘feed the shark’.
Use duct tape to seal around the edges and top to keep everything inside. You could tape them to the ground, a wall, a window, or a highchair or table.
To add another layer of learning I added different colored pom-poms so I could identify colors with my youngest as he worked on moving them around the bag.
Head over to Wonder Explorers Sensory Co LLC on Facebook to see a video of the bags in action.
3. Ice Excavation
We hit some 100-degree days so I decided to freeze some plastic shark figurines and some small colorful plastic sea figurines in a large bin. Handed my kids a small wooden hammer, a bowl of warm water, and some scoops and let them at it.
All three of my kiddos were all in with this activity, my oldest is almost nine and my youngest is almost two. It’s great for fine motor skills but the fun of breaking out the sharks adds in a bit of excitement. Having all three of them together playing also created opportunities for turn-taking and cooperation.
4. Cardboard Box Coin Drop
This one can be easily made with objects found around your home! I used a small 4x4x4 box I had and some 2-inch wooden discs, but you could easily make it using cardboard or laminated paper.
I drew a shark on the top part of the box, cut a slit in his mouth large enough so I could slide the wooden discs into it, and then cut an opening in the back to easily shake out the discs when done.
I used these beautiful watercolor shark clip art from Creative Fabrica and printed them on printable vinyl sticker paper then cut them out with the use of my Cricut Explore Air 2.
My youngest loved this activity! It is a great fine motor activity and teaches about object permanence – knowing that an object still exists, even if it is hidden – as the coins drop into the box.
5. I-Spy Sensory Jar
For this activity, I used rice, a plastic bottle, and a variety of small shark-themed objects. I chose to add a small shark, a plastic pearl, some fish, a starfish, a sea turtle, and a pirate coin.
Seal the jar tightly (you could even glue it shut) and allow your children to shake or twist it, looking for the hidden treasure amidst the rice.
The rice I used came from my Mermaid Magic Mini Sensory Bin as well as some of the smaller items. It is a fantastic use of using sensory play materials in other ways!
Create these thrilling Shark Week sensory activities at home and allow your children to embark on fun underwater adventures and explore the wonders of the ocean while developing essential sensory and motor skills along the way.
Happy Shark Week, adventurers!