We love our Treasure Tray activities (see our first one and our Christmas themed one) and this weekend I decided it was time for an Easter Themed tray. We were kindly sent a lot of lovely Easter craft materials from Baker Ross, so I knew that our now bumper craft supplies would be perfect for this activity. This is what we did:
We spread the shredded paper over the bottom of the tray and then added coloured feathers, large pipe cleaners, mini nests, sponge shapes and plastic fillable eggs. I wanted the tray to be colourful and busy, and a sensory experience for the eyes first and foremost.
We filled each of the eggs with different objects: some were filled with feathers, some with the paper, some with salt dough beads, some with salt dough stars and some with submersible lights. I wanted each egg to be a surprise when The Toddler opened them.
The Toddler loved opening the eggs and quickly found the most enjoyable activity to be filling them up again! She practised her fine motor skills by picking up the beads and carefully collecting them inside the egg shells, counting as she went: “One, Two, Tee, Two…” She also loved hiding the stars under the shredded paper and finding them again, exclaiming: “Star! Look, Mummy! I found a star!” Her vocabulary during this activity was wonderful! She also enjoyed hiding the lights under the shredded paper and then trying to blow them out!
The lights were a favourite of The Preschooler too. He loved holding the eggs in his hands and insisted they were magic. Then he carefully cracked the eggs, making ‘magic soup’!
The Toddler found the Treasure Tray to be a lovely, gentle sensory experience. She loved poking her feet into the paper shreds and feeling it under her fingers too. The feathers made her giggle as she picked them up and brushed them over her toes. She explored the sponges by pressing them with her fingers and even used them to wash her face!
We also took the opportunity to practise some colour matching. I asked The Preschooler to collect as many yellow and green items as he could, and make separate piles for them. After a moment or two The Toddler joined in! We practised saying the colour names, then we went through other items on the tray, naming their colours and comparing them to our coloured piles. I can’t be sure, but I think that The Toddler understood a lot more than she let on! The Preschooler matched beads to pipe cleaners and practised his fine motor skills too, by threading them.
It wasn’t long before The Preschooler discovered he could manipulate the pipe cleaners to make shapes and patterns, and then numbers. He spent absolutely ages on this self imposed tasks, making a number line to ten and lots of different shapes too. I then showed him how to make words with his pipe cleaners. I made the word ‘mum’, which he read aloud easily. I then made the word ‘top’, which again he read easily. He then re-arranged the letters to make the word ‘pot’! Clever boy!
Another wonderful sensory learning experience for The Toddler and The Preschooler- and so easy to set up too. Do let me know if you try this one!
Oooh great ideas. We have a tonne of colourful pipe cleaners. I’m going to do the numbers thing!
Notmyyearoff recently posted..The Rules According To A 3 Year Old
That was all Luka’s work and I was so proud of him! They’re great for this kind of activity
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I love the lights! This tray looks so much fun. That’s it, I need a tuff spot – off to order one now…
The Reading Residence recently posted..Indoor Den-Building in 5 Easy Steps
The lights are awesome! And SO glad you have a tuff spot now! Yay!
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These are fantastic. I really need to learn how to do all this creative messy play stuff from you. Where do you get all the supplies??? I think we own crayons and coloring books that’s it. Sad but true. I need to stock pile a few things.
Lovely post and a lot of fun here. #letkidsbekids
Jenny recently posted..Easter bunny hats & no messy play
Haha the stuff for this activity was sent to us but mainly stuff has accumulated over the years!
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Looks fun and I love the egg with lights too! #leykidsbekids
Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk) recently posted..Glass Drawings
Yes, they were a great hit. We used them in the bath too- very effective!
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Great idea, I have most of the these things in my craft drawers
I haven’t set the tuff spot up for awhile, must do it! #LetKidsBeKids
Sara (@mumturnedmom) recently posted..Me and: Running
Yes, set it up! This was great fun!
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Another fab activity. I love how the treasure tray had so many opportunities for play and especially how your preschooler came up with his own.
Claire recently posted..Baby’s very first big play book – what we’re reading
He is getting really great at doing that. So lovely to see!
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This is so creative – what a fab idea to use pipe cleaners to help with learning numbers and letters. Definitely one to try with the 3yo. Thanks
Helen at Casa Costello recently posted..Caramel Coconut Creation – Bake of the Week
Ah that was all Luka’s idea- he’s a very clever boy!
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Another great activity. You are so creative! Mel
Mel recently posted..Making Easter cards
Thank you, we did enjoy this one
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Ooh – such great ideas. I love the light in the eggs and the pipe cleaner letters are just brilliant!
Katie Clark recently posted..Book Power! The Magic Of Story
The pipe cleaners were a huge hit! Its funny what they choose to play with
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What a fantastic sensory learning and fun activity. Great that its easter themed. The lights in the egg look fab.
Thanks for linking #LetKidsBeKids
Thank you, we had great fun
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another fab activity! can I ask where you order you tuff spot trays? xx thanks hun x
Christina recently posted..Support in coping with colic
This one was from Ebay but you can also get them from Amazon, B&Q or Wilkos
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I love the way you incorporate all areas of learning – maths, literacy, creative play, physical. Brilliant activity and current!
Looks fun and what a great idea with the pipe cleaners. We just got a giant jar of goodies.. I think I might actually be able to do this!
Erin recently posted..10 Family Events for the Weekend – April 12 & 13
you have such fabulous ideas!
Becky Willoughby (@LakesSingleMum) recently posted..#CountryKids at Damson Day
Aaaaw so cute! What a fab idea!!!
Rahul recently posted..Country Living
Thank you!
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This is wonderful and something we could easily recreate here too! We recently went on an Easter Egg Hunt round an RHS garden in Harrogate which Oliver loved, really enjoying all these Easter themed activities x
Honest Mum recently posted..What Matters Most? Enter John Lewis’ Fab Drawing Competition
Oh I love Easter! Its so simple and has none of the stresses of present buying etc. Lovely!
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Great activity! This looks so much fun. I love things like this that have so much open ended potential for them to guide them own play and learning
Anna recently posted..Let’s Have an Adventure: Castle Acre Priory
It always make me smile to see where they take the play
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Love this tray, it has so many possibilities! I’m going to pin this too.
Tarana recently posted..Things I wish I’d known as a new mom
Yes, we got so much out of this activity and I’m sure if we did it again Luka would find more!
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