Sensory play is so much fun! It is an easy activity to make with the things you already have lying around your house, occupies your 2 year old for a while, teaches him new words, lets him practice colors and shapes, develops fine motor skills.
I found a great deal of sensory play ideas on Train Up a Child. I took a small square tub and first added some dry chickpeas, black beans and split peas. Then I added some Christmassy items, like non-breakable decorations, ribbons, even some red beads, that fell off a garland back in November when I was decorating the house.
Santino loved digging into the beans with the spoon I gave him, putting everything in a cup. He spilled a bunch of beans on the floor, but I pointed out to him that the beans need to stay in the bin. He picked up a lot one by one. Great way to develop the little fingers.
He then admired his own reflection in the spoon.
Then we played a little with the ribbons and flowers, discovered prickly leaves, and found red beads with the wholes. I have him the last necklace string (the one that was supposed to by my pasta necklace) and Santino enjoyed making another necklace! Those wholes are pretty small, just enough for the string to go through, and he easily managed to put 5.
