Hi! Looking for sensory table ideas and other activities for Outer Space Theme for the week!?

Question

I'm doing an Enrichment program over the summer for 3's 4's and 5's. I am DESPERATE for sensory table ideas for this theme, we do have a sand/water table but I wanted to fill it with something more exciting! Also I need a few more project ideas! Any suggestions will help thanks so much!

Also, I need to plan for a "Cooking" week so any ideas, especially sensory table ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Have you considered just adding "moon rocks" to the sand/water table?  You can get rocks at a dollar store.  You can have the kids collect and paint rocks, etc.

There's that moon sand---pretty cool but it is messy...but it's easy to clean up.  Should stay pretty contained in a sensory table.

I like to use playdough as a fine motor activity but it's a great sensory activity...especially if you add texture.  Consider using yellow with glitter and providing star, circle, cresent cookie cutters and a black paper background.  Consider having pictures of the phases of the moon.

This was a mailbox idea:  Show the children a picture of a moon and point out the craters. Provide a circle "moon" construction paper...preferably gray/white and have Cheerios or something similar as your snack. The children can put the craters on their moon.  Do some counting, simple addition/subtraction.  Letter recognition...have them place the "craters" in the shape of the first letter of their name.

The Big Dipper:  Make a miniature planetariums.  Cover one end of an empty toilet tissue tube with black paper and tape in place.  Gently poke holes in the paper to resemble the big dipper.  Have the children hold up the tube to the light and look through the end.

•Use other constellations

•Cover a table with dark fabric and place glow in the dark stars on the bottom of the table.  Have a couple flashlights nearby.

Stardust Jars:  Mix oil, water, food coloring, and glitter in a clear plastic bottle. Make sure to seal the bottle tightly. The contents will mix and float in the bottle. Your children will love it.

Mining Moon Rocks: Provide muffin tin, tongs, and a nobreakable magnifying glass close by to sand table.  A child uses the tongs to transfer each rock into an empty section of the muffin tin. Then she uses the magnifying glass to study each rock.

Astronaut Shakes:  3- 8 oz. cartons of plain yogurt, 3 very ripe bananas, 1 ½ C. cold apple juice, 1 ½ cold milk, 3 Tbs. honey Combine the yogurt ad bananas in a blender and mix them until they are smooth.  Pour the mixture into a large pitcher and stir in the juice and milk.  Add a little honey to taste.  

Moon Cakes:  Cut white bread into circles and have children spread PB on one side and Jelly on the other.

Moon Sandwiches:  Apples, Peanut Butter, Raisins  Wash the apples and cut them into moon shaped wedges.  Spread each ‘moon’ with peanut butter/caramel and then add the raisin “craters” to each one.

Tasty Space Treats:  Gently press two chocolate chips (windows) top first into the side of a banana half (rocket ship). Next, place a spoonful of whipped topping on a plate. Stand the rocket ship in the fluffy smoke. Place one half of a diagonal cut strawberry Newtons cookie on each side of the rocket for wings.

Fruit Fluff Clouds:  Cool whip, yogurt, frozen fruit