Sensory Tray: Jelly Play

Create a wonderful exciting sensory material for your sensory bin or tuff spot using colourful jelly for the children to explore and have a squishy great time with.  

This week we set up something different in the sensory tray. I made up 3 batches of jelly and once set tipped them into the tuff spot. It's probably worth saying that once the jelly has set it is best to warm up the jelly by leaving it out for a while rather then placing it straight into the tray. I made this mistake and it was a little to cold for the babies. 

When we first placed the Jelly in the tray the babies were a little apprehensive. It can some times take a few tries for children to gain the confidence to try new activities and especially when it involves new textures. Tinnie was straight in exploring the tray and using the pots and spoon to move it around the tray. 

Tinnie enjoyed trying to walk in the jelly while the other babies kept returning to the tray through out the morning to give the jelly a little feel.  

Links to Development Matters
Personal, Social and Emotional Development:
• Seeks to gain attention in a variety of ways, drawing others into social interaction.
• Builds relationships with special people.
• Interacts with others and explores new situations when supported by familiar person.
• Engages other person to help achieve a goal, e.g. to get an object out of reach. 

Communication and Language:

• Has a strong exploratory impulse. 

• Concentrates intently on an object or activity of own choosing for short periods.

• Pays attention to dominant stimulus – easily distracted by noises or other people talking.

Physical Development:

• Passes toys from one hand to the other.

• Holds an object in each hand and brings them together in the middle, e.g. holds two blocks and bangs them together.

• Picks up small objects between thumb and fingers