During Advent my children have loved playing with a simple
Cinnamon Scented Sensory Box
It was super simple to set up
With things we already had at home
The potential for open ended play
Was limited only by their imaginations
And I was proud of the many ways to play
Together and alone
Here is how I set up this invitation to play
A layer of cinnamon powder
A layer of white beans
A layer of fresh cranberries
Some cuttings from your Christmas tree or other evergreen foliage
I also added cinnamon sticks
Which the children used as magic wands and wooden spoons
I gave them some paper cups
We used Christmas ones and stars
You can choose a design to suit your season
Or use plain cups
I also added measuring beakers of different sizes and scales
Scoops, tweezers, tongs, spoons
And multi-coloured lollipop sticks
All tools for scooping and spilling
Emptying and filling
I also added cup cake cases
At the children’s request
Which prompted us making cranberry buns
To buy and sell
While singing our cranberry version
Of Five Currant Buns
This was a super set up for sensory play
So easy to put together
And offering so much potential for play
The whole house smelt wonderful too
There was lots of pouring
Stirring
Estimating
Measuring
Transferring
Pretend cooking
Serving cakes and drinks
Esther and William age 7
Enjoyed this just as much as Bea, age 3
We baked and boiled
Brewed and concocted
Made food for fairies
And potions with spells
We made reindeer food
And sowed magical seeds
The games and creations
Went on and on
This play was a sensory experience
Offering sights, sounds and scents to be explored
Lots of colour
And a range of different textures
The tools and small parts
Offered a fun way to develop fine motor skills
And build finger strength
All through play
A super simple scented sensory play
Think we might add some forest animals next
To extend and change our play
What would you do with this next?