Author: Zuby & Beans

Play

Water Spoon Play

Zuby & Beans

Supplies

  • 2 large mixing bowls (or containers, buckets)
  • Slotted spoon
  • Balls (or other objects that float)
  • Water

Instructions

  1. Fill a large mixing bowl with water.
  2. Put the balls into the bowl with water and place the other bowl beside it.
  3. Give your child the slotted spoon and allow them to catch the balls with the spoon and transfer balls to the other bucket.
  4. This is a lot of fun and can also be challenging while developing eye hand coordination skills.
Note:
  • We recommend placing a lot of towels on the ground surrounding the area of this activity, to prevent children from slipping.

Skills

  • Eye hand coordination
Play

Laundry Basket Play

Zuby & Beans

Supplies

  • Laundry basket or box

Instructions

  1. Provide your child with a box or laundry basket and join in the fun.
  2. Play is easy when you use what you have at home!
  3. Refer to the skills section below for ideas and skills developed.

Skills

  • Gross motor: toss balls, beanbags, or stuffed toys into the basket
  • Fine motor: weave scarves through the holes
  • Dramatic play: place stuffed animals inside to create a zoo
  • Hop into your basket and pretend you are driving a bus, car, boat or train
  • Play peek-a-boo!
  • Self reg: fill your basket with a blanket, pillows and your favourite book to create a cozy reading nook

What else can you create with a basket? The ideas are endless 🙂

create, Play

Make a Boat

Zuby & Beans

Supplies:

  • Recyclable items
  • Tape
  • Optional: plastic bottle, containers, toilet paper rolls, styrofoam, egg cartons, foil wrap, straws, paper, string, etc.

Instructions:

  1. Lay out the boat making supplies and encourage children to be creative and make a boat.
  2. As always remember, process over product.

Adaptations/Extensions of Play

  • Put your boat in water and make predictions and observations. Does it float? Does it sink? Why does it float? Why does it sink? Can it hold loose parts?
  • Make different shapes and sizes of boats? Does it change whether the boat floats? Does a bigger boat hold more or less loose parts?
  • Create a tally sheet and have children write their names and tally how many items each boat can hold

Skills

  • Fine motor skills
  • Creative
  • Prediction
  • Problem solving
  • Math: counting, shapes, sizes, more, less, fewest, most
  • Science: buoyancy
Eat

Banana Avocado Smoothie

Zuby & Beans

Ingredients

  • 1 banana
  • 1 avocado
  • 2 tbs chai seeds
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tbs cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend well.
  2. Enjoy your smoothie!

Notes:

  • Add more or less milk depending on if you would like a thicker smoothie, or a thinner smoothie
  • Frozen avocados work great for this recipe
create

Soap Making

Zuby & Beans

Children will love creating their own unique soaps! We did this activity with a ten year old and she loved it!

Supplies

  • Soap molds or silicone ice cube trays (we like silicone the best because the soaps easily pop out)
  • Package of glycerin soap cubes
  • Glass measuring cup
  • Optional: food colouring, dried flowers and herbs, grated orange and lemon zest, essential oils, cinnamon, oats etc

Instructions

  1. Place a few of the glycerin soap cubes in measuring cup and heat until melted in the microwave (start with medium heat for 20 seconds).
  2. Add your extras (colour, scent, dried herbs).
  3. Dried herbs can also be added directly to the mold and then you pour the soap over top.
  4. Pour your melted soap into the mold and allow to harden.
  5. Rinse your measuring cup with hot water and repeat for each concoction.

Note:

This activity is hot! We recommend making soap with older children who are able to safely follow instructions.

Skills

  • Following instructions
  • Science
  • Measurement
  • Creative
  • Social emotional skills when done together
Play

Shaving Cream & Sponge Play

Zuby & Beans

Looking for a fun activity that requires zero planning and zero set up? Say no more, we’ve got you covered!

Supplies

  • Shaving cream
  • Sponge
  • Table

Instructions

  1. Spray shaving cream onto a table and give your child a sponge.
  2. Have fun wiping away the foamy shaving cream.

Adaptations/Extensions of Play

  • Use your finger to draw shapes, lines and pictures. This is perfect for developing prewriting skills.
  • Older children can further develop their writing skills by also writing words.

Skills

  • Fine motor
  • Spelling
  • Language
  • Handwriting
  • Hand strength
  • Literacy
  • Creative
create, Play

Magic Bubble Wands

Zuby & Beans

Create your very own and unique magic bubble wand!

Supplies:

  • Pipe cleaners
  • Beads
  • Bubble solution
  • Shallow dish

Instructions

  1. Have children bend their pipe cleaner to create a circle or any shape that will be the top of the wand.
  2. Bead your pipe cleaner to create a handle. Let your unique and creative style show.
  3. Tuck the bottom of your pipe cleaner under the beads to secure your beads in place.
  4. Dip wand in a shallow dish filled with bubble solution and blow!

Skills

  • Creativity
  • Fine motor
  • Math – counting, patterns
  • Colour recognition
  • Science
  • Imaginative play
  • Social skills: create together with friends

Watch how far your bubbles go and then find where they land. What magic spells will you create?

create, Play

Soapy Finger Paint

Zuby & Beans

Supplies

  • 1/4 cup soap flakes*
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • Food colouring
  • Mixer

Instructions

  1. Mix soap flakes and water until the consistently of whipped cream.
  2. If you will be making more than one colour, divide paint into individual containers
  3. Add a drop of food colouring to individual containers and mix with soap paint or use without colour.
  4. Finger Paint on a plastic tray or piece of paper.

Note:

*Soap flakes can be made by grating a (dry) bar of soap.

Adaptations/Extension of Play

  • You can also use this paint to paint the walls of the bathtub. Be sure to have a non slip bath mat in the tub as it can get slippery⚠️. Easily washes away with warm water. Perfect activity for reluctant bathers 🙂

Skills

  • Sensory
  • Process art
  • Creative
  • Science (make it together)
create, Play

Silky Play-Dough

Zuby & Beans

Silky play-dough is a great sensory experience and can be useful in practicing self regulation skills. Older children enjoy the texture of this dough as something to keep their hands busy.

This dough comes out so silky and soft and is lightly scented depending on the hair conditioner you used.

This activity is not for children who put play-dough in their mouth!

Supplies

  • 2 cups cornstarch
  • 1 cup hair conditioner (baby/children brands work well, as they have a lighter scent)
  • Optional: food colouring

Instructions

  1. Mix, knead and add a few drops of food colouring.
  2. Done ✅

Skills

  • Fine motor
  • Sensory
  • Self regulation
create

Simple Nature Weave

Zuby & Beans

Supplies

  • Piece of cardboard
  • Elastics
  • Nature treasures

Instructions:

  1. Create your board by cutting a piece of cardboard into a square shape.
  2. Place your elastics on the board so that they are overlapping.
  3. Collect items from nature: long strips of grass, stems, fallen flower petals, tree bark, herbs, etc.
  4. Practice weaving your treasures through the elastics.
  5. This is a simple beginner weaving activity for young children. Have a magnifying glass on hand to study the items you found!

Skills

  • Fine motor
  • Science
  • Botany
  • Creative
  • Art