Early Years ID

19/06/2024

15/03/2023

At Early Years ID we have taken away all our household items from sensory play and instead we’ve been donating these usual buys to the food bank via Lidl GB in Crowthorne. We used to use pasta, cereals, shaving foam and many other products in our play,
however recently we’ve become more engaged in the world around us and looked at alternatives. Today we’ve started this sensory tray and as the week goes on we’ll add natural sources to the tray to enhance the learning for the children such as mud and sand. Children can still explore the texture of these, their smell, their consistency and what happens if water is added.
Apparently, Food play is a type of sensory play activity that can help your child learn about different food textures, smells, and tastes. It helps children with sensory disorders or picky eating habits explore various food options and more easily engage in healthy eating habits. So now I ask? Do we want lots of hands in a tray that children are going to try and eat? Do we want children learning habits like this? Instead, I suggest that for example at snack time you take the fruits and vegetables over to the table and cut them in front of the children so they can see the items as a whole and they can feel their textures, smell the foods and then taste. As the children get older they can help cut the foods with safety knifes. Children can grow their own foods and taste these once washed. Children do not need to be encouraged to play with foods in a tray to learn about it. Please rethink when setting up your sensory trays and think about the world around us and how using natural resources children can not only learn from these but they can be put back into the environment.

02/03/2023

An idea to share 💡

At Early Years ID we believe in and . Today we used the front covers of some old torn story books to display and brighten up our book area. We then cut the pages from the book to use in a story sack and for when we create tuff trays around these stories. Reading corners increase children's access to books and create an encouraging and inviting atmosphere for families / carers
to have even more opportunities to read together during their daily routines.