Zoo Animal Sensory Board DIY

Aidan and I have been learning about Zoo animals this week.  I found a wonderful idea on www.toddlerapproved.com, to make an animal sensory board for toddlers.

I decided to put my own spin on it, and this is what I came up with!

Let me give you step-by-step instructions on how you can make one for your squirmy toddler too!

Here's what you'll need:

- 2 large pieces of cardboard

- The lids off of wipes containers

- Animal-print felt

- Letters to spell out "ZOO" (or whatever you want it to say) (I found painted letters at Hobby Lobby, each packet came with two of the letters.  I used them in a sensory box too!)

- Burlap

- Corresponding animal pictures

- White paper

- Hot glue gun/glue

- Pencil

- Scissors

1.  I went to Hobby Lobby, and bought the felt that I needed.  I liked using felt over scrapbook paper, because I really liked the furry texture.  For the snake skin, I found it in the same section, but it felt more like that plastic table cloth material.

2. I opened the lids, traced the oval shape of the opening on a piece of paper, cut it out as a template, traced it on the backside of each piece of felt, cut it out, and glued it to the top of the lid.  Repeat with each type of felt.

 
                           

3. I cut random pieces and shapes out of burlap (to give it a worn safari look), and covered one of the pieces of cardboard with them, using a hot glue gun.  I placed the lids on it, to decide positioning.

 

4. I printed out pictures of each of the animals, traced about them using the lid as a template, and cut them out.

5. I traced the lid shape five times onto the remaining piece of cardboard, and cut it out, using an exacto knife.  I did this, so each lid would have a back against the burlap, because I was worried about how the picture would do directly on the burlap.

6. I traced the inside oval of the lid on a plain white piece of paper, and wrote the name of each animal on one.  Cut them out.

7. I hot glued the picture onto the cardboard, and then the lid overtop of it.  Positioned them again, added the letters "Z" "O" "O", and hot glued it all into space.  Then, I also glued the name of the animal in the top inside of the lid.

I cut the remaining felt into large squares, then cut them diagonally (one straight, one zig-zag, one wavey, you get the idea...) to make an animal print matching game.

All-in-all, I'd say both of these projects were a success!!

Have you ever made a sensory board?  If you have, what kind was it?  What other ideas do you all have for a new sensory board?

Please, leave your comments below, I'd love to hear from you!

Toddler Summer School: Turtles and Ocean Life Week

Aidan loves turtles!  When we went to the MOSH, he was ga-ga over the ones in the tanks.  He talked at them, and "woo-ed" with delight!

So, I decided our second week of "Toddler Summer School", we would do Turtles and Ocean Life.  With Shark Week last week, I thought is was very fitting.

First of all, let's talk about books:

Again, we found a $1 book at Target.  I like the colorful illustrations, and it gives good information on some different ocean animals.

 

We also found these great books at a little book shop on the beach, Count to Sleep Florida and Good Night Florida.  They have great tid-bits for kids about Florida, and it's fun to talk about the ones of them we've done, or places we've visited.

 

Speaking of Florida-themed goodies, I am in love with these Florida flash-cards by the mom-team at Bright Eyed Baby.  They also have Washington, New York, California, Colorado and Texas.  They're so cute, and until the end of July they have a kickstarter project to help them get their newest series started.  Please head over there and help them out.  It's only $16 for a set of them, and you're supporting a small business and a great cause!

Dan and Aidan also had a sweet moment reading a Rainbow Fish book!

My mom and dad came to visit this week too!  My mom supports our brand of crazy.  She found these PERFECT little books, by Chronicle Books, In My Ocean (about a dolphin calf, and his life in the ocean), and I Spy In The Ocean (an ocean discovery book, where the animals beginning sounds spell out OCEAN).  The are both very interactive, and Mr. Book Lover has already had each one read to him about 20 times since they arrived.

 

Let's move on, to snacks:

I saw this super-cute idea on pinterest, and it used only things I already had in the kitchen, so I was very excited!

1. Banana Dolphin Snack

All you need is a banana and a small, round fruit.  I used grapes.

*Remember, kiddos have small windpipes, aren't always good at chewing, and are more prone to choking than adults.  When feeding them grapes, or other similar fruit, make sure you cut them in half.

Anyway, cut the banana in half, then cut a slit into the top of the banana, and stick a grape in it (I put it in whole, and then cut it in half).  Cut some grapes up, put them in a bowl, and stick the banana in the middle of them.

 

 

2. Fishing For Goldfish

We recently found that Aidan likes Nutella.  So, Dan got him a Nutella snack pack, and like any home with a toddler, we already had goldfish.

I dipped the breadstick in the Nutella for him, and laid some goldfish, and let him at it!

 



SO MUCH FUN!!!

Now, it's time for activities:

I saw, and modified a fishing game I found on pinkoatmeal.com.  I cut fish shapes out of felt, hot glued magnets for eyes, then made a fishing pole out of a mallet, ribbon, and a magnet.  Put the fishies in a laundry basket, and helped Aidan try to fish them out.  

 

He didn't enjoy it quite as much as I had hoped, I think maybe the magnets could've been stronger, but over-all, it was a fun activity.  Besides, what he came up with on his own was pretty cute too!

Mailing fish.

Being a real, live, turtle.

 I also found an idea for this amazing ocean sensory bath!
I made up some linguini and spaghetti noodles I had sitting in the pantry.  I put them in a ziplock, added green food coloring, swooshed them around, but not too evenly.  I wanted it to look variegated.

 

I gathered up some water toys, a coral decor piece, and some sea shells.
Plopped it all in the tub, added one squirmy little boy - oodles of sensory fun!!!

 

We also hung out at the pool...

And went to the beach...

 

On to one of my favorites!! Craft time!

Since my little munchkin loves turtles, I thought it'd be fun to make a turtle shell with him.  I cut a rounded rectangle out of a diaper box, cut out dark green, light green and orange shapes, and made holes in the four corners.  Next, I let him glue them on, any way he wanted!

 

I tied a piece of yarn in each corner (because I didn't know how I was going to have him wear it).

I criss-crossed them in front of his chest.

 

We also made a Puffer Fish, using a fork and paint.

 

And finally, media:

I love the Bible App for kids.  It's free, they're always updating it, and it is SO interactive!  This week we read the story of God parting the red sea.

I also really like the Learning Station on youtube.  This week, we sang baby shark 'til we were blue in the face!

   

We watched A Turtle's Tale on Netflix.

It has an okay storyline, but it's not my favorite.  Originally I thought it was the story of the turtle from Finding Nemo (the animation looks similar), but it's about a little turtle, and his adventures for 50 years.

We also watched Octonauts, a Disney Junior show, you can find on Netflix.  Honestly, I really enjoy Octonauts, and I learn something new each episode.  Aidan likes to watch them from his new "tur-tle" (one of his new words) lovey from his grandma.

Next week is Zoo week.  Any ideas?  Have you tried any of the crafts/activities/movies mentioned?  What were your thoughts?