Texture Tower

Materials:

1. Cardboard boxes in several sizes (Micheal's)
2. Different textured fabrics (4)
3. Paint (purple, blue, green, red)
4. All purpose adhesive 
5. Scissors

How to Make:

I started out by painting my boxes four different colors. I noticed that the boxes drink up the paint, and I had to do two coats in order for the color to be vibrant. Then I decided which fabric would go where and glued them into place. I glued the fabric and then trimmed around the edges to make sure I had the best fit for each box. These boxes can also nest and stack which is perfect for the infant age group.

Texture Shapes

Materials: 

1. Wood shaped boards (Micheal's)
2. Materials with different textures
3. Scissors
4. All purpose adhesive

How to Make:

Simply add fabric to the wooden shapes. I used feathers, artificial snake skin material, and burlap. I think it's easier to add the adhesive first and then cut afterwards using the shape as a stencil. I also covered the other sides with fabrics as well. I used fabrics of the same color because I liked the affect it had visually.

Looking Glass

Materials:

1. Objects or Confetti
2. Metal cans with clear lids
3. All purpose adhesive 

How to Make:

I found the metal cans at Micheal's and thought they would be great for a looking glass. I simply added objects of my liking (pom poms, confetti, small objects) and sealed the tops with adhesive or Duck Tape. 

Winter Sensory Bag

Materials:

1. Freezer bags (quart size)
2. Hair gel (clear)
3. Glitter (blue & silver)
4. Patterned Duck Tape
5. Beads (blue)

How to Make:

First, put beads and glitter inside of the freezer bag, and then add the clear hair gel. After sealing the first freezer bag, put it inside another freezer bag so that the locking parts are on different sides. This just makes it more durable and fit better inside one another. Next, seal the second freezer bag and use your patterned Duck Tape to create a border around all the sides and corners. 

Spring Sensory Bag

Materials: 

1. Freezer Bags ( Quart Size)
2. Hair Gel ( Clear)
3. Confetti ( Spring themed)
4. Patterned Duck Tap

How to Make:

First, put confetti inside of the freezer bag, and then add the clear hair gel. After sealing the first freezer bag, put it inside another freezer bag so that the locking parts are on different sides. This just makes it more durable and fit better inside one another. Next, seal the second freezer bag, and use your patterned Duck Tape to create a border around all the sides and corners. 

String Pull Box

Materials: 

1. Shoe box
2. String
3. Fabric (optional)
4. X-ACTO knife

How to Make: 

First, I took some time to decorate my box with fabrics in order to cover words that weren't visually appealing. Then, I used a hobby knife to make a slit in the top on the box. This is where your first string will go be insterted. Place the string through the hole and knot it so that it can't be completely pulled out of the box. Find where you would like the string to come out on another side of the box, and cut another slit in that location. Pull the rest of the string through and make a knot on that side.

The child should be able to pull the string back and forth without the string coming out of the box. This is a cause and effect type work. Repeat action until you have several different strings, and then seal box. 

Maximum Effort Jug

Materials:

1. Milk jug 
2. patterned Duck Tap
3. Rocks or sand
4. All purpose adhesive 

How to Make:

First, wash your milk jug out thoroughly. This may require you to add soap and shake and rinse repeatedly. This is important as nothing smells worse than sour milk in your classroom. After your milk jug is clean, you can begin to cover it with your patterned Duck tape. Covering it is optional but I feel this makes the jug more visually appealing. Finally, add some sand or rocks to the jug, and seal the top with adhesive. Make sure that it's not too heavy for your children to carry around.

Sand Sensory Bottle

Materials:

1. Large bottle
2. Sand (colored)
3. Miscellaneous small objects 
4. All purpose adhesive 

How to Make: 

First, remove all labels from the bottle. Next, fill the bottle half way with sand. Add small objects of your choosing. I chose beads and a rubber caterpillar. Be mindful not to over fill your bottle with objects or make it too heavy. Use adhesive to seal and tighten cap. 

Weather Sensory Bottles

 Materials:

1. Small water bottles (4)
2. Large pom poms (yellow, white, light blue) 
3. Beads (mixed blues and large white beads)
4. Glitter (white)
5. All purpose adhesive 
6. Blue food coloring

How to Make:

First, remove the labels from your bottles. 

• Sunny: Add blue food coloring to the water, and drop in a yellow pom pom.
• Cloudy: Just add three to four white pom poms, and then fill up your bottle.
• Rainy: Add a mixture of blue beads and two light blue pom poms (this will appear like storm clouds), and then fill with water.
• Snowing: Add water, glitter and large white beads for snow flakes

Add adhesive to seal the caps and close tightly.

Small Texture Board

Materials: 

1. Wooden Board (Micheal's) 
2. Fabric Scraps 
3. Pom poms
4. Hot glue gun

How to Make:

First, decide which pattern that you would like your fabric to be in on your board. I chose squares because I like the whole board to be covered to prevent any splinters from the wood. Then glue the fabric in the desired places on the front and back. After your glue has dried, hot glue pom poms around all the edges. The hot glue is strong enough to prevent the materials from being pulled off by the child.

Glitter Sensory Bottle

Materials:

1. Bottle (20 oz. Dr. Pepper)
2. Glitter
3. Clear hair gel (Dollar Tree)
4. Quick Grip adhesive 

How to Make: 

First, remove all labeling from your bottle, and then fill your bottle 3/4 with water. Add the glitter colors of your choice. I like to use a combination of two different glitter colors. Next, fill the bottle the rest of way with glitter and shake well. You might need to remove some water afterwards just so the glitter moves freely inside of the bottle. Glue the top on tightly with adhesive, and once the glue has dried, the sensory bottle is ready for use.

Sound Cylinder

Materials: 

1. Paper towel roll
2. Card stock (letter size) 
3. Rice or beads
4. Washi Tape
5. Glue

How to Make:

First, take the paper towel roll and cover one end with the Washi tape. Make sure that the end is completely covered and can hold the weight of the rice or beads inside. Then, fill the paper towel roll with rice or beads and cover the open end. Make sure not to put too much rice. You only need enough to make a sound. Next, take the card stock and glue the edge to one side of the paper towel roll.It should be a perfect fit around your paper towel roll. Just glue the remaining edge and your roll is completely covered.

Scented Sensory Socks

Materials:

1. Rice
2. Essential Oils (Lavender, Vanilla)
3. Child socks
4. Cotton balls
5. Hot glue gun

How to Make: 

First, fill your socks with rice. Then, use the oils to add the scents of your choice. I chose a purple sock for lavender and a white sock for vanilla. I put a few drops of each scent on to the cotton balls and placed them inside the socks with the rice. Finally, fold the mouth of the socks and seal with hot glue.

Graduated Sound Bottles

Materials:

1. Bottles (3) 
2. Beads or dry beans 
3. Adhesive 

How to Make:

First, clean out bottles and remove any labeling. Next, fill your bottles with different amounts of beads or beans. I like using translucent plastic bottles so that there isn't much color because it makes the work more auditory instead of visual.  Seal the caps with adhesive and close tightly. 

Jewel Bottle

Materials: 

1. Bottle 
2. Glitter
3. Costume jewelry 
4. Quick Grip adhesive 
5. Plastic confetti 

How to Make:

First, clean out the bottle and remove any labeling. Next, add water, glitter, confetti, and costume jewelry. I found that some of the play rings from the party favors section of department stores fit right through the mouth of the bottle. Simply seal with adhesive and shake.

Texture Tray

Materials:

1. Wooden tray (Melissa & Doug) 
2. Kitchen sponge (Dollar Tree)
3. Artificial fur fabric (Micheal's)
4. Foam sheet (Micheal's)
5. Anti-slip fabric circle (Dollar Tree)
6. Box lids (optional)

How to Make: 

First, I used a Melissa & Doug wooden tray that I had left over from another project. I used a sheet of foam and cut it to fit inside the tray. Next, I created matting for the three different size box lids. I used materials that were left over from another project, but it shouldn't be difficult to find suitable alternatives. Using hot glue, I secured my fabric, anti-slip circle, and sponge onto the tray. Just let them dry. Be mindful that when using a hot glue gun, it can soak through certain fabrics like the anti- slip circle and burn the fingers. The tray may be difficult for some infants/toddlers to carry but maybe having this already set up on a table would be a workable solution.  

Valentine's Theme Bottle

Materials: 

1. Pom poms (red, white, pink) 
2. String (red, white, pink)
3. Hearts 
4. Jar/container
5. Quick Grip adhesive 

How to Make:

First, clean your container with soap and water. Use fingernail polish remover to remove any tough labels. Make sure to wash again after using remover to insure the container is safe for children to handle.

Next, cut a small slit in the top of the container. Feed the string through the slit and tie at the bottom. I like for a little of the string to be left over on the inside of the container to add to the container. Simply add in pom poms and hearts. Tighten and add adhesive.

You can do this for every season or holiday just by replacing colors and decorations. 

Texture Bean Bag Posting

Materials: 

1. Container with lid
2. Velcro squares
3. Fabric scraps
4. Materials of different texture and sound
5. X-ACTO knife
6. Hot glue gun

How to Make: 

Cut different texture fabrics into squares. Hot glue inside out the same way on both side so you can hide the seams. This is very similar to sewing but a much easier no-sew solution. Then after the glue has dried, turn bean bag right-side-out and stuff with whatever materials you would like, such as cotton, plastic (for a crinkling effect), cardboard, or any other materials you might have laying around. Then just hot glue the open side closed and let dry.

Next, place one end of Velcro onto the back side of your bean bags, and the other side to your container. I found that even though the Velcro is sticky, it helps to put a little hot glue on the back of each Velcro square both on the container and the bean bag just to keep it secured in place.

Once your bean bags and Velcro are complete you can start customizing your container, but first, you will need to use your knife or scissors to cut a hole in the lid of the container. Make sure there are no sharp edges around the opening that might cut the children. Then hot glue a fun fabric on top for an outstanding sensory experience.   

Scarf Posting

Materials: 

1. Scarves 
2. Cool Whip container (or similar container) 
3. Patterned Duck Tape
4. X-ACTO knife 

How to Make:

First, clean out your container with soap and water. Use your patterned tape to cover all the unflattering words on the container. I simply covered the whole bottom of the container. Be mindful that if the tape isn't flat, there may be some visible creases or bubbles in the tape.

Then, use your knife to cut a square into the lid of the container. Using tape to cover any sharp edges around the hole you have cut into the lid is necessary. Plus, the colorful tape adds a little extra visual appeal.

Lastly, find your scarves. I found these two beautiful light weight scarfs at my local Dollar Tree. Put them inside the container and the work is finished.  

Fabric Posting

Materials: 

1. Wipe container
2. Fabric scraps
3. Washi tape (Optional)

How to Make: 

Find the perfect wipe container. I like to use the Charmin Fresh Wipes because they are easy to open, visually appealing, and have a soft rubbery opening where the child would be reaching their hand inside.

I decorated the around the bottom with some aqua colored washi tape to add some color. This, of course, is optional but will make the object more appealing. Lastly, cut some fabric scraps of different texture or pattern. You can cut these into any shape you would like. Put the fabric scraps inside to complete the work.

Jumbo Smell Jar

Materials:

1. Plastic jar (Home Scents)
• This is the most important material. I found this one at the Dollar Tree. You can buy the Home Scents scented bead air freshener, then empty and clean the container. 
2. Cotton ball
3. Essential Oil (Lavender) 
4. Quick Grip all-purpose permanent adhesive
5. Decorations 

How to Make:

Empty out your scented bead air freshener container. Make sure the container is clean and holds very little of the original scent. Next, remove the labels. I use soap and water and then nail polish remover to remove the extra sticky adhesive.

Drop a couple drops of lavender onto a cotton ball and place into the container

Then chose whatever else you would like to put inside. Make sure the objects are big enough to not slip through the containers holes. I used colorful plastic pom poms, but you can find tons of fun decorations in the party favors areas of your local store.

Finally, you can choose to just tighten your lid by hand or use Quick Grip adhesive. I prefer for my children to be able to explore with the object without me being worried about them opening and putting the contents into their mouths, so I like to seal the lid.

Sensory Cubes

Materials:

1. Wooden cubes
• You can choose any size that fits your needs. Mine happen to be 2" cubes. I found these at Micheal's.
2. Fabric
• I used two different types of felt and a cheesecloth. 
3. Glue
• I used a hot glue gun but most types of glue would work
4. Scissors

How to Make:

Cut the fabric to fit around the cube shape. I found it easiest to cut out a cross pattern and then fit it to the cube one side at a time until its completely covered. Use caution if using the hot glue gun because glue will soak through the lighter fabrics and may potentially burn you. I used a spare piece of thicker fabric to help with pressing down the cheesecloth fabric to avoid touching the glue with my bare skin.

After making the cubes, I chose a box that I thought would be perfect for storing them, making this not only a sensory work but also an object permanence, open-close, and stacking work.