Shaving Foam Sensory

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Words)

Shaving Foam Sensory Play is such good fun! Very messy so I do advise you to take this activity outdoors where possible.

The tray we used today came in great for this mark making, sensory play.

It has a textured base which added to the sensory exploration and sensation.

I squirted some shaving foam onto the tray and it was seconds before Little N was over to see what I was doing....

I must add that when choosing shaving foam for activities where children are going to be hands on like this take into account any allergies and skin conditions.

Little N has atopic eczema. She rarely has flare ups but I take care when selecting anything that will come into contact with her skin.

I made sure that I purchased shaving foam suitable for sensitive skin and kept a close eye for any signs of irritation but she was fine.

Also make sure you are keeping a close eye to make sure the foam isnt being eaten.

If you feel your little ones will keep trying to eat it - consider using whipped cream instead.

After swishing her hands around in the foam she began to scoop it up with her hand and paste it onto her arm.

She continued to do this until her arm was completely covered with foam.

Little N found this very amusing and called me to get my attention to show off what she had done.

She then went back to mark making on the tray.

After a few minutes she went over to the green house and asked for her watering can.

I got it out for her and she started pointing to the tap "tap tap" she said, wanting me to fill it up with water.

I filled up her watering can, "ta" she said with the biggest smile and she went off to water some of the plants.

I thought 'that's it she's had enough of the foam now' but no - the fun was only just starting.

She returned to the tray and let the water drizzle down onto the tray. She started to splash in the watered down foam. She did this for a while asking me each time the watering can emptied to refill at the tap.

She used the water at one point to wash some of the foam off her arm.

I decided that as she was enjoying the mixing of the water and foam so much along with watering the plants that I would turn on the hose pipe very slightly and see what she did.

She loved it! She watched with amazement as the foamy water began to overflow on the tray and run down onto the patio. It was now time to stamp in the foamy water.

She continued to water the plants too.

At one point she really did take me by suprize as she picked up her watering can and attempted to fill it with water using the hose pipe.

This wasn't something she had seen me do - it was something she had worked out for herself - without being show, without being told how to do it or even imitating what she had previously seen.

We had had such an interesting play session.

Leaving her to take the play into her own direction took me back and made me smile.

Such a young little girl but doesn't mean she lacks creativity and the desire to experiment.

In fact from this activity I had again learnt myself the importance of free play.

Taking that step back and allowing Little N to make decisions and experiment freely actually meant she had gained more from this experience,as my focus was purely to offer an experience to mark make.

This had been a very successful play time and ended with a lovely warm bubble bath and a nap.

-Its a hard life having fun you know.

Learning:

- Exploring cause and effect

- Exploring texture

- Finding ways to solve problems

- Finding new ways to do things

- Mark making

- Making connections between their movements and marks made

- Caring for the environment

Extension:

To provide more mark making opportunities not only using shaving foam but other sensory media's such as corn flour, rice, sand, custard, coloured salt etc.