{"id":19651,"date":"2018-12-06T00:01:13","date_gmt":"2018-12-06T05:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=19651"},"modified":"2018-11-13T08:16:07","modified_gmt":"2018-11-13T13:16:07","slug":"librarians-are-experts-in-sensory-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2018\/12\/librarians-are-experts-in-sensory-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Librarians are Experts in Sensory Play"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nearly two years ago I wrote a guest post for ALSC entitled \u201cSensory Shenanigans! Starting a Sensory Play Time at Your Library<\/a>.\u201d I\u2019ve planned and led many sensory play times since then, and have learned a few tricks to keep this program sustainable.\u00a0 Needless to say I was a bit idealistic when I first started: I thought it would be entirely reasonable to lead such a program once a month, and maintain the one hour set up and one hour clean up.\u00a0 I\u2019m now going on three years of Sensory Play Time and many, many iterations of the program.<\/p>\n

Here are a few of the lessons I\u2019ve learned:<\/p>\n

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  1. Messier isn\u2019t always better<\/u><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Because I branded this program as \u201call of the messy stuff you see on Pinterest and don\u2019t want to do at home,\u201d I worked myself into a corner.\u00a0 I felt like I needed to have the messiest and most impressive sensory stations to truly excite children and be worthwhile.\u00a0 I still do messy things, but I\u2019ve cut out the activities that created the most messes to clean up afterwards, specifically sand, slime, and cereal. I was pleasantly surprised that none of the kids seemed to miss the materials I removed.\u00a0 The water and rice tables still provided interesting sensory exploration. Removing the messiest stations shortened my clean up time, and my stress levels, in half. Even putting out one kiddie pool instead of two made a significant difference.<\/p>\n

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    1. Use as many reusable toys as possible <\/u><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \"A
      Liquid tiles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      I started phasing out perishable and one time use materials, like jello and dry pasta.\u00a0 Replenishing those materials every month took up too much time, especially the jello that needed to be made in advance. I invested in unique and interesting sensory toys that could be put out each time without much preparation.\u00a0 My manager discovered these Liquid Fusion Tiles<\/a> and the kids love them! I also bought a sand table that I exclusively use as a rice table.\u00a0 I store it in a closet and it\u2019s very easy to pull out the day of the program with no special set up needed. I would also love to purchase a Light Table<\/a> one day!<\/p>\n

      Plastic table clothes to protect the tables also fall into the category of one time use materials that were getting tough to keep up with.\u00a0 I\u2019ve switched to using butcher paper<\/a> to cover the tables: one roll lasts 5-6 programs and is a onetime purchase.<\/p>\n

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      1. Integrate \u201cloose parts\u201d<\/u><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \u201cLoose Parts\u201d is a concept developed by architect Simon Nicholson to expand children\u2019s opportunity for open-ended, sensory-based play. Simply put, it\u2019s a collection of loose parts of various materials and textures for children to play with. Because of their open-ended nature, children can decide how to play and build with them. You can learn about Loose Parts in this article<\/a> by the Penn State Extension Office and in the definitive book on the topic, Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in Young Children<\/a>. Loose parts\u2019 reusable nature makes them a great addition to sensory play time.\u00a0 An obvious concern is the size of the parts, so be sure to be mindful of what you choose to include.\u00a0 Large pom poms in a bucket are a great starting point, with Jumbo Tweezers<\/a> and Scoopers<\/a> to build fine motor skills.<\/p>\n

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        1. Find your rhythm<\/strong> <\/u><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Deciding to take a break from a successful program can be hard, but it\u2019s a necessary step to keep from burning out. For me, this looks like taking June through August off from Sensory Play Time.\u00a0 It gives me time to reevaluate the program, investigate new materials, and reenergize so that I am ready to hit the ground running in September.\u00a0 Integrating a sensory station into an existing program can also be a way to take a break while still meeting expectations from patrons.\u00a0 Maybe bring out a rice bin during playtime, or have a water element during storytime. Find out what works for you and don\u2019t be afraid to set boundaries so you don\u2019t end up dreading a program.<\/p>\n

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          1. Share with caregivers<\/u><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            One of my favorite parts about this program is that it models cheap and easy sensory play for parents. I often receive questions from parents about a specific tool or station and have found that e-mail is a great way to share resources.\u00a0 I initially used handouts but they rarely survived the program, ending up at the bottom of the water table.\u00a0 After each program, I e-mail parents with a list of stations I used, along with supplies or a link to a blog post with instructions.\u00a0 It\u2019s so much fun to see parents embrace sensory play and bring it into their home.\u00a0 One parent even took home the shredded paper after a program to use for a shredded paper bin at her toddler\u2019s birthday party.<\/p>\n

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            1. Tools over toys<\/u><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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              Using jumbo eye droppers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

              I spent last summer investigating new tools to use in sensory play time.\u00a0 I was specifically looking for tools that could be used at multiple stations, and be adapted for various activities.\u00a0 Using multi-use tools is another strategy to reduce on costs that has served me well. Here are some of my favorites:<\/p>\n