Sand and Water Table Activities

[print_link]


Materials to use in your sand or water table

* water
* water w/ food coloring
* water with bars of soap
* water with bubbles
* water with bubbles and food coloring
* sand
* sand that is wet, but not drippy
* rice
* dried red beans
* bird seed
* styrofoam packing (try to find the kind made of cornstarch)
* cornmeal
* dirt
* potting soil
* gravel
* flour
* aquarium gravel
* cornstarch
* popcorn
* dried peas
* oatmeal
* sawdust
* cedar shavings
* easter grass
* dried leaves
* acorns, nuts
* straw/hay
* dried corn
* coffee grounds
* egg shells (thoroughly wash first)
* shaving cream
* peanuts in the shell
* spaghetti
* wheat
* snow
* ice cubes
* mud
* ice cream
* instant mashed potatoes
* feathers
* pine cones
* pine needles
* macaroni
* pumpkins and/or gourds
* rubber fishing worms
* carrot/turnip peelings

Things to use with the materials in your sand or water table:

* spoons of assorted sizes
* cups of assorted sizes
* funnels
* measuring cups
* liquid laundry detergent lids
* cork and other things that float and sink
* plastic cola bottles or milk jugs cut in half to make funnels
* cardboard juice cans
* pitchers of assorted sizes
* bowls
* egg beaters
* straws and bubble wands (to blow bubbles)
* bottles with pumps (like liquid soap bottles)
* strainers, collanders and seives
* turkey basters
* flour sifter
* pie pans (with or without holes punched in bottom)
* plastic spray bottles
* hand rakes
* keys
* potato mashers
* sea shells
* tongs
* plastic dishes and drainboard
* plastic boats
* plastic animals (dinosaurs, fish, etc.)
* marbles
* plastic artificial flowers
* plastic eye droppers
* whisks
* sponges
* spools
* cookie cutters
* washable dolls
* fishing tackle bobbers
* ping pong balls
* muffin tins
* shovels
* tongue depressors
* soup ladle

Activities:

* use the gravel with the dinosaurs
* dig for items like coins (ie: gold coins for St. Patrick's, pennies for Lincoln's Birthday...)
* insert paper clips onto plastic or laminated fish, tie string to sticks, put a magnet on the end of the string and children can "go fishing"
* wash dishes or baby dolls
* use straw with pumpkins and gourds in the fall
* use potting soil and plastic flowers with gardening tools and gloves and allow children to plant gardens
* use fishing worms and dirt, bury the worms and let the children dig for them
* wash and hang doll clothes
* have tea parties
* clean tables or easles
* build roads, mountains and hills and drive small cars and trucks
* build sand castles in wet sand

Sample Yearly Theme Topics

January
Pets
Winter
Winter Animals
Five Senses

February
Feelings/Emotions
Valentine's Day
Dental Health
Woodland Animals

March
Windy Weather
Dinosaurs
St. Patrick's Day/Green
Plants and Gardens
Birds

April
Spring
Easter/Passover
Cowboy/Western Week
State History

May
Mothers & Babies
Olympic Games Week
Zoo Animals
Primary Colors

June
Transportation
Round Things
Father's Day
Amphibians
Our Country

July
Secondary Colors
Tools/Machines
Seashore
Insects

August
Music
Nursery Rhymes
Square Things
Why I'm Special
Numbers/Math

September
Apples/Back to School
Family
Farm Animals
Textures

October
Fall
Community Helpers (law etc.)
Community Helpers (medical etc.)
Triangular Things

November
Safety
Space
Friends
Thanksgiving
Food


December
Day and Night
Giving and Sharing
Christmas/Chanukah/Winter Holidays
Circus