CleverSensory eBook 2023

CleverSensory™ eBook

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Engage children in sensory play with these 6 ideas!

Contents

Sensory Busy Bags ................................................................................... 3 DIY Fidget Toys......................................................................................4-5 Rainbow Adventure Sensory Tray .................................................. 6-7 Calming Jars ............................................................................................... 8 DIY Geometry Boards ............................................................................. 9 Fizzy Colour Mixing ................................................................................ 10 Templates ............................................................................................... 11-14 We’ve supplied FREE templates just for you! Print as many times as you like.

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Sensory Busy Bags Materials: • EC Craft Clear Gum – 500ml – 17139 • Pom Poms – Assorted – Pack of 150 – 16600 • CleverPatch™ Glitter Shakers – 9g – Set of 7 Colours – 17914 • Bright Buttons – 454g Pack – 10831 • Duct Tape – 48mm x 30m – 17768 • Other materials required: A re-sealable bag large enough to cover an A4 page (a thick bag with a high micron would be best), water & templates (pages 11 & 12).

• Optional: CleverPatch™ Triangular Whiteboard Markers Black – Pack of 40 – 16528

By moving and manipulating objects around the bag, children will be improving their fine motor skills and developing their sense of touch.

Children will build nerve connections in their brain as they complete sorting and counting activities, shape and colour recognition, plus much more!

1. Print out the template(s) you’d like to use (pages 11 & 12), or create your own template based on what the children are learning in the classroom.

You could even use whiteboard markers directly on the bags and wipe off when done!

2. Open a re-sealable bag and add in some clear craft gum. We got the best results by adding around a third of a bottle with a splash of water.

You may wish to add more or less clear gum or water depending on the consistency you’re looking for.

3. Think about which collage materials might match the template(s) you have chosen to use and then add them to the bag. Think pom poms and buttons. Just be sure to choose items that have no sharp edges or points.

4. Seal the bag up, removing as much air as possible. Fold a piece of duct tape over the top of the bag to avoid it popping open during play.

5. Lay the bag over your chosen template, ready for the children to play! We recommend children are supervised at all times while using.

6. You may wish to duct tape the bag onto the table to keep the bag and template steady. Your Sensory Busy Bag is now ready for sorting and counting!

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DIY Fidget Toys Materials: • Popsticks – Natural – Pack of 1,000 – 10864 • Glitter Washi Tape – Pack of 10 – 20049 • Pony Beads – Pastel – 300g Pack – 19688 • Chenille Stems – Bright – Pack of 100 – 10825 • Clear Sticky Tape – 18mm x 66m – 17769 • Split Rings – Silver – Pack of 10 – 11186

Let’s start by making a Fidget Bar!

1. Take a popstick and lay a chenille stem on top of it, as shown in the top image. Hold in place by wrapping some glitter washi tape around the popstick and chenille stem.

2. Flip the popstick over and bend the chenille stem back over the popstick.

Thread some pony beads onto the chenille stem. You can thread on as many or as few as you like.

3. Fold the loose end of the chenille stem back under the popstick so it is now wrapped around it.

4. Place another popstick over the loose end of the chenille stem, aligning with the other popstick. Use clear tape to hold the popsticks in place. This will make the next step easier.

5. Finish the Fidget Bar by wrapping the two popsticks with glitter washi tape. Stick some clear tape over the ends of the washi tape to hold it firmly in place.

6. Create different colour combinations to personalise them. You can now hold the Fidget Bar in your hand and move the beads from left to right and back again!

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When children are in large group situations such as the classroom, Fidget Toys can provide an easy, non-disruptive sensory input that helps to improve overall concentration and learning.

By allowing the brain to filter out extra sensory information, Fidget Toys can also aid in improving co-ordination and dexterity, as well as reducing stress and anxiety.

A simple Ring Fidget can be made using only 2 components!

1. An even simpler Fidget Toy to make is a Ring Fidget, using split rings and pony beads. Thread some beads onto the split ring. Children can hold the ring and move the beads around.

You can even join multiple split rings together to keep both hands busy!

These DIY Fidget Toys contain small parts and adult supervision during construction and use is recommended. © CleverPatch ™ 2022 - www.cleverpatch.com.au

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Rainbow Adventure Sensory Tray Materials:

• CleverPatch™ Exploration Light Tray – 16620 • Wooden People – Pack of 8 – 18255 • CleverPatch™ Acrylic Paint Tubes – 100ml – Set of 12 Colours – 20811 • Chenille Stems – Bright – Pack of 100 – 10825 • Pony Beads – Pastel – 300g Pack – 19688 • Pom Poms – Assorted – Pack of 150 – 16600 • Mini Patty Pans – Coloured – Pack of 1,000 – 17960

• CleverPatch™ Sensory Magic Sand – Orange 1kg Tub – 20964 • CleverPatch™ Sensory Magic Sand – Green 1kg Tub – 20965 • CleverPatch™ Sensory Magic Sand – Purple 1kg Tub – 20968 • Craft Bowls – Coloured – Pack of 4 – 10717 • Other materials required: Paint brushes.

• Mini Popsticks – Coloured – Pack of 1,000 – 12402

Creating a Sensory Tray for children to explore, learn and play doesn’t have to be hard – or messy for that matter! The main thing is to combine a variety of textures, add in some tools or ‘play’ items and then let the children’s imagination run wild!

This type of play encourages problem solving and creativity, as well as fine motor skills.

1. Toys & Tools – It’s always nice to provide play items or tools when making your Sensory Tray. We are using wooden people, each one painted with a different colour of the rainbow. You can also use play items such as animals or cars, or tools such as tongs or scoops. Anything that will spark imagination!

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2. Soft Textures – Collage materials such as pom poms and chenille stems provide some lovely sensory play for children. Children can be encouraged to sort the pieces into colours or sizes and the chenille stems are great for threading beads onto.

3. Hard Textures – Beads and popsticks are a great contrast to the soft textures of pom poms and chenille stems, and a great way to introduce texture comparisons.

They can also be used for grouping exercises, as well as building and threading activities.

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You can set up the tray with everything in it ready to go, or simply have the materials set out in craft bowls and let the children explore and experiment!

4. Sensory Sand – These brightly coloured sands are a great way of encouraging investigation and experimentation. Children can observe changing states as the sand is pressed into a solid or crumbled through their fingers. It provides a unique tactile feel and makes a great base for Sensory Trays. It’s also easy to clean up as the sand ‘sticks’ together!

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5. Patty Pans – The humble patty pan comes into its own in a Sensory Tray!

The corrugated sides provide great texture and the colours can be used for sorting activities. They can also be used as scoops or cups to hold other items in the Sensory Tray. Children can use them to group items of the same colour, or for counting activities by adding a certain number of items to each patty pan.

A rainbow theme creates an open play space, but you can theme your Sensory Tray to anything at all!

6. Trays and Bowls – Our large Exploration Light Tray is perfect for sensory play as the items can be neatly confined, reducing clean up time. Craft bowls can be used at the start of play to organise and separate the different pieces before play begins. This gives the children the opportunity to add objects to the tray in the order they see fit and omit anything they don’t wish to interact with.

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Calming Jars Materials: • Clear Plastic Jar – Square – 400ml – 16947 • EC Craft Clear Gum – 500ml – 17139 • CleverPatch™ Glitter Shakers – 9g Set of 7 Colours – 17914 • Glitter Star Sequins – 25g Pack – 11547 • Cup Sequins – Multi – 50g Pack – 11126 • Duct Tape – 48mm x 30m – 17768 • Other materials required: Water & a mixing spoon.

Calming Jars are a great way of introducing children to the practice of meditation and mindfulness.

1. Add clear craft gum to the open jar so it is a quarter full then fill the rest of the jar with water, leaving a gap at the top. Stir to combine. The glue will thicken the water slightly for a swirling effect when children are moving the jar around.

2. Sprinkle some glitter into the jar, followed by some glitter star sequins and cup sequins. Stir them in so they are mixed through.

3. Screw the lid tightly onto the jar.

Cover the lid in duct tape, wrapping tightly around the edge. Fold the tape down on top and then tape another piece over the top.

4. The Calming Jar is now ready for children to handle. As they tip the jar upside down, the sequins and glitter will move through the water.

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When feeling overwhelmed or anxious, children can focus their attention on the swirling movement, giving them time to calm down and regain control.

CleverTip: Experiment with creating different coloured Calming Jars, or let the children choose which colours and elements they want to use on their own! © CleverPatch ™ 2022 - www.cleverpatch.com.au

DIY Geometry Boards Materials: • Tap a Shape Corkboard – 12370 • Tap a Shape Tacks – Pack of 200 – 12372 • Loom Bands – Rainbow Colours – Pack of 300 – 18874 • Loom Bands – Indigenous Inspired Colours – Pack of 300 – 19687 • Other materials required: Template & picture cards (pages 13 & 14).

• Optional: A3 Laminator – 15276 CleverPatch™ Laminating Sheets – A4 – Pack of 100 – 14241

These DIY Boards are a fun way to develop children’s spatial and problem solving skills.

It also aids in fine motor skill development and shape recognition, all whilst introducing a variety of Math concepts.

1. Print the template on page 13 and place over the corkboard. Press tacks two-thirds of the way into the dots on the board to leave space to wrap the bands around. Adult supervision is recommended.

2. Carefully tear away the template and your board is now ready to use.

3. Have the loom bands and picture cards (page 14) on hand and ready to use. You may wish to print several copies of the cards and laminate them.

4. Children can pick a picture card and follow the pattern, looping loom bands around the tacks on the board to complete the picture. Be careful not to stretch the bands too far - it may make the tacks pop out of the board.

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5. You can also encourage children to come up with their own designs rather than following the cards.

Younger children may make basic shapes, while older children might explore complex shapes and designs!

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Fizzy Colour Mixing Materials: • CleverPatch™ Liquid Watercolour – Red – 250ml – 16340 • CleverPatch™ Liquid Watercolour – Yellow 250ml – 16342 • CleverPatch™ Liquid Watercolour – Blue 250ml – 16346 • CleverPatch™ Exploration Light Tray – 16620 • Ultra Bright LED Light Panel – A3 – 14924 • Paint Pipettes – Pack of 12 – 10699 • Paper Cups – Pack of 20 – 11085 • Other materials required: Bi-carb soda & vinegar.

This STEM based activity not only helps children learn about important concepts around primary and secondary colours and colour mixing, it is also a wonderful sensory experience as they observe the fizzing effect of an acid-base reaction! They can even get their hands dirty at the end and swish their fingers through the rainbow of colours!

1. Set up the light tray so it is positioned over the light panel.

2. Sprinkle a layer of bi-carb soda into the tray (you do not have to fill it completely). Spread it as evenly as possible.

3. Use pipettes to add droplets of the liquid watercolour into the tray. Cover the colours with a thin layer of bi-carb soda so they are hidden.

4. Pour some vinegar into paper cups and ask the children to add it to the tray using pipettes. Allow them to observe what happens and then begin to discuss the chemical reaction that is happening, as well as the colours that they are seeing and what colours are being made as they fizz and mix together.

5. You can add another dimension to this activity by switching the light panel on and dimming the lights to illuminate the colours!

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© CleverPatch ™ 2022 - www.cleverpatch.com.au

Sensory Busy Bags – Shapes

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Use this template to help you complete the activity on page 3.

Use with our Bright Buttons for shape recognition play.

© CleverPatch ™ 2022. Subject to terms of use at www.cleverpatch.com.au

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Sensory Busy Bags – Colour Use this template to help you complete the activity on page 3.

Use with pom poms for colour recognition play.

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© CleverPatch ™ 2022. Subject to terms of use at www.cleverpatch.com.au

DIY Geometry Boards – Template Use this template to help you complete the activity on page 9.

© cleverpatch™ | cleverpatch.com.au

© CleverPatch ™ 2022. Subject to terms of use at www.cleverpatch.com.au

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DIY Geometry Boards – Picture Cards Use these picture cards to help you complete the activity on page 9.

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© cleverpatch™ | cleverpatch.com.au

© cleverpatch™ | cleverpatch.com.au

© cleverpatch™ | cleverpatch.com.au

© cleverpatch™ | cleverpatch.com.au

© cleverpatch™ | cleverpatch.com.au

© cleverpatch™ | cleverpatch.com.au

© CleverPatch ™ 2022. Subject to terms of use at www.cleverpatch.com.au