a play filled life | sensory play

Impactful, Simple, Hands-on Play

Engaging resources and sensory classes that encourage hands-on, play-based activities and support fine motor skills, self-regulation, and early academic concepts!

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Digger Dirt: Construction-themed play dough tutorial

In-Person Sensory Classes

A Play Filled Life in-person sensory classes are now available in the Dallas-Fort Worth area!

Our Sensory Classes are a 100% hands-on, fun, and impactful way to explore the magic of sensory play!

All materials and supplies are provided. Just bring your imagination and be ready to have fun!

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Private Classes

Workshops

In-person workshops are for parents, teachers, and caregivers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area who are interested in offering meaningful sensory opportunities to their children.

If you are a parent organization, school, recreation department, or business that is looking to offer exciting and meaningful programming to your community, reach out today to learn more!

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Hi, Friends!

Thank you for being here! I'm Gina, a stay-at-home mama of 4 littles and former educator.

I have a CAGS in Early Childhood Education and a Masters degree in Special Education. I taught pre-school, kindergarten and first grade for over 13 years.

Sensory play, hands-on learning & nature exploration have always been my passions. Watching students, and now my own children, create & play is truly magical to me.

My hope is to bring this magic into your home. My hope is to show you that play can be simple, fun and accessible to all. My hope is that your family feels inspired to activate their senses, learn through open-ended play & explore the world around them through simple materials.

I share an abundance of free resources, visuals, and strategies to help support learning, play and emotional/behavioral regulation. I also have a spot to shop our latest book!

I am thankful for your support & so very excited for you to find joy in the magic of play!

play alongside us @aplayfilledlife

Join us on Instagram for our newest activities, sensory recipes & resources!

If you’re looking for simple ways to learn, play and create at home- welcome ❤️

Mom of 4 | sensory play | teacher

You can draw a picture, write a secret note or use this to work on letters, numbers, shapes or sight words!

The possibilities are endless and you likely have everything you need already!

Follow @aplayfilledlife for more simple ways to learn and play!
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Arts and crafts | crafts for kids | crafting

My boys and I created digger dirt when they were 2 & 3. Now, they’re 8.5 & 10 and it’s still a fan favorite! This week’s sensory class is construction theme!!

Comment DIGGER for our full blog post, our FREE phonics alphabet road mats & links to construction trinkets.

Thanks for being here❤️. Happy playing!🚧
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#sensory #sensoryplayideas #sensoryplay
Sensory play | play dough | play doh

It’s science, it’s art, it’s magical every single time!!

Materials:
🥚baking soda
🥚white eggs
🥚white vinegar
🥚food coloring
🥚muffin tin & bunny tray also from dollar tree!
🥚paintbrush

My kids love these and the results are so unique!

I saw @betterhomesandgardens post this on their blog a few years ago & we have been hooked ever since!
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#betterhomesandgardens #eastereggs #kidsactivities #kidsactivity #toddlerfun #funforkids

BIG time bonus for strengthening fine motor skills & allowing for SO many language & learning opportunities!!

Add water, food coloring & any small toy or trinket to a bowl. Let it freeze (this part takes longer than 30 seconds🙂). Give kids a bowl of warm water & any fine motor tool you have & let them rescue the items!

Freeze it ahead of time & pull it out when you need a little something to get through the day❤️🐠.
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#activitiesforkids #activitiesfortoddlers #activitiesforchildren #babysensoryplay #sensory #sensoryactivities #sensoryplay

I have a much more thorough post and blog coming on this. Follow @aplayfilledlife for more ways to learn and play!

Understanding the functions of behavior is important. It will help to know the “why” of behaviors such as yelling, hitting, whining, throwing etc.

Knowing the “why” can help us stay calm, understand how to offer support or tell us exactly what skills need to be taught. It can also help to eliminate behaviors in the future.

All behavior is communication. All of it. It all tells us something!

Here are the 4 functions of behavior:
👉🏽attention: are they looking to gain our attention, either negative or positive?
👉🏽escape/avoidance: is there an activity, task or situation that they are trying to get out of?
👉🏽tangible: are they trying to gain access to a preferred item?
👉🏽sensory: are they looking for input to help soothe or regulate themselves?

Everything except the play dough is from the @dollartree (but you couldn’t buy some dough there!)

Simple, fun and effective!

Save to try and follow @aplayfilledlife for more ways to learn and play!

This is one of our favorite sensory bins for good reason. It’s soft, it’s round, it has great sound and texture and if you dye it, it’s just extra sensory goodness!

Comment SPRING for all the details on this fun + spring-y sensory bin!

It’s fun, engaging and works on so many skills, all through play!

You get to decide what is safe and manageable in your home. Always monitor young children.
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Sensory play | sensory bin | motor skills | spring | recipes | DIY | toddlers | parents | kids activities

I used to do this as a center in my kinder classrooms and now I do it at home with my own kiddos!

There is so much good happening here 💫

👉🏽Exposure to color names.
👉🏽Practice with letter names, letter sounds, beginning sounds.
👉🏽Practice with forming letters.
👉🏽Fine motor skills hard at work.
👉🏽Gross motor skills also working hard (sitting, kneeling, stretching, crossing, reaching.)

It’s simple, fun and so very effective!

Technically, the letter g would start the opposite way: make the c and then up and back down for the loop- but that’s ok she is still learning lots!!

Like and follow for more!
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Phonics | Prek | toddler | kinder | alphabet | letters

I laminated these cards but you can also put them in sheet protectors to prolong use!

Comment alphabet for the link to download!

Practice identifying letters, letter sounds and letter formation with our alphabet mats!

You can:
-Use a dry paintbrush to trace them
-form the letter with play dough or loose parts.
-use wiki sticks to fork the letters
-trace them with a q-tip
-use them in a sensory bin, in a salt tray or with a sensory bag!

Endless possibilities!!

Follow @aplayfilledlife for more ways to learn and play!

Comment TRUCK for the link to these + our favorite outdoor finds for spring!

Draw with them. Put rocks in them. Push them around in the sand.

Take one out at a time. Take them all out. Wrap them individually for birthday party or class favors.

Endless possibilities, incredibly cute!
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#amazon #kidsactivities #chalkart #chalk #kidsactivityideas #springaccessories #toddlermom #toddlertoy #funforkids #easterbaskets #easterbasketideas #easterbasketstuffers

Grab a pack of sponges the next time you’re at the dollar store!! 🧽

These splash sponges are reusable, easy to make & cost effective! We used them every year during field day!

Save or share with a friend who is looking for some warm weather fun and be sure to follow @aplayfilledlife for more ways to learn and play.

I know there are reusable water balloons now & we love those too! The sponge version are great for sensory play, for water games & for strengthening fine motor skills! Plus you can sanitize them in the dishwasher!
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Mom hack | summer | playing | water play | splash | heat | hot | kids | motor skills | sensory play | sensory bin| SAHM | out of school | spring | activities | parents

Kids thrive off of consistency. These steps are about clearly stating expectations, preparing them for success and holding boundaries.

Does it take work? YES! Is it less work then having a power struggle with your kiddo? I think so!

1. Walk over, get down on their level & say “5 more minutes!” I use a sing-song voice and show ✋🏼with my hands.

2. Head back over, get their attention again & say, “2 more minutes! Pick your one last thing!” Stay with them at this point and help them find and bc importer their “one last thing.” This part is important!

Are you at the park? This could be going down the slide. Are you at a friends house? This could be building one last block tower. Letting them choose here is powerful! Stay with them while they do their one last thing.

4. Now, I sing, “5, 4, 3, 2, 1…now we’re doneeeee!” I do the sign language for “all done” while I sing.

5. Lastly, we say goodbye to wherever we are. “Bye, bye park! Bye, bye school.”

Are your kids older and you don’t want to sing to them? Come up with hand signals to represent each of the above steps!

Will this work the first time? Maybe. Maybe not. But if you do this consistently, using the same steps and the same language, they will learn! They will learn the steps, they will know what is coming and those transitions will become SO much easier!

Will they still be upset to leave? Very possible. Hep guide them out of wherever you are. Let them feel their feels. Help them regulate and move forward.

Would love to hear your thoughts!
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Toddlers | Transitions | Parenting | teaching | kids | behavior modification | tips | moms | littles | boundaries

This DIY sand is a fun + engaging way to allow those exploring with their mouths an opportunity to explore sensory play.

Grab a bag of stale or expired cereal. Blend it. Pour it and play!

Add in your favorite scoops, bowls, animals, diggers or Dino’s and have fun!

Follow @aplayfilledlife for more ways to learn and play!

Follow along with @aplayfilledlife for more ways to learn and play!
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Sensory play | teacher | kids activities | motor skills | fine motor | sensory | rainbow | stem

This has been on rotation for years because it takes a simple classic (water play) and reinvigorates it!

Hide anything in the water: plastic coins, letters, gems, plastic animals…then let them search, find, scoop and pour!

Not only are you strengthening fine motor skills, but you are also working on object permanence, balance, coordination, problem solving and more!

Have fun 😊
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#sensory #sensoryplayideas #sensoryplay

You can’t beat baking soda + vinegar. It’s simple, fun and magical every single time!

Comment PATTY for a free 22 page St.Patrick’s Day packet. Perfect to print and go!
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Sensory play | sensory | st.patricks day | kids | fizzy activity | STEM | science for kids | toddlers |learning | play | keep kids busy

Does this stop tantrums totally or make it so my kids never forget a task? No.

Does it help move us all through the tantrum? Yes.

Does it offer a consistent response and keep me from yelling? Yes.

Does it teach and support self-regulation, expectations & grab their attention?! YES!!!

Most of what I say, I do so using melodic intonation because it truly does work!

What questions do you have?!

We have somehow gotten to a place where people tell you that a child has to be calm and quiet and still in order to be regulated and that’s just not true.

Instead of teaching “good” and “bad behaviors, I encourage you to look at individual behaviors and actions and teach/redirect to when they are ok and when they are not ok.

It’s also important to mention that regulation is going to look different from person to person depending on age, developmental stage, exposure to strategies, etc!

Hitting your brother is not appropriate but perhaps hitting a pillow is ok. It could sound like this, “I can’t let you hit your brother. Hitting hurts. You can hit this pillow.”

Perhaps you can’t run in a supermarket, but it’s very appropriate to run outdoors.

Perhaps you can’t roll around the floor at a restaurant but it’s very appropriate at your home or in your yard.

Perhaps talking loudly isn’t appropriate for the classroom but perfectly ok at recess.

What are your thoughts?!

Follow along with @aplayfilledlife for more ways to learn and play!

There is so much learning going on here, all while giving her little body and brain what they need!

I swear by this counting bears, as a teacher and a mama. They are pure magic and can teach kids alllllll the things!

Comment BEAR if you want the link to them!

Comment SUN for links to the materials you need PLUS our blog post that shares exactly how to make these beauties!!

Our Sun Catchers have brought so much joy to our family over the years. Can you believe they’re made out of a recycled cardboard box?!

They are pure magic each and every time!
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DIY | recycled | recycled craft | sun catcher | reuse | recycle | arts and crafts | summer sun | summer fun | arts and crafts | kids activities

Our recipe is soft, squishy & simple! It only requires TWO ingredients and is a perfect starter dough for those beginning to explore sensory play.

Comment ‘green’ & I’ll send you our blog post for the BEST cloud Dough ever! You can also access it directly on my website🫶🏽
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Play dough |dough recipe | sensory play | sensory bin | cloud dough | APFL | winter fun | holiday theme | kids activity | activities for kids | toddler fun | playtime

This was a kindergarten center in my classroom and it was on repeat.

Use coins or Dino’s or legos or anything small you have. Push it half way into play dough and let them use tongs or their fingers to pull them out and put them in a bucket. There is so much good happening here!!

Place the bucket next to their opposite hand so they’re crossing the midline as they plop it in!

Have fun💚

What questions do you have about sensory play?!

Be sure to follow along with @aplayfilledlife for more ways to learn and play!

Comment RAINBOW for our full blog post with THREE different methods of dying a dry sensory base, benefits of sensory play and storage questions!

Do we do this activity on repeat? Yes.

Is it one that all four of my kids can explore together? Yes.

Is it strengthening motor skills, while they play? Yes.

Is it magical every. Single. Time. ALSO YES!!

Baking soda + glitter + food coloring + white vinegar.

You can skip the food coloring and/or the glitter and it’s still just as magical!

Have fun, friend!
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St Patrick’s Day | kids activities | kids activity | toddler | holiday fun | playing | science | stem | parents

This large bin is $8 AND IT SPINS!!! The extra sensory goodness there is 10/10!!!!

Comment BIN and I’ll send the link your way! Happy playing ❤️

I have raved about using q-tips for writing and crafting for yearsssss for good reason. As a teacher who worked closely with the therapy team, q-tips were always in rotation during center time.

Comment TRACE for this free 7-page packet!

Using a q-tip helps to work on dexterity, proper pencil grip and hand-eye coordination. It also helps a child learn how much force to apply when writing. Look at those fingers go! The benefits are endless!

Comment BEARS for all of our favorite STEM supplies and follow @aplayfilledlife for more fun ways to learn and play!

Once a month in my first grade classroom we would do STEM grab bags. Kids were grouped together and given a bag of materials and a task. That task required planning, collaboration, executing and problem solving!

The first graders were tasked with building a structure that could hold as many bears as possible. I differentiated this for my two year old by having her sort by color and balance the bears!

There are SO many skills hard at work here!!

Other materials that are great for STEM grab bags:
-paper towel rolls
-egg cartons
-string
-straws
-index cards

Comment DOUGH & I’ll send you my full blog post with the recipe, variations, storage tips & a free printable recipe card! PLUS two free rainbow printables for literacy and math!

I made this recipe 23 years ago (🫣) at a HeadStart preschool and I have been loyal to it ever since.

It’s soft, it’s squishy & it lasts 6 months or longer! It’s a perfect recipe to make together as a family and it truly never ever fails.
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Sensory play | recipe | diy | sensory bin | play dough | playdoh | cooking with kids | toddlers | fine motor | Prek | parenting | parents | kids | activities | tactile | play

There is a $3 green silicone mold in the @target bullseye spot right now and it made these giant, fantastic, fizzy cubes!

Comment rainbow for our blog post with full directions and benefits!

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Impactful, Simple, Hands-on Play

Explore Activities by Category

Try Our Latest Activities

Digger Dirt: Construction-themed play dough tutorial

How to dye a dry sensory base: couscous

Rainbow Sun Catcher Wings Tutorial

In-Person Sensory Classes

Workshops

Our Recent Partnerships & Features

A Play Filled Life E-Books

A Play Filled Life Printables

Hi, Friends!

play alongside us @aplayfilledlife

Join our newsletter and receive a FREE 35 page Social-Emotional Packet! (digital download)

Looking for tips to nurture mindfulness? Grab our FREE Social-Emotional Packet!

Impactful, Simple, Hands-on Play

Explore Activities by Category

Try Our Latest Activities

In-Person Sensory Classes

Workshops

Our Recent Partnerships & Features

A Play Filled Life E-Books

A Play Filled Life Printables

Hi, Friends!

play alongside us @aplayfilledlife

​

Join our newsletter and receive a FREE 35 page Social-Emotional Packet! (digital download)