My preschoolers get a kick out of the book Dragons Love Tacos. They think it’s hysterical and probably now eat more tacos. #momwin. So when I thought about extending the story after reading it with my preschoolers, a Dragons Love Tacos Activity with Jell-o felt right. Let’s call this a super spicy salsa Jello wash. Can you say that three times fast? It is a gelatin sensory activity with a messy twist.
RELATED: Catch all my summer sensory bins in one place.
Book talk, Dragons Love Tacos
Have you read the book Dragons Love Tacos? I mean, how many times can you read a book before it becomes an obsessive habit? Since we’ve read this book dozens of times, I decided to create a book box to go along with it.
A book box is a way to help your preschooler retell a familiar story. It has supplies that can act as props for story retells.
A book box can help build comprehension with our preschoolers. As we read, we can retell familiar stories, including key details, ask and answer questions, and identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
Using props to retell a familiar story is a lot of fun! Here is a list of book activities we enjoy playing at home.
RELATED: Searching for great books? Me too! Here is a list of my favorite kid books.
Supplies
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- Containers
- Dragons Love Tacos book.
- Play food
- Scrub brush (lots of play with this 7-pack)
- Two boxes of Jello
RELATED: Keep all of your sensory supplies in one place! We’ve used this specific collection for years.
How to Prep the gelatin sensory bin
- Make the gelatin according to the directions in a plastic container. (I used three boxes) PRO TIP: Make sure your container will fit in your refrigerator.
- Stir in the washed plastic food items. Make sure you include peppers to make your salsa super spicy.
- Place in the refrigerator until playtime!
PRO TIP: Use a storage bin for your refrigerator. This way, it will easily fit when making the gelatin, and you then have a great container for future use.
Ready to play? Do this.
Now that your gelatin sensory bin is ready, you’ll need a few items to set up.
- Add soapy water to a small bin.
- Gather the scrub brushes.
- Place a drying towel near the bins.
- Invite your toddler or preschooler to wash the veggies out of the “salsa”.
Now you are ready to read the book, and take the story to retell outdoors with a fun sensory activity! Next, peek around our favorite Kindergarten books for even more great reads.
When will your preschoolers retell Dragons Love Tacos with this Jello activity?
Who has time to search for ideas?
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Gelatin sensory bin FAQ
Yes, the gelatin is absolutely sticky and also so much fun. Keep the soapy water bin next to each child playing so they can rinse off as they play.
Use items you have in your kitchen for sensory play. Kitchen items explore size, shape, capacity, movement, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, and discovery. My favorite items for sensory play are muffin tins, large ladles, ice cube trays, funnels, and whisks.
Making sure your child is safe is a top priority. When starting sensory play with babies or young children, sit close and ensure there are no items your child will choke on. Here is my guide on how to introduce sensory play.
