Looking for a new set of colors to explore? Try water play with neon colors! Water play is, hands down, my saving grace to motherhood. It gives my preschoolers the time to explore transporting, measuring, and pouring as I wash the dishes after breakfast. I know, how exciting, right? #momlife But I am grateful for these moments to catch my breath and get things done.
RELATED: How can you implement sensory learning at home? Here’s how we introduce sensory play.
You can find us ankle-deep in ice sensory play when we are not working on Breakfast Invitations. So after almost 44 days of summer and water play fun, we’ve spiced things up.
Move over primary colors; we’ve found NEON!
RELATED: Activities exploring sorting, blending, and matching colors. Here are our favorite color activities for kids.
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Sensory play promotes collaboration.
Sensory play such as this help my boys learn how to collaborate and work together. And I get it. Setting up sensory at home can be intimidating. Here is a guide I wrote to help introduce sensory play to kids at home.
Now here is a little tip for preschool activities.
Use what you have.
Can you believe it is that simple? Sure, we need some things here and there to get started, such as neon food coloring, squirt bottles, and a storage bin. But after that, the world is your oyster. Find it. Use it. And you will use your outdoor sensory supplies many times after that.
Supplies
What is excellent about this sensory bin supply list is that you will be able to use them again and again. There is something about a squirt bottle and water that never gets old.
We use these squirt bottles for color mixing, squirting number, and splashing the alphabet. – All super fun games that you can set up in minutes!
These squirt bottles are also helping our preschoolers prepare for writing and pencil grip when ready!
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Squeeze Bottles
Strengthen those little hands with squeezy bottles. You can fill these with paint, water, whatever!
Squirt Bottles
I’ve tested a lot of squirt bottles, and these continue to be my favorite!
Neon Food Coloring
I’ve tested a lot of squirt bottles, and these continue to be my favorite!
The SUPER SIMPLE setup:
By now, my boys have pretty much taken setting up their sensory bin. They have plenty of sensory bin activities and know where to find what they need. If you are new to sensory play, this is an absolute favorite for toddlers and preschoolers.
- Add three to five drops of food coloring to each squeeze container.
- Fill the rest of the container with water.
- Cap the squeeze bottle and shake it up.
I tossed some cotton balls for absorption observations, and off they went! They were STOKED about their new neon food coloring. Use this collection of outdoor sensory supplies to keep the play going all afternoon.
Water play is open-ended
There is no definitive start or finish, leaving plenty of room for investigation. You can even ask simple open-ended questions to extend their thinking:
- What happened when you mixed neon red with neon purple?
- How is the clear squirt bottle different than the colored ones?
- When we add ice, what happens to the other colors? Are there any changes?
When will you try neon water play and explore?
FAQ
Water and a few kitchen supplies make a fun water table for toddlers and preschoolers. Our favorite supplies are funnels, food coloring to change the color of the water, and measuring cups.
The purpose of water play is to allow a child to learn by doing. Water tables support concepts such as capacity, filling, dumping, pouring, scooping, and calming the mind. Water play helps with hand-eye coordination, gross motor skills, and holding a steady hand.
Sensory water play is just like it sounds. It is a sensory bin with water. Keep the water level low for younger children and stay close as your child plays with the water.
