Shapes and shaving cream, together at last! Messy sensory play is a blast when we combine shapes and shaving cream. If you want to try this sensory play, I urge you to grab the shaving cream ASAP. This morning was a perfect time for us, lasting over an hour.
Shapes and shaving cream engage sensory play.
Now that my almost six-year-old is off to Kindergarten, one question haunts me.
Did we PLAY enough?
Now I know. You come here for ideas for playing. So, in the big scheme of things, the answer is yes, we did play enough. Even our list of toddler activities is packed with ideas for learning through play.
But you see, having my son start BIG school has me glaring over their daily schedule, knowing there is no turning back time.
When are these Kindergartners playing other than during recess?
There is so much curriculum that it takes a lot of energy to understand how to teach and integrate content through play. I get it. It is a very tall order to teach both at the same time.
So, with this, I am desperate to make sure my children, who are still home with me, have plenty of time to play. This shaving cream activity is the ticket in!
Is shaving cream taste safe?
NO. My two-year-old and four-year-old understand that shaving cream does not go into the mouth or anywhere on the face.
I remind the boys that shaving cream does not taste safe and will be put away if it goes into their mouths.
Typically, this is enough to keep shaving cream out of their mouths, and my boys understand our sensory play guidelines. (Most of the time, I stay close as they play, ensuring the shaving cream activity goes as planned.)
RELATED: If shaving cream is your jam, be sure to check out these 12 shaving cream sensory activities.
Why is playing with shaving cream important?
Like most sensory play, this shaving cream activity gets toddlers and preschoolers thinking.
- Encourage creativity
- Engage critical thinking – will the two stick if I add this here?
- Expose children to a new texture
- Stimulate the senses
Here, I added our foam shape blocks for the boys to explore how different shapes can fit in one another and be stacked.
RELATED: Introducing sensory play can be simple! Start here if you are new to sensory play.
Supplies
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Foam Blocks
Foam blocks are great for indoor play, building in the shower, or taking outside for this messy sensory play idea.
Shaving Cream
Full transparency: I don’t love how shaving cream smells, so we play with it outside.
Setting up this shaving cream activity was SUPER simple!
- First, I used my husband’s old indoor cycling mat and laid it in the driveway. I find these to have a nice cushion for children to play on.
- Remember, a beach towel or plastic shower liner also works well if you do not have a mat.
- Next, I added shaving cream squares into small bowls my boys use for play. I also supplied them with plastic utensils.
- I reminded the boys that shaving cream is for hands only, and they were off!
RELATED: Fly in your Shapes is another hands-on activity to review shapes!
Messy sensory play clean up
No worries. The cleanup was just as much fun as this shaving cream activity. Naturally, it lent itself to water play, and many messy sensory play ideas can be cleaned up with a hose.
I placed the mats near our hose so everything got washed down when the boys were officially finished. – including the boys!
Finally, I laid the foam blocks out for the sun to dry, tossed the boy’s wet clothes in the washing machine, and continued our day. – Easy Peasy.
You will love this shaving cream activity! So, let’s bring on the shaving cream and watch them explore!
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Messy Play FAQ
Messy play is essentially a form of sensory play. Sensory play has been a proven form of hands-on learning that helps young children explore their curiosities and develop independence.
There are so many things that children can learn from messy play. Building confidence, strengthening fine motor skills, and helping to build the imagination are just some things toddlers can learn from messy play.
There are many fun and creative ways to use shaving cream for sensory play. Mix shaving cream with legos for building, food coloring for painting, and toys for good old sensory exploration.