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Adaptive on-line reading program.

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As part of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting school/after school closures, BookNook is offering remote access at no cost to new partners through the end of the School Year. Learn More

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As part of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting school/after school closures, BookNook is offering remote access at no cost to new partners through the end of the School Year. Learn More

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Open-ended, unstructured play activites for the home

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Fun, simple open-ended activities for children at home!

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Instructional video on how to support children's play using loose parts

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Loose Parts Play - Supporting children's Innovative thinking and learning throughout all of the developmental domains,

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Books read in Spanish

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Chicken Little

A modern adaptation of the classic tale: What happens when a completely normal chicken believes everything he reads on the internet? This story is written in the present tense, because it's a good thing to learn.

The Bird and the Whale

Our first ever original story, about a bird and a whale and their shared love of little fish. Inspired by a song by Tom Waits, and an episode of Adventure Time.

The Three Little Pigs

The classic tale of shoddy building materials, DIY folly, and the perils of emparedados de tocino (a.k.a bacon sandwiches). No pigs or wolves were harmed in the making of this story.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Why you should probably lock your door when you go out for a walk, even if you live en medio de un gran bosque. Why are the three bowls of sopa different temperatures when they were poured at the same time? Science, is why.

Little Red Riding Hood

A deeply troubling investigation into what happens when you let your children walk somewhere alone: Caperucita Roja eats fresas, picks margaritas and talks to el Gran Lobo Feroz on the way to Grandma's house. (Warning: Contains highly improbable medical scenes.)

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Spanish Children's Stories - The Spanish Experiment

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A modern adaptation of the classic tale: What happens when a completely normal chicken believes everything he reads on the internet? This story is written in the present tense, because it's a good thing to learn. Our first ever original story, about a bird and a whale and their shared love of little fish.

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Learning Policy Institute: Learning in Time of COVID-19

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Learning Policy Institute: Learning in Time of COVID-19

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Among these resources are many targeted to social and emotional learning as well as content learning, to English learners and to students with disabilities, to teachers who are learning new on-line pedagogies, and to parents who are learning to support their children's education at home.

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Free resources and at-home activities for littles

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Free access codes

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Virtual Resource Library

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There are a number of online professional development opportunities available to early childhood educators and coaches. Here are our team's recommendations. Please see below for descriptions and links:
San Francisco ECE Virtual Library
The San Francisco ECE Virtual Library is making tracking resources easier by using a single online resource with information from organizations, including from Meda, Children's Council, ECESF, EDvance, First 5, OECE, and Wu Yee Children's Services to keep all information updated and in one place.
CA State Department of Education Online Training
The State Department of Education has an online learning site called CECO Online. There are tons of modules that teachers can choose from and complete for professional growth hours. Most modules are in English, but some are in Spanish.
NAEYC Member Online Learning
These online resources provide self-paced, interactive learning that connects professional knowledge to daily practice through practical strategies that bolster best instructional approaches. You need to be an NAEYC member to access this resource.
Protective Factors Online Training
This series of online training courses supports implementation of the Strengthening Families™ Protective Factors Framework in multiple settings. It is recognized by the State of California and will meet OECE requirements.
First 5 California's PD2GO
This website contains a series of 15-minute professional development modules. The site contains DLL-specific content focused on systems supports, enhancing interactions, and assessment.
Center on the Developing Child Online Resources
Harvard University's website on the science of early childhood development includes wonderful podcasts and videos that focus on brain development, mental health, and toxic stress. Users can search resources by media types, topics, and languages. It has resources in many translated languages.
Teachstone
This website has a robust resource page with webinars, info sheets, and more. It's great for learning about the CLASS.

Last modified: April 13, 2020

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(Updated 4/10/2020) Online Professional Development Resources for Educators

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There are a number of online professional development opportunities available to early childhood educators and coaches. Here are our team's recommendations. Please see below for descriptions and links: San Francisco ECE Virtual Library The San Francisco ECE Virtual Library is making tracking resources easier by using a single online resource with information from organizations, including from Meda, Children's Council, ECESF, EDvance, First 5, OECE, and Wu Yee Children's Services to keep all information updated and in one place.

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Early Edge CA Distance Learning Webinars

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Early Edge CA Distance Learning Webinars

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The mandate to close schools in California and engage in distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the way that Early Learning teachers are able to engage with their students. To support the current needs of our teachers and the young children they work with, Early Edge California is designing a series of webinars to provide new tools for teaching from home.

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The mandate to close schools in California and engage in distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the way that Early Learning teachers are able to engage with their students. To support the current needs of our teachers and the young children they work with, Early Edge California is designing a series of webinars to provide new tools for teaching from home.

Offered in English and Spanish, the complimentary webinar will be led by Carola Oliva-Olson, Ph.D., CSU Channel Islands Associate Professor of Early Childhood Studies, and Anna Arambula, CSU Channel Islands Lead Instructor and a coach for the Language Learning Project.

View can also view the presentation slides and additional materials for our distance learning webinars.
Aprendizaje a distancia: cómo leer cuentos con bebés y niños pequeños

Este seminario virtual proporcionará una breve introducción a las estrategias de Aprendizaje personalizado del lenguaje (s) oral (es), (POLL Strategies),explicará cómo estas estrategias pueden ayudar a los profesionales de educación temprana y cuidadores de niños a apoyar el desarrollo del lenguaje oral para bebes y niños pequeños y proveerá una demostración de lectura en voz alta utilizando estas técnicas. Exploraremos formas de apoyar el desarrollo social y emocional durante estos tiempos difíciles que enfrentan los niños y las familias.
Mira la grabación del seminario web Distance Learning: How to Read Books with Infants & Toddlers

This webinar will provide a brief introduction to Personalized Oral Language(s) Learning (POLL) strategies, explain how these strategies can support ECE educators and caregivers in supporting oral language development in infants and toddlers and provide a reading aloud demonstration using these techniques. We will explore ways to support social and emotional development during these difficult times that children and families are encountering.
Watch the webinar recording
Past Webinars in the Series
Aprendizaje a distancia: cómo leer cuentos con niños preescolares
Este seminario virtual proporcionará una breve introducción a las estrategias de Aprendizaje personalizado del lenguaje (s) oral (es), (POLL Strategies), explicará cómo estas estrategias pueden ayudar a los profesionales de educación temprana a apoyar el desarrollo del lenguaje oral y proveerá una demostración de lectura en voz alta utilizando estas técnicas. Exploraremos formas de apoyar el desarrollo social y emocional durante estos tiempos difíciles que enfrentan los niños y las familias.
Mira la grabación del seminario web Distance Learning: How to Read Books with Preschoolers
This webinar will provide a brief introduction to Personalized Oral Language(s) Learning (POLL) strategies, explain how these strategies can support ECE educators in supporting oral language development, and provide a reading aloud demonstration using these techniques. We will explore ways to support social and emotional development during these difficult times that children and families are encountering.
Watch the webinar recording
About the Presenters:
Carola Oliva-Olson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Early Childhood Studies,
California State University, Channel Islands
Dr. Carola Oliva-Olson is an Associate Professor at California State University Channel Islands. She leads a California Department of Education early childhood workforce grant that currently supports approximately 300 students in California. She has recently been appointed to the Governor's Early Childhood Policy Council. Her work includes preparing early care and education teachers to effectively work with children and their families from birth to age eight. She is a member of the First 5 Ventura Commission, Early Edge California Advisory Board, and a national independent consultant for dual language early learning efforts. Dr. Oliva-Olson is a bilingual former toddler, preschool, kindergarten, first and second grade teacher and coach.

Anna Arambula
Lead Instructor, Dual Language Learning at California State University, Channel Islands
Coach, Language Learning Project

Mrs. Arambula is a lead instructor for English and Spanish courses in dual language learning for young children at California State University Channel Islands. She supports the development and translation of course content and is the training and community of practice lead for all instructors. She is also the Coach for the Language Learning Project in Fresno. Mrs. Arambula holds a Master of Arts degree in early childhood education and is a former infant, toddler, and preschool bilingual teacher and administrator for an Early Head Start program in Fresno County.

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Early Edge California Hosts Distance Learning Webinars

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The mandate to close schools in California and engage in distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the way that Early Learning teachers are able to engage with their students.

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Hands-on activities with cheap/avaialble materials

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The Exploratorium, established in 1969, is an internationally renowned museum of art, science, and human perception located in San Francisco, California. Its hundreds of hands-on exhibits are designed to promote science discovery. The Exploratorium Teacher Institute has supported middle and high school math and science teachers to incorporate hands-on, inquiry-rich experiences into their classrooms since 1984.

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The Exploratorium , established in 1969, is an internationally renowned museum of art, science, and human perception located in San Francisco, California. Its hundreds of hands-on exhibits are designed to promote science discovery. The Exploratorium Teacher Institute has supported middle and high school math and science teachers to incorporate hands-on, inquiry-rich experiences into their classrooms since 1984.

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An activity for everyday of the week

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Resources for you to help plan and execute a successful Week of the Young Child!

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Interactive videos: read-alouds, songs, yoga, etc.

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"educational videos for kids" "learn colors" "learn shapes" "learn numbers" "learn letters" "the alphabet" abc's "jamaroo kids" education "educational videos for preschoolers" "educational videos for babies" kids ece "early childhood" toddler preschool activities "kids activities" "childrens activities" "ece curriculum" "early childhood curriculum" "toddler songs" "toddler music" "preschool songs" "preschool music" jamaroo "jamaroo kids" "educational video" "barefoot books" read-a-long storytime children "childrens books" "childrens stories" "story time" books "nursery rhymes"

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JAMaROO Kids has been specializing in developmentally appropriate dance, music, yoga and art classes for young children since 2004. Make sure you SUBSCRIBE t...

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Interactive videos: read-alouds, songs, yoga, etc.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
"educational videos for kids" "learn colors" "learn shapes" "learn numbers" "learn letters" "the alphabet" abc's "jamaroo kids" education "educational videos for preschoolers" "educational videos for babies" kids ece "early childhood" toddler preschool activities "kids activities" "childrens activities" "ece curriculum" "early childhood curriculum" "toddler songs" "toddler music" "preschool songs" "preschool music" jamaroo "jamaroo kids" "educational video" "barefoot books" read-a-long storytime children "childrens books" "childrens stories" "story time" books "nursery rhymes"

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JAMaROO Kids has been specializing in developmentally appropriate dance, music, yoga and art classes for young children since 2004. Make sure you SUBSCRIBE t...

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Fun Alphabet Song

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MISTER B’s Learning Hive Kids Songs Nursery Rhymes

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Anthony Broughton| MiSTER B: "Watch the Letters get down": In the B-Hive with MISTER B

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Live PBS television, videos, and online games

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Educational games and videos from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Wild Kratts and other PBS KIDS shows!

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Over 500+ Sesame Street videos

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Search Classroom Resources | PBS LearningMedia

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Find classroom resources for teachers and students. Search for videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards.

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Animal sound videos

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The voices of a loon, cat, wood stork, cuckoo, and two owls are the sole musical instruments in this furry (and feathery) arrangement of the classic, Fur Elise, composed by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, performed by a cuckoo, cricket, bull, loon, owl, flicker, cardinal, goldfinch, bunting, cat, pigeon, alligator, seagull, whale, puffin, dolphin, and others.

On a more serious note, the Switch Zoo Animal Orchestra performs two compositions by Eric Satie to describe a selection of Ansel Adams photos. Don't miss the sound machine, and a 'making-of' interview with the arranger.

A short film that dares to ask the questions: "Did animals build Switch Zoo? Can a fading photograph and a never-before-seen film unravel the mystery of Switch Zoo's origin?"

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The voices of a loon, cat, wood stork, cuckoo, and two owls are the sole musical instruments in this furry (and feathery) arrangement of the classic, Fur Elise, composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, performed by a cuckoo, cricket, bull, loon, owl, flicker, cardinal, goldfinch, bunting, cat, pigeon, alligator, seagull, whale, puffin, dolphin, and others.

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Read aloud videos for toddlers

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Ad personalization is turned off for this account or content, so this ad is not customized based on your data. This ad is based on other factors (for example, the time of day or your general location).

Visit Google's Ad Settings to learn more about how ads are targeted or to opt out of personalized ads.

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Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

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Sensory exploration

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Have you tried making your kids sensory bags?

They are so much fun! Kids love playing with them, and they are easy to make. Plus, there are endless possibilities.

If you're looking for inspiration or a new idea to try, here is a huge list of sensory bags to make.

20 Sensory Bags To Make

Ocean - This fun bag looks just the deep blue ocean! via Kids Activities Blog

Fall - This is so fun and festive for fall. via Fun Littles

Baby Water Blob - Even the little ones can play with this fun sensory bag. via Kids Activities Blog

Halloween - Here are three fun bags for Halloween that your kids will love! via Plain Vanilla Mom

Googley Eyes - Green and gooey, this bag is perfect for Halloween! via Clare's Little Tots

More Sensory Activities

Watermelon - This squishy bag looks and feels like the inside of a watermelon. What a fun way to play without making a mess! via Fantastic Fun and Learning

Playdough - Flattened playdough and a few shiny pom poms make a fun baby activity. via Simple Fun For Kids

Nature - Use things you find outside on a nature walk to make this fun suncatcher sensory bag. via Hands On As We Grow

Lava Lamp - This is so fun - make your own little lava lamp bag that glows! via Growing A Jeweled Rose

Christmas Tree - Perfect for the holidays, make this Christmas tree sensory bag! via Mom Inspired Life

Fun DIY Sensory Activity Bags

Goo Bag - Play with goo without making a huge mess. This bag is so fun for little hands. via Hello Bee

Sparkle Snow - This sensory bag is so awesome, and perfect for winter! via Growing A Jeweled Rose

Night Sky - This is beautiful and looks like the night sky. So fun. via Learning And Exploring Through Play

Magnetic Polka Dots - Inspired by the book Press Here, this is one of my favorite sensory bags ever! via Mama Papa Bubba

Snowflakes - Perfect for winter, this snowflake bag is so much fun. via B-Inspired Mama

Frozen - This winter sensory bag is perfect for the snowy months. via A Little Pinch of Perfect

Red Apples - This activity goes with the book Ten Red Apples, and is fun for little hands. via I Can Teach My Child

Gelatin Squish Bag - This one is edible! via Stay At Home Educator

Learn To Write - For a fun pre-writing activity, make these sensory bags! via Pre-School Play

Grinch - Watch the Grinch Stole Christmas this holiday and then make this fun bag! via Growing A Jeweled Rose

More Fun Sensory Activities

Which of these sensory bags did your kids enjoy playing with the most? Let us know in the comments below, we'd love to hear! Also, be sure to join us over on our Facebook page.

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Have you tried making your kids sensory bags? They are so much fun! Kids love playing with them, and they are easy to make. Plus, there are endless possibilities. If you're looking for inspiration or a new idea to try, here is a huge list of sensory bags to make.

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Books read in Spanish

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Chicken Little

A modern adaptation of the classic tale: What happens when a completely normal chicken believes everything he reads on the internet? This story is written in the present tense, because it's a good thing to learn.

The Bird and the Whale

Our first ever original story, about a bird and a whale and their shared love of little fish. Inspired by a song by Tom Waits, and an episode of Adventure Time.

The Three Little Pigs

The classic tale of shoddy building materials, DIY folly, and the perils of emparedados de tocino (a.k.a bacon sandwiches). No pigs or wolves were harmed in the making of this story.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Why you should probably lock your door when you go out for a walk, even if you live en medio de un gran bosque. Why are the three bowls of sopa different temperatures when they were poured at the same time? Science, is why.

Little Red Riding Hood

A deeply troubling investigation into what happens when you let your children walk somewhere alone: Caperucita Roja eats fresas, picks margaritas and talks to el Gran Lobo Feroz on the way to Grandma's house. (Warning: Contains highly improbable medical scenes.)

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Spanish Children's Stories - The Spanish Experiment

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A modern adaptation of the classic tale: What happens when a completely normal chicken believes everything he reads on the internet? This story is written in the present tense, because it's a good thing to learn. Our first ever original story, about a bird and a whale and their shared love of little fish.

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Different ways to manipulate tape in fun ways around the house

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Make edible paint with yogurt and food coloring and/or naturally colored foor puree.

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Present a variety of safe house hold object for littles to lift, roll, touch, and explore.

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Creating different sounds while your little shakes, bangs, and taps.

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Following on from the playful success of the Shiny & Reflective Treasure Basket I decided to create another purposeful collection of objects to encourage AJ's hands-on exploration of a fascination I have recently observed - at fourteen months she loves exploring everyday objects to see what sounds and noises they make.

Into our basket went...
Items to shake to make noise:

Two small, clear juice bottles - one with a small collection of buttons, the other a small amount of macaroni. The lids are fastened securely. If you are worried that your baby or toddler might be able to remove a lid be sure to glue it into place or to chose items that do not constitute a choking hazard.

A wooden curtain ring with four bells securely attached with short lengths of ribbon (see below)

A wooden curtain ring with four plastic shower curtain rings attached (see below)

Two small plastic canisters with lids - one with a small amount of rice and the other with sand

Items to tap and bang:

A soup spoon

A wooden tapping stick from a commercial instrument

Two pot lids from toy pots - one metal, one plastic

One metal toy pot

Two flat stones (AJ likes to tap stones together)

One seashell

First to capture her interest were the juice bottles. AJ would shake one and then the other, then return to the first. As she continued to explore the other objects in the basket she would return again and again to shaking the bottles. They have quickly become much loved 'toys' and I will definitely be adding more with different objects inside that generate a range of different sounds when shaken.

The curtain ring shakers are carefully examined.

The spoon is used to bang the pot and the juice bottles. The wooden tapping stick is enthusiastically banged on many of the objects in the basket.

It's wonderful to watch her compare the noises made as she bangs on one object and then another.

One thing I have enjoyed with this basket is watching Immy come along later to explore the basket herself, interacting with AJ and exposing her to even more ways to combine the objects to make noise (for example, banging the pot lids together). This basket has been lots of shaky, bangy, tappy, noisy fun!
Tell me what fascinates your baby or toddler right now. Related Posts
Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.

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Activities for Babies: Exploring Sound Treasure Basket

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Following on from the playful success of the Shiny & Reflective Treasure Basket I decided to create another purposeful collection of objects to encourage AJ's hands-on exploration of a fascination I have recently observed - at fourteen months she loves exploring everyday objects to see what sounds and noises they make.

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Feeling the difference in temperature, good for tummy time.

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Oh goodness... Have this little guy and I ever been having fun lately! When Miss G was this same age, we were in a major state of transition { hello packing up an entire life overseas, moving home to Canada, staying with family for several months, and then resettling in a different city} and doing fun little activities probably wasn't at the very top of my priority list. But this time around, things are different... We're a year into being back in Canada {for the second time}, Miss G is now in school full days {*gasp*}, and I get to spend my days with our sweet little preemie babe who seems to be curious about almost everything.

Today's fun? Exploring hot and cold - a very simple activity inspired by the curious little hands wanting to investigate my cup of morning coffee. ☺

{this post contains affiliate links}

In order to make playing with ice and hot water baby safe, I turned to my collection of plastic VOSS water bottles. You can use any sort of bottles for sensory activities like this one of course, but I love these because of their completely smooth surface and wide mouth. Plus the stickers remove perfectly if you're careful about it, which is a total perk in my books. {Fellow Canadians, you can find plastic VOSS water bottles at Shopper's Drug Mart, just fyi.}

I simply filled one bottle with ice and the other with hot {but obviously not scalding} tap water...

And put them out for Sam to investigate.

Of course they went straight into his mouth - his number one tool for investigating the world around him.

At first I just sat back and watched him take everything in {while taking way too many photos, of course}... He patted them, gnawed on them, licked them, and looked at them inquisitively.

Part way through I did introduce both the signs for 'hot' and 'cold' to him, but more than anything, I just let him investigate independently.

{By the way, can we just talk about this sitting for a minute?! Goooo, Sam!}

Our little hot / cold investigation lasted for more than 25 minutes, which I think is pretty incredible when it comes to a baby sticking with one thing for a period of time. He was genuinely really interested and went back and forth between the two bottles again and again.

Here he is at the end of our play...

When we were done I simply emptied out the bottles and set them out to dry so that they're ready for us when we go to make our next set of sensory bottles.

Are you following us on social media? Find us on:
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We'd love to have you!

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{Baby Play} Exploring Hot and Cold - Mama.Papa.Bubba.

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Oh goodness... Have this little guy and I ever been having fun lately! When Miss G was this same age, we were in a major state of transition {hello packing up an entire life overseas, moving home to Canada, staying with family for several months, and then resettling in a different city} and doing fun...

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Developing hand-eye coordination

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A simple DIY activity for baby to play.

Creating activities for a 12 month old isn't the easiest task. Of course sensory activities are always a win, but beyond that - this age group of Tabies (part toddler, part baby) is a tricky one to plan for. That's why I was jumping for joy when I made this easy baby ball drop for my sweet one year old.

This baby activity was so simple to set up and yet, it held her attention for 14 minutes. That may not sound like a world record amount of time, but when you're talking about a 12 month old... 14 minutes may as well be forever. I did a Mom-happy dance and unloaded the dishwasher in peace. It was amazing.

How to make a Baby Ball Drop (3 easy steps).
(this list contains affiliate links)
First step is to thoroughly rinse out your wipes container. I went into an "overkill" level in cleaning this out. It has to be void of all chemicals. Run it through the dishwasher even. Just get it sparkling clean.

Next, I cut out the smallest inset pieces of the container - the part that cuts off the wipes (and always cuts my hand when I reach in!). It wasn't too tough to cut off but it did take an ounce of effort and maneuvering.

Last, hand that sucker over to baby with a bunch of balls. Stand back and watch the magic.

This activity held my daughter's attention for way longer than I ever expected. It was amazing to watch her skill level rapidly increase the longer she played it. Once she'd get all the balls into the container, I'd pop the top off and dump them for her - they just wouldn't fit back through the hole no matter how hard her little baby arms shook it!

What I saw when her playing this, I was amazed at the hand-eye coordination it took to do it. She was transferring from hand to hand, too - practicing so many important skills in this one little game.

Such a simple activity to build but my goodness does it ever grasp and hold a baby's attention. This set up as been promoted to the toy basket at our house - the highest honor for a toy at our house.

Baby Ball Drop for the win.

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Creating activities for a 12 month old isn't the easiest task. Of course sensory activities are always a win, but beyond that - this age group of Tabies (part toddler, part baby) is a tricky one to plan for. That's why I was jumping for joy when I made this easy baby ball drop for my sweet one year old.

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Another fun manipulative.

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Age: approx. 6 months to 2 years

Materials: A metal bowl (the shallower the better.. if you don't have a metal bowl a plastic one will do) and a ball

Baby can tip and move the bowl to make the ball roll around

Turn the bowl upside down. With a metal bowl, baby can see their convex reflection.

Sit the ball on the top and watch it roll down, over and over.

Spin the bowl for baby so the ball whizzes round and round very fast

The surface is slippery. It is hard for baby to grasp the ball.

What great fine motor and hand-eye coordination practice!

Try multiple balls. Different colours, different sizes.

- Eye tracking (following an object with their eyes)

- Hand and eye coordination

- Cause and effect (ie. tipping the bowl makes the ball move towards the lower side)
- Expectation

- About things that roll
- About reflecting light
- About rounded surfaces

- How to grasp objects on a slippery surface

- Emotions. Enjoyment & excitement.

- How to grasp small objects

- Sensory. Sight, reflection, light, touch, rounded edges, smooth surfaces etc.

- Simplify this activity by just showing baby the movement of the ball in the bowl. If they're not sitting, give them some tummy time looking at themselves in the upside down ball. Roll the ball down the side for them. Sit them in your lap and let them tip the ball and try using a ball that your baby can hold in one hand.

- Extend this activity for older babies by encouraging them to make the ball whiz around without it flying out. Talk to baby about the colours of the balls, the reflection of the metal etc.

- Mix it up by providing different sized bowls and balls. How many balls can whiz around at one time?

- Praise baby for their efforts

- Repeat this activity as often as you like as babies (and children) need repetition in order to consolidate their learning and understanding

- T alk to your baby about what they are doing. This will help them begin to understand the physical and mental processes they are going through as well as helping develop their vocabulary.

- Give your baby your time. It's the best gift you could ever give them.

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Age : approx. 6 months to 2 years Materials: A metal bowl (the shallower the better.. if you don't have a metal bowl a plastic one will do) and a ball Baby can tip and move the bowl to make the ball roll around Turn the bowl upside down.

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Using a plastic bag or bottle, littles can have a different kind of sensory experience

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Sensory bags are the perfect way to introduce babies to sensory play and keep them entertained during tummy time!

When I started this blog, my youngest was only 3 months old. She spent most of her time sleeping, eating, and swinging, so I didn't feel the need to involve her in our activities.

Now she's 7 months old and more curious about big sis's activities, particularly our sensory play activities.

I get that you need to keep your kids busy because you feel stressed about all the stuff you need to get done today. That's why my mission is to...
1. Find fun, quality kids' activities and show you step by step how to do them.
2. Save you time and energy by using supplies from around the house or show you where to easily get them.
3. Inspire you to be creative and play with your kids in new and exciting ways.

Babies (and a lot of toddlers!) put EVERYTHING in their mouths, so how do you keep them safe while still engaging them in sensory play?

The answer is a sensory bag!

WHAT'S A SENSORY BAG?

Sensory bags (sometimes called squish bags) are bags filled with items that engage children's senses, mostly the senses of touch and sight, and occasionally smell and sound.

You might prefer a sensory bag over a sensory bin if you've got little ones who mouth everything, want to keep messes completely contained, or have kids who don't like getting messy.

Sensory bags are also super portable!

I love using sensory bags with my babies. My oldest hated tummy time as a baby. We had a bag of green water that we used to entice her to play on her tummy.

Now that she's older, we've moved on to sensory bins. Here are a few of the bins we've made so far.

Sensory bins are basically the same as bags, except the filler is in a bin and will also contain interesting objects, like pinecones, and have materials to manipulate the filler, such as shovels and measuring cups and funnels.

Why Do Kids need Sensory Play?

Babies and toddlers benefit from sensory play activities through:

developing language skills,

learning to freely explore and investigate their world,

learning sensory attributes (i.e. hot, cold, wet, dry, soft, hard),

developing motor skills,

developing the skill of focus.

Sensory stimulation has been proven to calm those who are anxious and help them sleep better. This is great news for us parents!

I try to do at least one sensory play activity with my toddler every day, and now I'm trying to get the baby involved too!

17 Quick & Easy Sensory Bag FIllers

Sensory bags can be filled with whatever interesting things you don't want your kids putting into their mouths.

I like to use a variety of squishy and hard fillers when choosing bags to tape to the floor.
Some of our favorite fillers are:

Shaving cream

Dry pasta

Pom poms

Popcorn

Dyed rice

Salt

Drinking straws

Beads

Clear hair gel or shampoo

Water beads

Buttons

Leaves

Glitter and baby oil

Cereal

Chips

Crumpled paper balls

Oil and water (see instructions below)

Put no more than 3 cups of any of these fillers in your zip-top bag.

Side note: Most of these sensory bag fillers were previously used in our sensory bins!

How to Make an Oil & Water Sensory Bag

Making a colorful, mesmerizing oil & water sensory bag like the one below is easy peasy. I love the lava lamp effect and it really piqued the curiosity of my two-year-old, Ella.

Here's how I did it. I put a gallon zip-top plastic bag in a large bowl and poured 2 cups of oil in.

I used canola oil, but you could also use vegetable oil or baby oil;. it really doesn't matter.

Next, I stirred several drops of red food coloring (Ella's favorite color) into a half cup of water.

That went into the bag with the oil.

Then I zipped up the top and taped it shut with duct tape.

If you're going to let the little ones freely explore the oil and water bag, or any bag with wet ingredients, during sensory play time, I suggest double-bagging and making sure their nails are nice and trim!

We've had a couple instances where our bags have leaked from someone's pointy nail poking a hole in the bag 🙁

How We Played with Sensory Bags

I chose four sensory bag fillers: shaving cream, dry penne, oil and water, and pom poms. These four were a nice mix of different textures: squishy, hard, soft, and wet.

Then I taped the bags to the floor in a grid using duct tape. I was hesitant to use duct tape at first, but it didn't hurt my wood floors.

We only had them taped on for a day before I removed them. I wouldn't recommend using duct tape on the floor for longer than that.

The girls played very nicely together!

It was great to have bags large enough for the girls to play with together. Taping the bags down also kept the bags in one spot so the older one couldn't "steal" one away from the little one.

Baby was very interested in the colorful pom poms and kept trying to pick them up. She also really liked the shaving cream. I had put little googly eyes in there, but they didn't show up quite as well as I hoped. Clear gel would've been better.

Ella also liked trying to find the googly eyes. She also discovered you can make lines in the shaving cream through the bag.

And she had to try walking all over the bags!

They didn't pop!

The pasta did not get much attention this time around.

Chips, though, are another story...

Your Turn to make sensory bags
1. Choose four different fillers:
Wet

Shaving cream

Oil and water (go back to instructions here)

Clear hair gel or shampoo

Water beads

Dry

Buttons

Leaves

Glitter and baby oil

Cereal

Chips (just be prepared for these to be crushed beyond edibility)

Crumpled paper balls

Dry pasta

Pom poms

Popcorn

Dyed rice (use your sensory bin fillers!)

Salt

Drinking straws

Beads

2. Place no more than 3 cups of filler in a gallon-sized zip-top bag.
If using a liquid, double bag and tape the bags securely shut for extra security.
3. Tape the bags in a grid on the floor.
Or, if you have a big window, try taping the sensory bags there!

I hope these sensory bags keep your baby or toddler entertained today!

Comment below with your favorite filler. If you have a new one, I'd love to try it out and add it to my list!

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17 Sensory Bag Fillers to Entertain Babies & Toddlers 2023 - Entertain Your Toddler

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Entertain babies and toddlers with this indoor activity for sensory play. Sensory bags are a perfect way to introduce babies to sensory play activities.

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Books read in Spanish

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Chicken Little

A modern adaptation of the classic tale: What happens when a completely normal chicken believes everything he reads on the internet? This story is written in the present tense, because it's a good thing to learn.

The Bird and the Whale

Our first ever original story, about a bird and a whale and their shared love of little fish. Inspired by a song by Tom Waits, and an episode of Adventure Time.

The Three Little Pigs

The classic tale of shoddy building materials, DIY folly, and the perils of emparedados de tocino (a.k.a bacon sandwiches). No pigs or wolves were harmed in the making of this story.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Why you should probably lock your door when you go out for a walk, even if you live en medio de un gran bosque. Why are the three bowls of sopa different temperatures when they were poured at the same time? Science, is why.

Little Red Riding Hood

A deeply troubling investigation into what happens when you let your children walk somewhere alone: Caperucita Roja eats fresas, picks margaritas and talks to el Gran Lobo Feroz on the way to Grandma's house. (Warning: Contains highly improbable medical scenes.)

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Spanish Children's Stories - The Spanish Experiment

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A modern adaptation of the classic tale: What happens when a completely normal chicken believes everything he reads on the internet? This story is written in the present tense, because it's a good thing to learn. Our first ever original story, about a bird and a whale and their shared love of little fish.

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Activities and online resources for children during COVID-19

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Schools worldwide have closed in response to COVID-19, leaving parents and caregivers scrambling to find daily activities for their children.

Today (April 3) Live Science updated our list of lessons, games, science experiments, live demonstrations and virtual tours, to help you find options that are educational, creative and entertaining during this uncertain period of self-isolation, social distancing and quarantine.

Some of today's highlights include immersive virtual dives at marine sanctuaries; making dinosaur shadow puppets; behind-the-scenes glimpses and digital content from Shakespeare's Globe Theater; and a live butterfly camera.
Related: The ultimate kids' guide to the new coronavirus
New today (April 3)

Visit with butterflies from Central, South and North America in the San Diego Zoo's Hidden Jungle greenhouse, through their butterfly cam livestream. You can also find instructions for starting your own butterfly garden.

New York City-based bookworms can use their New York Public Library (NYPL) cards to check out any of 300,000 e-books in the NYPL collection, via the library's SimplyE app, available for iOS and Android.

Make dinosaur shadow puppets with templates from the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, and stage your own stories about these extinct giants.

Tour marine sanctuaries and ocean habitats with a collection of virtual dives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Dive into colorful coral reefs, swim with seals, or explore a shipwreck, sanctuary views can be seen on a personal computer or a smartphone.

Theater-lovers can browse a range of classroom activities from the legendary Shakespeare's Globe theater. Weekly blogs and other resources introduce the cast and crew behind a new production of "Macbeth," created especially for young audiences.

San Francisco's Exploratorium offers activities to help kids understand the science behind viruses, how they affect the human body, and how we can protect ourselves against infection.

How do butterflies eat? What's the difference between frogs and toads? The Nature Museum in Chicago has videos and activities to acquaint kids with the natural world and to inspire their curiosity about the plants and animals in their own backyards.

Resources from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute introduce students to the impacts of climate change on marine habitats; explain the adaptations of animals that live in the deep sea; and present the challenges faced by ecosystems invaded by nonnative species, such as the so-called zombie shrimp.

Head of the class

Scholastic launched a Learn at Home website with daily lessons that combine videos, stories and prompts for drawing and writing activities. Grade levels include pre-K and kindergarten, grades 1 and 2, grades 3 to 5, and grades 6 and up.

Khan Academy, a free online learning resource offering lessons, exercises and quizzes, has daily schedules for organizing at-home learning for students ages 4 to 18 years. On weekdays, Khan Academy is also offering daily livestreams on , and to help parents and educators best utilize the website's tools and resources.

Crash Course is a YouTube channel offering engaging educational videos suitable for high school students. The channel features a wide range of subjects, from anatomy to world history.

ABCmouse.com is offering a free 30-day trial of its comprehensive early learning academy for children aged 2-8 and includes educational games and activities designed by teachers.

In response to school closures, dozens of companies that produce educational materials have made their resources available as free subscriptions; you can find links on the Kids Activities website. Links to free K-12 educational resources such as audiobooks, e-books, videos, multimedia materials and more are also available on the Open Culture website.

PBS KIDS and PBS LearningMedia are offering tools to help support learning at home, including educational videos and games from favorite series, and related skill-building offline activities.

Subscribe to Time Magazine's Time for Kids for elementary and middle school students, digital subscriptions are free for the duration of the school year. This is the first time that the magazine is fully accessible at home.

Virtual museums and field trips

More than 2,500 museums around the world have made their collections accessible online through Google Arts and Culture; you can also use Google to access virtual tours of national parks in the U.S.

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City offers online learning materials for science fans of all ages. Their Ology science website provides games and activities for kids and covers a range of science topics, including archaeology, paleontology, astronomy and marine biology. AMNH courses on Khan Academy delve into subjects such as human evolution, earthquakes and volcanoes, the universe, and, of course, dinosaurs. You can also peek behind the scenes on the museum's YouTube channel, or take a tour of the universe in videos created for the Hayden Planetarium.

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Air and Space Anywhere webpage provides virtual tours of the museum, and educational podcasts, games and activities about aircraft and spacecraft. And educators can turn to the museum's K-12 learning resources for STEM lessons, activities and videos on topics such as flight, planetary science, space, and engineering and technology.

All online programs and digital content at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum are now available for free.

Science learning

Every weekday at 10 a.m. PDT, the California Science Center is livestreaming "Stuck at Home Science," a new video series of science activities you can do at home.

Miami's Frost Science Museum's Frost Science@Home will give curious kids plenty to do, providing science activities and DIY science experiments.

Teen science fans will nerd out over Nova Labs at PBS, where they'll discover multimedia experiences that combine video, animation and games to delve into fascinating scientific topics, such as polar ecosystems, solar storms and renewable energy.

NASA isn't just sending missions into space; the agency has also launched Teachable Moments, connecting classrooms - and homes - with resources for investigating the latest discoveries about our universe. There are a range of activities and lessons that are suitable for grades K-12.

NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is another source of free online content. Educators share daily Facebook Live videos that pair with hands-on activities (instructions are available as free downloads) using materials that can be found at home. Topics include rocketry 101, tours of Space Shuttle Atlantis and the Astronaut Training Experience, and living in space and on Mars.

"Space Racers," an animated series for preschoolers about spacefaring cadets at the Stardust Space Academy, also offers science-based lessons, and space-related educational activities that families can explore together.

Ranger Rick, the children's magazine of the National Wildlife Federation, is making its website free to all visitors through the end of June. Free Ranger Rick Educator's Guides and Ranger Rick Jr. Parent Reading Guides are also available to parents and educators.

Beginning physics students will find plenty to discover in the Physics Classroom, and there are teacher toolkits for supplementing the site's online lessons with videos, animations, simulations and exercises.

Want to have a family Q&A with a scientist? Sign up at Skype a Scientist and get matched with an expert, for a live Skype chat with your family about real scientific research.

stemCONNECT uses video conferencing to bring together students and experts in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The site also has a free video library of Florida-based STEM experts talking about STEM application in a range of careers.

Explore simple plant science with this list of Live Science xperiments, or learn about non-Newtonian fluids by making colorful slime - regular or extra puffy - with glue and food coloring.

Creative and relaxing fun

Color Our Collections offers free PDF downloads of coloring pages created from art in the collections of 117 institutions, including The New York Academy of Medicine Library, Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, RISD Museum, the North Carolina Museum of Art, The Canadian Canoe Museum and The Royal Horticultural Society libraries.

Got a 3D printer? You can download digital 3D models from NASA and print miniature satellites, landing sites, asteroids, spacecraft, spacesuits and astronaut tools.

If you have a regular printer (and paper), you can print and build paper models of Rosetta and Philae, the space probe and lander that visited comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014. More paper models of satellites and observatories are available for download from the European Space Agency's website.

Artist and writer Mo Willems (author of "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!") is hosting daily Lunch Doodles video sessions every weekday at 1 p.m. EDT. Each daily episode is accompanied by a downloadable activity page.

What could be more soothing than watching jellyfish drifting serenely through the water? In "MeditOcean," the Monterey Bay Aquarium hosts a soothing 11-minute guided meditation video, featuring the undulating and graceful ballet of several aquarium jellyfish.

Children in grades 3 to 12 can learn to write their names in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, in this step-by-step guide from the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada.

A good story sounds even better when it's read in microgravity. Story Time from Space sends children's books to the International Space Station (ISS), where the books are read on video by astronauts as they orbit hundreds of miles above Earth.

Snap Circuits are educational kits that teach kids - and adults! - about engineering and how electronics work. To help teachers, parents and students, the company has made its how-to guides available to download for free.

Get moving with fitness instructor Joe Wicks! His new video series, P.E. with Joe, presents a daily 30-minute workout that kids can perform at home.

There are 10 live webcams at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where you can peek at sharks, sea otters, penguins and more. The San Diego Zoo has 11 animal webcams, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has four animal webcams, and there are six webcams at the Houston Zoo.

And if you're feeling really adventurous, you can visit the surface of Mars in a spectacular high-resolution, 360-degree photo tour, created from images captured by the Curiosity rover.
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Activities and online resources for homebound kids: A coronavirus guide

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Schools worldwide have closed in response to COVID-19, leaving parents and caregivers scrambling to find daily activities for their children. Today (April 3) Live Science updated our list of lessons, games, science experiments, live demonstrations and virtual tours, to help you find options that are educational, creative and entertaining during this uncertain period of self-isolation, social distancing and quarantine.