I Spy… A Match! Sensory Bag

Have your child “spy” sight words, letters, numbers or math problems in this super squishy learning activity!

Materials

• 2-gallon freezer bags
• Shaving cream or other substance to squish around (hair gel, paint, etc.)
• Paper
• Stickers or a marker

Directions

1. Fill one of the gallon freezer bags with shaving cream, squeeze out the air and seal shut.
2. Place the filled bag into the other freezer bag. (This acts as extra protection in case the first bag explodes.)
3. Place stickers or write random letters, numbers or whatever you’d like your child to “spy” on the piece of paper. For my preschooler, I used a set of matching stickers and put one of each on this piece of paper.
4. On another piece of paper, make a legend. For example, use the other half of the stickers as the legend for items in the sensory bag.
5. Let your child squish and feel away as they look for the items. Ask them to describe what the bag feels like–is it cold, warm, soft, squishy?
6. After your child finds an item, have them look for the matching sticker on the legend and circle it. Then, let them move on to the next item.

Jamie Reimer learned to be a hands-on mom by creating activities, crafts and art projects for her three boys to do. She shares them on Hands on As We Grow. Jamie is taking this creative outlet as a way to get through the early years of parenting with a smile!

Iowa PBS STEAM Activities and Crafts provided by PBS KIDS Parents.