Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Sensory Play with Gelatin

For the Fourth of July I attempted a Jello flag.  For various reasons, some not my fault, it didn't exactly work out.  However, while looking at the partially solidified goop, it occurred to me how fun it would be to let Xander squish it in his fingers.  Then I imagined a blue tinted child breaking out in hives (he has been allergic flavorings in the past).  Since I didn't want a bumpy smurf for a son I quickly tabled the idea.  Then I remembered Knox unflavored, uncolored gelatin and a sensory activity was born!

To make it more fun I added some of Xander's little counters (I wrote about them here).  The bears are plastic, so floated.  The transportation vehicles are rubbery and sunk.  Unfortunately, they all kind of clumped together as it solidified.  This is what it looked like.


I set up a play area outside and had towels handy.  After first he wasn't so sure what it was.  Then he looked at me like, are you sure you're really letting me do this (see excited face below)?


He had a ball feeling it and squishing it.


SQUISH!

Of course he had to taste some.  He ended up "tasting' more than I would have liked, but I can't say I was surprised!  There is also a reason I had him do this activity in a diaper...



Eventually I gave him a spoon to help break up the gelatin a little more.


He was SO proud when he finally freed a toy!  Isn't this face priceless?


He enjoyed the activity so much we spent 45 minutes on the porch playing!  Now anyone who remembers having an 8 month old knows that 45 minutes on any one activity is a LONG time!  It was wonderful to just sit and watch him discover and listen to him talk to me about it.





Since I wanted to get the most mileage out of my gelatin I got it out again the next day.  To make it a little different, I broke it all up for him.  He enjoyed it again, but I had to cut the play session short due to mosquitoes (anyone who has taken microbiology will you tell you that mosquitoes threatening their baby is a serious offense).

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