DIY sensory table for children

I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to teach in early childhood programs, because I amassed a good stash of ideas for my own children. :)

One such idea is this sensory table Ron and I made:


(click for larger image)

What is it?
It's a water/sand/multi-media table. It's extremely versatile, promoting science and math skills, as well as supporting hand-eye coordination. How, you ask? Let me give you some ideas of activities:

1. Freeze colored water in milk cartons or ice cube trays and put them in water. Children experience the mixing of colors, as well as ice melting. (pictured above)

2. Put measuring cups, funnels, floating toys, sea animal figurines to add complexity to their water play.

3. During the fall, add leaves to the dish pans.

4. Add sand into the dish pans and bury dinosaurs in them for children to dig out.

5. Don't like to clean up sand? Add rice or bird seed to the table.

6. You can put soapy water in the dish pans and put baby dolls in them so kids can bathe their babies.

7. Add paper and scissors for a cutting station (requires very close supervision)

You see? The possibilities are infinite. It's extra portable (read: light) so you can have it indoors during colder months.

What materials do you need to make the table?
PVC pipe, fittings, dish pans, PVC glue. I purchased the pans at Wal-Mart for under $2 apiece, and the other materials at the Home Depot. Total cost: under $60. And this depends on how many dish pans you want to add - the pictured table has four pans and allows up to eight children to play at once. You can make it two pans long, or ten pans long if you wish.

Once you cut the pipes to size, it's like putting a puzzle together.








(click for larger images)

If you'd like directions, let me know.