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Foam Block Sensory Activities

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Foam building blocks can be used during activities that are designed to improve your preschooler's or young student's sensory skills. Purchase a few packs of children's big building blocks and prepare activities for your children that implement sorting, building, and identification skills.

Sorting Station

Dump blocks into several crates that are each the same size. Use your hands to mix the contents of each container. Set the containers on the floor and add an empty group of crates next to them. Instruct your children to take turns separating the blocks by color, shape, and size.

If your children do well with the initial sorting rounds and you decide to increase the complexity of the activity, use two descriptions for each block type that you would like to be added to one of the bins. For instance, request that the largest blue blocks that are square-shaped are added to a crate and request that the smallest blocks that are another shape and color are added to another crate.

Water Tank

Youngsters enjoy splashing in water, and it may be especially interesting if water is a distinct color or contains interesting objects that float. Pour water into a plastic tub until the water is a couple inches from the tub's rim. Add a few drops of food coloring to the tub. Place large foam building blocks inside of the tub.

Tell your children to seat themselves next to the tub. Encourage your children to dip their hands into the water, stack foam blocks on top of one another, and explore the shapes, textures, and colors of the blocks. Make a competition out of the activity by directing your children to collect a certain number of blocks that are a distinct number or shape. Use various directives during each round.

Magnetic Fishing

Glue a magnet to one side of each block that you designate for use during a fishing game. Create makeshift poles that contain magnets on the end of them. Plastic or wood can be used as the main part of each pole, and a piece of string that has a magnet glued to the end of it can be used to represent fishing line and bait.

Place the blocks on the floor, spacing them out somewhat. Give one fishing pole to each of your children. Call out the shape and the color of a specific block and let your children use their poles to attempt to pick it up.


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