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Those of you who are familiar with my blog are no stranger's to baby X's fantastic expressions. A few weeks back the Seattle weather, normally rainy until JULY, gave us a little summer teaser and baby X got his first experience with our water table.
The photos were just too good to not share, so I thought I'd write a little post about why we love water tables.
For those of you with water tables
already, there are TEN creative ideas for how to use them at the end of the post. :)
The photos were just too good to not share, so I thought I'd write a little post about why we love water tables.
For those of you with water tables
already, there are TEN creative ideas for how to use them at the end of the post. :)
X loves water. LOVES it. And water is really one of the best (and free!) sensory materials ever. There's warm water, cold water, ice - so many ideas and ways to play using just water. For the littlest guys, water tables
are a great way to practice standing and cruising and splashing.
are a great way to practice standing and cruising and splashing.
You can introduce fine motor practice by placing items in the water table for grabbing (please note the items pictured are not baby toys, and do pose a choking hazard - X has an older sister and is always supervised and an adult is always within arms' reach).
As baby X illustrates here - water tables
are just THE COOLEST. We bought our first water table when S was 10 months old and we've used it constantly ever since. As X gets older, he'll begin to use the water table to practice scooping and pouring like his big sister does now.
are just THE COOLEST. We bought our first water table when S was 10 months old and we've used it constantly ever since. As X gets older, he'll begin to use the water table to practice scooping and pouring like his big sister does now.
Honestly my kids really enjoy a water table with, well, water, but you can spice it up a bit if you are so inclined. And for those of you with long winters like us here in Seattle, a cleaned/dried water table makes a fantastic indoor sensory table during the colder months (you could fill it with sand, moon sand, birdseed, dried beans - the possibilities are nearly endless!).
For those of you who already have a water table or for those of you who will soon have one, here are ten fun ways to use your water table this summer:
Add some soap and set up a Washing Station like Fun at Home with Kids
Make a fun outdoor Penguin World that also helps you practice counting like Thrive 360 Living
Make a Dinosaur Sensory Bin like Fantastic Fun and Learning
Do some Sensory Tub Painting like No Time for Flashcards
Add in some letter practice and make Alphabet Soup like My Nearest and Dearest
Explore colors with Colored Ice like Fun-a-Day
Create a Spring Sensory Table like The Pleasantest Thing
Create an Ocean Sensory Tub like No Time for Flashcards
Set up a Marshmallow Sensory Play like Fantastic Fun and Learning
Have some Fizzy Fun like My Nearest and Dearest
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All activities here are activities I feel are safe for my own children. As your child's parents/guardians, you will need to decide what you feel is safe for your family. I always encourage contacting your child's pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. All activities on this blog are intended to be performed with adult supervision. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when activities call for the use of materials that could potentially be harmful, such as scissors, or items that could present a choking risk (small items), or a drowning risk (water activities), and with introducing a new food/ingredient to a child (allergies). Observe caution and safety at all times. The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any of these activities on this blog.
Just love those faces!!! Thank you for including some of our sensory bins. We get tons of use out of our water table!
ReplyDeleteThey are hilarious, right? He was killing us with all his crazy excited expressions. Of course - you are SO creative with water table uses!!!!
DeleteWe just got a water table this week, and this has given me some great ideas. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteExcellent, Ilia! I'm so glad to hear it. And I'm sure you'll all have so much fun with your new water table!
DeleteI've been debating whether a water table would be a good addition for my little girl. This post has sold me on how much fun it will be. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi ncsukat! I hope that she loves it as much as we do! It seriously is such a great investment - we use it at parties and playdates and just about every day! My kids never get tired of it, and S has had this water table for 3 years! :)
DeleteHe is such a little star!! Lovely collection of ideas thanks...we are still playing with water and it's winter here!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jodie! Oooh, that's right!
DeleteAt what age would you recommend introducing a water table?
ReplyDeleteProbably somewhere around 6 months, a baby will really start showing interest in it. Every baby is different, but give or take a few months, that's a good estimate I think. As they get older, they will use it differently. Particularly around the age that they start cruising (this is VERY different from child to child), they will really get a kick out of it (in my experience). Hope that helps! :)
DeleteI am an EMT, and even though my grandson has never shown interest in putting non-food items ever for his first 3 years, I don't let him play with them because it only takes one time, and it can be swallowed before you can grab him and get it out of his mouth. Other parents of dead children who never put things in their mouths, or were trained not to, can attest to this fact The best prevention is supervision, and you have that, but
ReplyDeletesome of these objects will not come back up, even with the Heimlich maneuver.- they could just go further down with each cough, and..
A water table was one of the best toy purchases for my two water loving kids. It would keep them busy for hours! It was also calming for them which helped when they were having a real unsettled day.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! It's so nice when you find a great toy that lasts for a long time!
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