Materials
- Glitter
- Homemade playdough
- Rolling pins
- Seasonal-shaped cookie cutters
Instructons
- Add new sparkle and vitality to your playdough center by sprinkling glitter into your favorite playdough recipe.
- Provide rolling pins and seasonal-shaped cookie cutters for children to cut out dough shapes.
- Children will rush to the sensory center with new enthusiasm!
Instructions
1. This center may be created indoors or outdoors, depending on your indoor
space and the children's needs.
2. Let the children help paint and decorate the refrigerator boxes to represent
gas pumps. Attach a length of rope to each box. Make sure the rope is long
enough to reach the riding toys. Attach a hose nozzle to the free end of each
rope.
3. Place a table near the gas pumps. Place the cash register and pretend money
on the table.
4. Place the tools and work gloves on another table near the pumps.
5. Add baseball caps, work gloves, and work shirts to the dress-up clothes.
6. Open the gas station for business!
7. Encourage the children to drive the riding toys up to the gas station. They
can pretend to pump their own gas and fix their "cars" with the tools. Remind
them to check the oil, too!
8. If outside, add a car wash to the fun. Put some buckets, sponges, and paper
towels near the gas station and let the children really wash the tricycles and
riding toys.
Field Trip: Take a field trip to a gas station. Have the attendant show the
children around. Make sure they see the gas pumps, air pumps, and displays
of car care products. Or, ask a real gas station attendant or mechanic to visit
the classroom, making sure he or she brings along some tools for the children
to explore.
