Toddler Tuesday: Autumn Happy

 Happy December Everyone! We made it and are back to finding our new normal. For the past two weeks we've been trying to restart our weekly themed "School". This is the sensory bin we've been using. It is filled with bird seed, three bears, paper and silk leaves, a rake, some pumpkins, a spoon, and a small cup. Panda was Very happy to have a sensory tray again. They have been missed.

This is the book we based our activities and tray off of.. Its about a little bear and the things that make him happy.

 I've been saving this puzzle that a friend gave to us when Panda was born. The puzzle is a bit  frustrating for Panda still.  The bear heads look like they should all fit in any head space, but they don't so we put the puzzle away....

 And used just the heads instead.  I would put down a "happy" face and then ask Panda if he could find the other two. It was a great talk about emotions and learning to recognize other people's feelings.

In the book the baby bear kicks leaves through a tunnel of trees with his Poppy; so I made a tunnel of trees with things I had around the house and we kicked and rolled a ball through the "tunnel".

Panda's rake was lost, but this cinnamon broom worked nicely for this activity. I scattered a basket full of silk leaves in the living room and had him "rake" them up. The broom scented the room nicely, and it was a good energy using activity that made him use his whole body. He really loved sweeping and throwing the leaves around. The hands above are part of his therapy. When he gets stuck on something or is getting to overworked we have him go hit the hands and then redirect him to something else. It works pretty well.  

And last of all (even though it's not in the book), we've brought baking day back. Panda gets to help with stirring and pouring, but his favorite part is putting the cupcake liners into the trays.

I'll try and do another post later about Badger and Panda and our new normal. I will also try to visit some of you, but right now I hear two littles calling and it's time to start our day. Till my next stolen moment...

Be well and shine on!