Sensory Overload!

So, I've been trying to come up with ideas to keep the kids happy and occupied this summer... one has been to create a "sensory box" of fun things for them to play with. It's something they do in preschool and it's so great (honestly, I think it's pretty fun to put my hands in a big bucket of wheat and feel it sift through my fingers, too!). I've spent about $6 and everything is reusable. If you want to start a sensory box for your family, just gather the following supplies:

plastic bins (like the white ones in the pictures)
tools (shovels, funnels, spoons, measuring cups, rakes, tweezers, etc.)
sensory materials, such as: wheat, rice, water, buttons, beads, dry beans...
... or go crazy and use jello, water balloons, ice cubes, "slime", cooked pasta - anything imaginable!

You can also add excitement by mixing in items for the kids to find such as coins, matchbox cars, or plastic animals.

Top Photo: Tate and Eve playing with water (it was too cold outside, so I stuck them in their swimsuits and put 'em in the tub to avoid clean-up).
Center: Eve and Eldon playing with wheat (Eldon REALLY loves it).
Bottom: Eldon has taken the sensory box a step further and created his own: dog food in a mason jar left out in the rain... I have to admit, I didn't want to know how THAT felt on my fingers...