Object inquiry skills
Toddlers use their hands to manipulate dry and wet sand.
Be Prepared: Fill the gallon container with water for staff use during the activity. Remove and temporarily store any play items that may be located in the sand. In determining the number of toddlers to include in the activity, please keep in mind that toddlers will be best able to focus on their actions in a calm atmosphere that provides sufficient space for each toddler to manipulate sand.
[Invite toddlers to join you for sand play.]
[Encourage toddlers to touch or move their hands through the sand. Demonstrate how sand easily falls from your hand when you separate your fingers. Move some sand when you describe the ease of moving dry sand.]
The sand does not stay in our hand when we open our fingers. The sand is easy to move around with our hands.
Our sand is dry. We are going to add a little water to the sand. The water will change the way our sand feels.
I will give each of you a cup. I will pour some water into your cup. Then you may pour your water into the sand in front of you.
[Give each toddler a cup. Pour a small amount of water into each toddler’s cup, keeping in mind the amount of sand available. You may need to show toddlers that the sand directly in front of them is the sand each will work with.]
Let’s use our hands to mix the sand and water.
[Demonstrate and describe how to mix the sand and water with your hands. Example: “Move your hands in the sand. Squeeze the sand to mix in the water.”
Respond and expand upon toddlers’ questions or reactions. Example: “Yes, the sand is a little cold. Our sand feels cooler when it is wet with water.”]
Let’s put some wet sand in one of our hands to see how it feels.
[Demonstrate by scooping a little damp sand into your hand.]
Now our sand is cool and a little bit wet.
Let’s all pat down the sand with our hands. We can pat-pat the sand to make it flat.
[Demonstrate how to pat the sand to make it flat.]
We are learning about sand by using our hands.
Now let’s use our hands to make a hole.
[Begin to dig a hole and describe your actions. Encourage toddlers to dig one or more holes in the sand in front of them. Respond to and expand upon toddlers’ words. Example: “Yes, you dig. You made a hole.”
Describe toddlers’ actions. Example: “Violet, you made a big hole. You took lots of sand out of one spot.”]
We can use our hands to fill our holes with sand. We can put dry sand in the holes. Or we can put wet sand in the holes.
[Encourage toddlers to fill holes with dry or wet sand.]
We used our hands to learn about sand. We felt dry sand and moved it with our hands. We used our hands to mix the sand and water. We felt the wet sand with our hands. We used our hands to pat the sand down flat. We made some holes in the sand with our hands. We used our hands to fill the holes we made.
Pay close attention to how toddlers explore the properties of sand by using their hands as tools. Describe for toddlers how they use their hands to manipulate the sand. Use toddlers’ names to draw attention to individual actions. Toddlers may feel a sense of mastery or competence when they realize they can affect change in the consistency of the sand. Acknowledge signs of toddlers understanding the consequence of their actions with sand. Example: “James is smiling while he mixes the water and sand. He is changing the sand with water and his hands.”
Standing at the sensory table with other toddlers may be challenging for some children. If a toddler is unaccustomed to playing next to peers, kneel or sit next to him/her to give extra support. A toddler may be concerned others will move into his/her play space. Example: “Diego, I will be next to you. I will help you and our friends.” Touch or point to the sand. “There is room for all of our hands.”
If toddlers remove sand from the sensory table, give a gentle reminder to keep the sand in the table. If a toddler persists in removing sand, encourage him/her to show you or verbalize the reason for taking sand out. Example: “Paulina, show me where you want to take the sand.” Or “Tell me about your idea.” A toddler may wish to take sand to the dramatic play center or even put it in his/her cubby. By trying to understand the toddler’s reasoning, you can develop a solution.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object inquiry skills
Toddlers manipulate wet sand with the use of small containers.
Be Prepared: Secure containers, such as small bowls and measuring cups, that hold two cups or less. Just prior to the activity, add water to the sand until it sticks together and can be easily formed with hands.
Invite toddlers to the sensory table or sand area. It is important to give each toddler enough space to explore the materials. Allow time for toddlers to work with the sand by shaping it with their hands before offering containers.
Give each toddler three small containers. Encourage toddlers to use their hands to fill the containers. Show how to pat the sand into a cup. Some toddlers will enjoy turning the cups over and lifting them to reveal a tiny sand shape or castle. Encourage toddlers to use their hands to flatten the shapes left by the containers. Emphasize the words full and empty. Describe toddlers’ actions in digging into the sand, shaping the sand, and making the sand flat.
This activity expands on the Option 1 plan by providing wet sand and three different containers for each toddler to work with. Some toddlers may repeat the process of putting sand in a container, maybe patting it in the container, and turning it over. A toddler may work with one or two containers, rather than all three. You also may notice toddlers comparing the shapes and sizes of what the containers create when turned over. Some toddlers may attempt to build a tower with turned-over sand from their containers or maybe create a small neighborhood or city of sand castles. Encouraging toddlers to talk about their explorations promotes language and cognitive skills.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object inquiry skills
Toddlers manipulate dry sand with scoops and pails.
Be Prepared: Use scoops that are an appropriate size for toddlers. The scoop portion should be slightly larger than a toddler’s hand and the handle should not be longer than a toddler’s forearm.
Invite toddlers to join you at the sand table (or an outdoor sand area) to work with scoops and pails. Support several different uses of the materials, depending on toddlers’ interests. Some toddlers will enjoy mixing the sand with the scoop. Others will use the scoop to fill the pail.
Emphasize the following words when you describe toddlers’ actions: digging, lifting, and moving sand.
If time permits after toddlers complete their sand exploration and clean their hands, share one or two books about the beach to provide a calm finish to the gathering. Beach Day by Karen Roosa and Good Night Beach by Adam Gamble offer images familiar to toddlers who have spent time on a beach. Encourage toddlers to point to pictures and say words or tell about an experience with sand (as shown in a book or as experienced at a beach). Toddlers are likely to enjoy these books throughout the week.
Toddlers may repeat actions from previous sand and water exploration, such as patting the sand flat. If a toddler is patting the sand, describe the action with simple words and emphasize the child’s control of the action. Example: “You are patting down the sand with your hands.”
Some toddlers may enjoy covering the scoop with sand so it is hidden. Use questions to encourage language development. Example: “Is the scoop under the sand?” The toddler may answer with one word. Follow up with a question that invites more than a yes or no response: “How did you hide the scoop?”
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: Beach Day by Karen Roosa and Good Night Beach by Adam Gamble, sensory table with sand, muffin pan or ice cube tray, plastic bottle and lid with sand and water, 2 freezer bags, damp sand, tape
Help children look at and talk about the pictures and stories in the books.
Leave the sensory table open for additional exploration. Smooth the surface of the damp sand. Press a pattern into the sand with a muffin pan or ice cube tray, so toddlers can see small holes. Put a small amount of sand and water in a clear plastic bottle and secure the lid. Encourage toddlers to watch the sand and water mix together and then separate.
On another day, put 2–3 cups of damp sand into a heavy freezer bag. Smooth the bag over the sand. Fold the end and fasten with clear packing tape. Secure the sand by placing the bag into a second freezer bag. Fasten the bag. Fold the end and tape with clear tape. Place the combined bags on a low surface and encourage toddlers to pat and push the sandbag to make it flat.
Materials Needed: outdoor or indoor sand, sensory table, dish tubs, or under-the-bed storage tubs with lids, vinyl tablecloth, infant toys, shallow tray
An outdoor sand area is optimal for toddlers’ sensory activities. If outdoor sand is unavailable or weather prohibits outdoor activity, use a sensory table for indoor sand play. Another option is to use dish tubs or under-the-bed storage tubs with lids, placed on a vinyl tablecloth on a smooth floor. Infants less than 12 months of age will enjoy playing with toys on the floor where they can see you with the toddlers. Preschool-age and older children will enjoy drawing designs with their fingers in a shallow tray sprinkled with sand. To erase the design, simply shake the sand tray.
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