Gel Sensory Bags ~ Simply Made

Gel Sensory Bags are such a versatile tool for your tot. They are great for writing practice as well as tons of sensory fun. Toddlers to school-age children are sure to be drawn to the irresistibly squishy bags--I know this from the shrieks that erupted at my house when I only made one bag. My one year old made sure I knew he wanted his own gel bag for some sensory exploration, too.

You will need:

• Hair Gel (I bought mine at the Dollar Tree)
• Ziploc Bag (I used a Freezer bag because they are thicker)
• Clear Packing Tape
• Scissors
• Optional: Glitter, small items (I used beads)

Since I only needed the hair gel, I only spent $1 for this project!

To make:

Squirt some hair gel into the ziploc bag. If you are giving this to your older tot to practice writing, you will want to make sure you don't fill it too full. When the bags are too full of gel, it makes it hard to see where they have used their finger to form letters. If you are giving this to a younger tot for sensory fun, then more gel is fine. Now is the time to add any extra items to your bag that your tot might like to explore.

Use the packing tape to reinforce the top of the bag to prevent leaking or exploring hands from making a mess. I went over the closure several times.

Explore! Write! Play!

 

 

 

Extra tips:

• You can place small objects inside the bag for sensory play for little tots. They can explore and squish to their hearts content.
• To keep the bag from sliding around, use tape to adhere the bag to the table for little tots.
• Place letter cards under the bag for your tot to trace with their finger if they need help.
• If you want to let your little one practice writing with something, try a q-tip! It is soft enough that it won't rip the bag.