Sensory play is integral to early learning and development. Students practice skills such as hand-eye coordination, gain exposure to new vocabulary, and participate in open-ended play. Take the sensory play to a whole new level by adding a funnel stand! Students explore gravity, capacity, and more – all during independent play.
Sensory Table Fun
A sensory table is a preschooler crowd favorite. The versatility it provides is invaluable. Here are some fantastic sensory table fillers:
- Rice – Inexpensive in bulk, rice offers an excellent base for a sensory table. It is easy to color to match any theme, is easy to sweep up, and pours beautifully through a funnel.
- Pluffle – A unique soft foam material, Pluffle comes in many colors and compresses into different shapes without being sticky.
- Black Beans – Dried black beans make a fantastic backdrop for an outer space-themed sensory table. Little mess and easy clean-up are great benefits of using dried beans in the sensory table.
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How To Create a Funnel Stand
Commercial funnel stands are available to purchase (like this one from Kodo), but if budget is a concern, do not fear! This impressive sensory table addition can be a weekend DIY project that will be the talk of any preschool classroom.
Supplies Needed:
- 1 – piece of wood measuring 1″ x 4″ x 2′
- 1 – 3/4 ” panel board measuring 9″ x 12″
- 2 – 3″ PVC Table screw caps / aka sewer flange
- 1 – 3″ PVC pipe – 14″ long
- screws
- funnels
- drill
- spray paint (optional)
Funnel Stand Step-By-Step Directions
- First, purchase supplies from a local home supply store. Often, the store employees can cut wood and pipes at the store free of charge. Ask an associate for help to make this an even easier project!
- Next, mark the center of the longer piece of wood. This spot will be where the PVC pipe is attached below.
- Drill 1 1/2″ holes in the top long piece of wood – 2 or 3 on each side of the center mark.
- Screw one PVC screw cap (also known as a sewer flange) to the center of the board.
- Mark the center of the 9″x12″ panel board and screw on the other PVC screw cap.
- Assemble Funnel Stand by inserting the pipe into the bottom screw cap.
- Next, place the longer piece of wood with cut-outs onto the top.
- The pipe can be glued into the caps if desired, but it makes for easier storage if they aren’t glued so that the stand can be disassembled.
- Paint the stand as desired.
- Place stand into sensory table. Cover the base with the sensory filler of choice (rice, beans, aquarium gravel, etc.). Insert funnels into top holes and provide scoops for students to use.
- Some funnels have a very narrow opening on the bottom. Simply use a strong pair of scissors to cut off the bottom 1/4 of the funnel opening. This prevents the funnels from becoming jammed.
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