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Sensory writing bag

May 13, 2015 by Kate 9 Comments

These sensory writing bags are a great alternative to giving children pen and paper. They can be used to encourage early or beginning writers to make attempts at making marks, forming letters (or numbers). They can also be used many times over. Simple, cheap and fun, these sensory writing bags will help build a child’s confidence to start their writing journey. 

Sensory writing bag for preschoolers. Fine motor activity. Possum (aged 3 years) has become a lot more aware of language and how it’s used, in particular the written word. She enjoys watching me write shopping lists and even takes an interest in what a waitress records on a small note pads to take back into a cafe kitchen. At kinder she has also learnt that everything she owns needs to have her name on it so she has started to want to know how she can write her own name independently.

Her enthusiasm inspired me to make one of these fabulous sensory writing bags. Of course they can be used however your child pleases. They might like to  draw shapes, scribble numbers or simply have fun drawing pictures, which is actually all considered to be the first stages of writing. 

Recommended age: 2 years +
(Active supervision is required on all activities shared)  

Mixing shaving cream and food colouring

How to make a writing sensory bag

  • Large zip lock bag
  • Shaving cream
  • Food colouring
  • Q-tip

There isn’t anything fancy when it comes to making one of these sensory writing bags. Obviously the size of the bag matters to how much shaving cream you use, but we used about 2 cups for these 30cm x 20cm bags, just enough to have it completely cover the surface. We then added about 2 tablespoons of food colouring to the bag before removing the air and sealing the ziplock bag completely. Very carefully you can get your child to start massaging the bag to spread the colour so it mixes with the shaving cream. You could use more than one colour and have your child experiment with mixing colours, just like you can see here.  

preschool writing activity

Once you have mixed the colour with the shaving cream your child can start playing and making their scribbles or attempts at writing formed letters. Using a Q-Tip is a great way to make strong indentations in the shaving cream, but of course fingers work well too. 

My advice when it comes to encouraging children to write is to keep it fun and without pressure. Praise all attempts, even if what they do is nothing that you can recognise. A swirl, a stripe, a loop are all wonderful beginning stages of writing, which we find in some letters anyway, so show them your enthusiasm for whatever they do! To keep children excited and enthusiastic to make writing attempts you need to support the process. It’s so very important. 🙂
learning to write with sensory bagThese sensory writing bags are so much fun. You can get them to use their fingers to add to the sensory experience or even have them trace over something that you have pressed into bag. 
Printing with letters
Quite often I will set up an activity for Possum and then she goes about thinking up extra great ideas that takes her learning further. It’s so wonderful and I’m so pleased she enjoys extending our play ideas.

So while we were doing this activity Possum disappeared for a few minutes before returning with our magnetic letters from the fridge. Initially I thought it would be a good for her to have a go at copying the letters, but she had another great idea. 

Letter printing in shaving cream. Fun for preschoolers and beginner writer.

With a bit of experimentation, Possum began pressing letters into the soft shaving cream and making wonderful indentations. It was just so fabulous! Of course older children could have fun making and learning complete words using a similar technique. For Possum, as a preschooler, we really loved talking about each of the letters and their characteristics. It was an activity that seemed to be quite endless. I hope you and your children enjoy it. 

How would your child play with one of these? 

Here are some other great ideas – 

Easy science experiment for kids that will teach them about colours and chemical reactions   SONY DSC  Number matching activity for kids

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Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Literacy

Comments

  1. sangeetha menon says

    May 14, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    haa..thats so simple to make..a good way to keep toddlers sit in a place for some time

    Reply
    • Kate says

      May 15, 2015 at 1:23 pm

      Thank you Sangeetha!

      Reply
  2. Nicola says

    January 8, 2016 at 2:09 pm

    What is a Q-tip please ?

    Reply
    • Kate says

      January 9, 2016 at 10:12 am

      Sorry Nicola, it’s a cotton bud. Is that term more familiar to you? So many different names for things depending on where you are from. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Nicola says

    March 6, 2017 at 8:39 am

    This is such a fantastic (and portable) way for young children to have a go at writing letters and numbers! The sensory writing bag is so quick to make – give it a go with your young child today!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Sensory writing bag - Laughing Kids Learn | Par... says:
    September 21, 2015 at 6:44 am

    […] Simple to make, cheap and fun, these sensory writing bags will help build a child's confidence to start their writing journey. Only 2 ingredients needed.  […]

    Reply
  2. Shaving Cream Activities for Kids | Nifymag.com says:
    February 19, 2017 at 10:13 am

    […] Improve kids handwriting while having fun with a sensory writing bag […]

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  3. 2018 Holiday Gift Guide: Best Gifts for Children with Special Needs – Damar Services, Inc says:
    December 8, 2018 at 6:19 am

    […] Shaving cream sensory bag […]

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  4. 5 Benefits of Sensory play + 20 No Mess Sensory Play Ideas. says:
    February 26, 2019 at 6:54 am

    […] Sensory Writing Bag from laughingkidslearn.com […]

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Welcome
Hello and welcome!
My name is Kate and I am a mum to two little girls, Possum and Boo. We have lots of fun together learning with play at home and are pleased to share some of what we do with you.
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