January Discovery table: snow

The Girls grew beyond sensory boxes some time over the summer.They still enjoy them but I don’t have a regular one like I did when they were both at home for most of the week. With LBG at school full-time and Dimples three days, they get all that stuff at school. So a few months ago, I started using our hall table- which doubles as a toy storage unit, as an Interest or Discovery table.

As events change in the calendar, I simply change the things that are available on the table, so that it is relevant, seasonal and interesting. The unit is a great height for them: they can help themselves to anything, and play with it in whichever way they see fit.

Take January: I kept some of the things from my Christmas table (which you can see in my Gingerbread Trees post), but this table was put out when the Christmas Decorations came down. So I covered the top of the table in white paper, then put some doilies and crocheted pieces over the top. Then Dimples and I used doilies, pre-cut foam snowflakes, and some that we cut ourselves from coffee filters, to decorate the mirror, the ‘tree’ (a jug filled with spray-painted branches) and a snowflake-garland. I added in some battery-operated star lights too.

I added in a silver cake stand which I made, and Dimples and I ripped up the fake snow from the Snow Dome to make fun tactile snowballs. I also found some polystyrene balls which also look like snowballs.

Finally, I added in story books that have a winter theme: Sam’s Snowflake, Bella Gets Her Skates On, Kipper’s Snowy Day, Princess Evie’s Magic Ice Pony.

I also add a selection of books and activities related to letters to help Dimples learn. In this case there are a set of Lexicon cards, a letter tracing book, Big Book of Words and I Can Spell (3 letter).

If you use Discovery tables, feel free to leave a link to any posts you might have. I’d love to see your ideas.