Ok so it's probably a bit late for you to actually do these activities with your toddler tonight, but we did them today so thought I would share. Maybe you can do them tomorrow as a way of reflecting, or Pin them for next year.
I wanted to do some Bonfire night activities today because we were staying in. (We had terrified both our children sufficiently with fireworks on Saturday) And I wanted to reflect on their firework experiences thus far. (i.e. try to help them not to be terrified.) I hadn't made any decisions about what I would do, but was thinking about something along the lines of flicking paint at black paper and fireworks made of toilet tubes. But then Pinterest saved the day!
Sometimes activities I do take weeks of planning, ordering items off Amazon, preparing, making parts etc. and other times they just seems to come together. I saw this activity on Pinterest literally yesterday, HERE it is, its a great activity, I thought, "yes, I will pop to the shops and get some rice and black food colouring tomorrow and do this activity, BOSH!"
Then, when I was in ASDA (I went a bit mad I think) and it became abundantly clear that not only could I replicate this marvelous activity I could also enhance it! With...wait for it....FLASHING BALLS my friends! Oh yes, what could be better for a firework sensory tub than actual flashing spikey balls (in the party section, meant for party-bag gifts I think and on offer 8 balls for £5)! I also bought parcel bows, tinsel, twirly gift wrap ribbon, and some shiny card. (Did I mention I went a bit mad?!)
This was the awesome result - Fireworks baby!
I made little "Fireworks" by sticking two parcel bows together with two bits of twirly ribbon and some tinsel stuck between them.
And I cut some stars out of the shiney card and glued them together so they were shiny on both sides.
I began the activity with just the balls, then added the rice, then the fireworks, and then the stars. This seemed to engage Boris more than putting everything in at once. I talked to Boris about fireworks and made firework noises with the little fireworks I made and he mimicked this.
He was very mesmerised by the rice more than anything else and spent a long time running it through his fingers (and pouring it on the floor) and swirling his hands in it.
If I were to do this activity again I would use a big, low sided tub and put it on the table so that Biscuit (age 1) couldn't get into it (he tried to eat the rice). I used our water table that we used in the summer for THIS activity.
In the evening I did this quick activity with chalk that had been soaked in water (it makes the colour brighter!) I said to Boris that we would draw a firework and he did a lovely big circular scribble which I added to with some sparkly type bits round the edge.
Did you do any bonfire related activities with your toddlers? I have a ton of Autumn related posts to write but they will have to wait for another day.
Hope you are enjoying this (mostly) lovely warm and sunny Autumn.
