Alphabet Texture Tub

We love playing with our Texture Tub. This week's tub theme is Alphabet. The tub has great northern beans, colored pompoms, alphabet foamies, and alphabet beads. (Kenna added some rocks from our nature table, all the dice from our math center, and some quarters from her purse.)

I started a Texture Tub as soon as Kenna stopped putting EVERYTHING in her mouth- maybe when she was around 13 months? I started with simple tubs themes- just Lima beans, or just black beans and white beans.

At first, when she was littler we used a much larger tub- one of those under-bed rubbermaid tubs. It was big enough for her to sit in, and had shallow sides for her to lean over. We would sift the beans with our fingers, pour them with big cups, and frankly- throw them everywhere. When she was that little, texture tub time was reserved for our deck, where I could sweep everything away when done playing!

These days, Kenna's Texture Tubs are getting a lot more exciting. She is interested in sorting, hide and seek, and using tools. She likes a variety of items in each tub, and she LOVES it when I surprise her with a new tub-full of stuff. :)

These are the tools we are using this week. A pair of tiny tongs I found at Walmart, and a large pair that I got at the dollar store. I also have a mini-muffin pan, a tiny mesh strainer, and a little ladle. Each time I pull out the tub during the week, I provide different tools to make the play new and interesting. ( I had them all out to take pictures, and Kenna took full advantage!)
Kenna loves to pour the beans from one scoop to another. Big mess.
She loves to scoop the beans into piles.
I've been trying to encourage sorting- "let's put all the rocks in one section. Let's put all the pompoms in another." Some days she sorts with zest. Some days, she has her own ideas!

We are picking out letters, sorting hard vs soft, and sorting by color. Just scooping and using tongs are great motor skill activities. I love Texture Tubs!! (be ready with a broom and dustpan- cleaning up is half the fun!)