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Summer Fun Part 1 of 2: Four Squishy Squashy Sensory Recipes Perfect for Summer Play

This summer may be like no other, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring the fun! EI is here to help you turn your staycation into a squishcation, with four of our very favorite, super-squishy, screen-free sensory activities sure to spark curiosity and creativity, including:

Oobleck

Making oobleck is simple and the results are simply sensational!

Photo credit: PBSkids.com

  • Mix 1 cup of water into 2 cups of cornstarch and mix. The mixture should be thick enough to press into a ball in your hand but runny enough to pour back into the bowl when you release it.
  • Add more water or cornstarch until the consistency is just right, then hand it over to your kiddo and watch as they explore this “non-Newtonian” substance that is both a liquid and a solid all at once!
  • Oobleck does not store well, so enjoy your encounter, then mix it with hot water and pour it down the drain.

Slime

For you parents who are just entering the slime phase, get ready, and stock up on glue! Slime is another simple, yet endlessly entertaining substance that kids just can’t get enough of.

Photo Credit: JARABEE123 Getty Images

  • Start by emptying a school-sized glue container into a bowl and a few drops of food coloring.
  • Add 1 ½ tablespoon of saline solution (yup, the kind you use for your contacts) and use your hands to knead the slime together. Too sticky? Add more saline. Too stiff? Add more glue.
  • Your kids will stretch, fold, and squish for hours, but be careful – slime sticks to anything and everything and needs to be stored in an airtight container until it eventually dries out.

Homemade Dough

If you’re more into old-school sensory fun, you can make your own sculpting dough on the stove!

Photo credit: Project Nursery

  • In a large pot, mix 2 cups of flour, ¾ cup of salt, and 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar.
  • Add 2 cups of warm water and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, turn the burner to medium heat, and stir.
  • Keep stirring until the dough thickens and starts to form a ball shape, remove from heat, and use a wooden spoon to transfer the ball to a sheet of wax paper.
  • Let it cool (it’ll be HOT), then separate into several smaller balls and place each in a separate baggie.
  • Add a few drops of food coloring and knead while in the bag until the color is absorbed.
  • Pass the cooled dough to your little ones, along with plastic knives and forks, play rolling pins, and cookie cutters.
  • Return the dough to the baggies and seal tightly to store for a few more play sessions (dough will eventually dry out).

Playfoam® Pals

Looking for a super-fun, ready-made, no-mess, sensory experience that never dries out and won’t stick to carpet or clothing? Look no further than Playfoam Pals! Available NOW in the school supplies section at Target stores nationwide (and online!).

Photo credit: @twolightsacademy

Each collectible Playfoam Pal includes a pod of squishy, squashy, non-toxic Playfoam and a hidden character – choose from our 8 playful series of Playfoam Pals: Fantasy Friends, Wild Friends, Space Squad, Unicorn Magic, and Monster Friends. Use the Playfoam to create fun play props for your Pals and let your kids loose for hours of screen-free, imaginative play. When kids are done, store the Playfoam in the included plastic pod – it never dries out so the creativity never ends! Collect all of the characters to grow your world and mix and match Playfoam colors to create your own custom blends. There are so many things to do with Playfoam! Don’t believe us? Watch what Consumer Product Newsgroup expert David Gregg has to say about Playfoam Pals!

Looking for additional at-home fun and learning activities? Check out the free printables, activity ideas, and videos on educationalinsights.com

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Summer Fun Part 1 of 2: Four Squishy Squashy Sensory Recipes Perfect for Summer Play

This summer may be like no other, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring the fun! EI is here to help you turn your staycation into a squishcation, with four of our very favorite, super-squishy, screen-free sensory activities sure to spark curiosity and creativity, including:

Oobleck

Making oobleck is simple and the results are simply sensational!

Photo credit: PBSkids.com

  • Mix 1 cup of water into 2 cups of cornstarch and mix. The mixture should be thick enough to press into a ball in your hand but runny enough to pour back into the bowl when you release it.
  • Add more water or cornstarch until the consistency is just right, then hand it over to your kiddo and watch as they explore this “non-Newtonian” substance that is both a liquid and a solid all at once!
  • Oobleck does not store well, so enjoy your encounter, then mix it with hot water and pour it down the drain.

Slime

For you parents who are just entering the slime phase, get ready, and stock up on glue! Slime is another simple, yet endlessly entertaining substance that kids just can’t get enough of.

Photo Credit: JARABEE123 Getty Images

  • Start by emptying a school-sized glue container into a bowl and a few drops of food coloring.
  • Add 1 ½ tablespoon of saline solution (yup, the kind you use for your contacts) and use your hands to knead the slime together. Too sticky? Add more saline. Too stiff? Add more glue.
  • Your kids will stretch, fold, and squish for hours, but be careful – slime sticks to anything and everything and needs to be stored in an airtight container until it eventually dries out.

Homemade Dough

If you’re more into old-school sensory fun, you can make your own sculpting dough on the stove!

Photo credit: Project Nursery

  • In a large pot, mix 2 cups of flour, ¾ cup of salt, and 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar.
  • Add 2 cups of warm water and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, turn the burner to medium heat, and stir.
  • Keep stirring until the dough thickens and starts to form a ball shape, remove from heat, and use a wooden spoon to transfer the ball to a sheet of wax paper.
  • Let it cool (it’ll be HOT), then separate into several smaller balls and place each in a separate baggie.
  • Add a few drops of food coloring and knead while in the bag until the color is absorbed.
  • Pass the cooled dough to your little ones, along with plastic knives and forks, play rolling pins, and cookie cutters.
  • Return the dough to the baggies and seal tightly to store for a few more play sessions (dough will eventually dry out).

Playfoam® Pals

Looking for a super-fun, ready-made, no-mess, sensory experience that never dries out and won’t stick to carpet or clothing? Look no further than Playfoam Pals! Available NOW in the school supplies section at Target stores nationwide (and online!).

Photo credit: @twolightsacademy

Each collectible Playfoam Pal includes a pod of squishy, squashy, non-toxic Playfoam and a hidden character – choose from our 8 playful series of Playfoam Pals: Fantasy Friends, Wild Friends, Space Squad, Unicorn Magic, and Monster Friends. Use the Playfoam to create fun play props for your Pals and let your kids loose for hours of screen-free, imaginative play. When kids are done, store the Playfoam in the included plastic pod – it never dries out so the creativity never ends! Collect all of the characters to grow your world and mix and match Playfoam colors to create your own custom blends. There are so many things to do with Playfoam! Don’t believe us? Watch what Consumer Product Newsgroup expert David Gregg has to say about Playfoam Pals!

Looking for additional at-home fun and learning activities? Check out the free printables, activity ideas, and videos on educationalinsights.com

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