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Are you looking for a quick and simple sensory experience for your young children? My favorite sensory play material is shaving cream. I use it a lot because we usually have it on hand and it’s easy clean-up when it’s over. Check out all of these awesome sensory play ideas that use shaving cream.
Benefits of Sensory Play
Kids of all ages love messy play! There are many reasons kids love it and that it is good for them. Sensory play stimulates all the senses which builds connections in the brain. It helps with language development by interacting with other while playing and learning new vocabulary words that apply to the play scenario. This language development happens naturally in these situations.
Motor skills are developing with sensory play. Fine motor skills and gross motor skills both have the opportunity to be practiced and strengthened. The core, shoulder muscles, and arm muscles are being used during sensory play. Also, finger dexterity, hand muscles, and wrist rotation are at work as they scoop, pour, and play.
Sensory play also promotes creativity and problem solving. Through experimentation and creating, children will predict and draw conclusions that they will later build upon. Sensory play can have a calming effect or a stimulating effect for children depending on what their bodies need at the time.
With all of the benefits of sensory play, there is no time like the present to let your child dive in and play. Start with shaving cream and then venture into other mediums such as painting with hands and feet, water play, rice, play dough or clay. There are so many ways to incorporate sensory play into your days.
Sensory Play Activities with Shaving Cream
These activities can be done inside or outside. Shaving cream is quick and easy to clean up and smells great too.
Make a shaving cream sensory bin with shaving cream and corn starch like they did at I Can Teach My Child. This texture is different than just shaving cream by itself. It can be made into a ball and will inspire play in a different way.
Doesn’t this shaving cream ocean sensory play from Hello Wonderful look so inviting? Add a small amount of blue food coloring or water color and some plastic creatures (can be found at a dollar store) and let the play begin.
Shaving cream snow is a fun way to bring Winter weather inside. Pretend shaving cream is snow and create a Winter wonderland. Add plastic animals or characters and let the creative play begin.
The different textures in this shaving cream sensory play from Parenting Chaos are so much fun! This fun shaving cream activity is open ended so kids can use it and get creative in so many ways. Trying to pick up the water beads with their fingers helps to develop the pincer grasp.
Make shaving cream bath paint! If messy sensory play makes you nervous, start in the bath tub with this shaving cream paint. Add a couple of drops of food coloring in different colors and grab a paint brush to get started. Put the paint in a few small bowls or in a muffin tray like we did. It is easy to clean up and wash away.
Shaving cream and water colors is a fun way to invite sensory exploration. This invitation from Learn Play Imagine is a wonderful way to color mix and get involved in messy play together. Add craft sticks to mix and move the colors through the shaving cream. Having the shaving cream and paint in a large plastic bin like this makes it easier to take it outside and hose it off for a quick clean up.
Build with shaving cream and foam blocks like they did at No Time for Flashcards. This activity is great for building fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Shaving cream play dough from One Little Project is a simple recipe that you and your little one can make together. Add a little essential oil to add a calming scent.
If you’re ready for a shaving cream craft, try this puffy paint recipe from Crafty Morning. Just shaving cream and glue and you are ready to get started. It is really cool to see the paint harden after it dries.
A shaving cream sensory bag is a great way to explore color mixing without the mess. This idea from Best Toys 4 Toddlers is a fun activity. Watch how the colors move, blend, and mix.
I love this decorate a cake activity from Days with Grey. Shaving cream and loose parts like buttons, gems, and beads make for a fun sensory activity. Children will revisit this activity again and again.
Little Bins for Little Hands combines shaving cream and sand for hours of sensory play and fun! Add your favorite construction tools or ocean themed characters too.
Shaving foam play has so many benefits and there are many different ways to explore it. So which of these great ideas are you going to try first?
