Easy Ghost Sensory Bag for Kids - Happy Toddler Playtime (2024)

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INSIDE: Ghost Sensory Bag is a fun and easy fine motor sensory activity for toddlers and preschoolers for Halloween. Let your little one make a ghost in bag with cotton balls!

Fine Motor Activities

You can’t get more hands-on than a sensory activity and sensory bags are not different. The one great things about sensory bags is that they are mess free! I will say it louder for the people in the back! Once you put together the sensory bag, the mess stops there. If you concerned that your little one may tear the bag with their nail, try putting gloves on their hands! Sensory bags are a fun way to strengthen fine motor skills for toddlers and preschoolers. Moving the cotton balls in the bag with their fingers is both challenging and engaging. Making it a fun way to develop those skills!

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How to Set Up Ghost Sensory Bag

This sensory bags is super easy to set up. Grab your gallon sized ziplock bag. You can remove the label using an alcohol wipe. On the front of the bag draw the outline of a ghost using a black sharpie or permanent marker.

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Fill the bag with enough cotton balls to fill the entire ghost. Add enough water so that the cotton balls soak it up and so that there is enough water to allow them to move around fairly easily. You may have to play around with the amount of water. Add a little bit at a time, remove the air in the bag and seal itand test it before taping shut.

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Once you have the right amount of water and cotton balls, remove all the air from the bag (or as much as you can), seal it and then use packing tape to secure the top.

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How to Play with Ghost Sensory Bag

Invite your child to use their fingers to move the cotton balls into the ghost in order to decorate it white. I like to become the voice of characters for my kids while they play. It helps keep them engaged and promote language development. Ask them questions like, what do you think ghost starts with? Why do you thins ghosts are white? I try to stick with open ended questions that tend to promote more expansive answers!

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Looking for more Halloween Activities? Check out these fun ideas:

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  • 19 Halloween Sticker Activities
  • 20 Haunted House Crafts for Kids

Age Suitability for Ghost Sensory Bag

This activity is good forpre-k, kindergarten aged children 3 years old and up. My kids are 4.5, 4.5 and 8 years old.

Mess Level

The mess level for this activity is LOW.

Difficulty to Create

Easy.

Skills Developed

Language development, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.

Supplies

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  • Gallon sized ziplock bag
  • Alcohol wipe to remove the label
  • Water
  • Cotton Balls
  • Black Sharpie

Books, TV Show & Play Kits!

Book:Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids

Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more informationExciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy atAmazon.

Engage your child in hours of play with my colorful collection of over 60 sensory bin activities, recipes and play projects that aid with memory formation, language development, problem-solving skills and more. Perfect for toddlers from eighteen months to three years old and beyond, each bin makes use of materials you already have at home and helps reignite your kids’ interest in toys long forgotten.

Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.

With setup instructions, details on how to guide your child through each activity, suggestions for what to talk about with your child as they play and other useful tips, Mandisa gives you all the information you need for creative sensory activities your kids are bound to love.

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

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Book:Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids

Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.

Find out more and grab your copyhere.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

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Book:Big Book of Riddles for Kids

Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast?The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles that show them how to think outside the box.

  • 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
  • Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
  • Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.

Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!

Designed for kids ages 6 yearsold and up.

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TV Show:Curious Crafting

I’m so excited to finally share my new crafting TV showCurious Craftingwhich launched July 1 at onTVOkidsandTVOkids YouTube!

Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.

In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.

Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.

This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.

The BestSensory Play Kitsfor Kids

Play is at the core of learning during the early years and it can take many forms. One of the most important of these issensory playbecause it engages all of a child’s senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing) and has a enoumous positive impact on brain development.

Our Sensory Play Kits are some fun and easy ways to keep your child engaged while at the same time using sensory play to nurture their mind!

Shop our ready made play kitshere.

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WILL YOU MAKE GHOST SENSORY BAG WITH YOUR KIDS? PIN IT FOR LATER!

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Easy Ghost Sensory Bag for Kids - Happy Toddler Playtime (2024)

FAQs

Are sensory bags good for toddlers? ›

Sensory bags are easy to make and perfect for sensory play for babies and toddlers – without all the mess! Sensory bags help young children to develop their sense of touch and fine motor skills as they manipulate the small objects around the bags.

What are some sensory strategies for a 2 year old? ›

Some strategies to consider are:

Fill a beach ball with air and water to make a weighted ball for playing catch. Play a game where your child is carrying buckets with sand, rice, beans or water. Play 'tug-of-war' with a blanket or toy. Jump on a trampoline.

How do you make a sensory bag without hair gel? ›

Put a gallon zip-top plastic bag in a large bowl and pour 2 cups of oil in it. You can use canola oil, vegetable oil or baby oil. It really doesn't matter. Next stir several drops of food coloring into a half cup of water.

How do you make a simple sensory toy? ›

A plastic bowl and Tupperware containers with dried pasta and/or dried rice in. Put the pasta or rice in the bowl for your child to move their hands through with you assisting and encouraging them hand over hand if required.

How do you make a simple sensory bag? ›

Here's how: Fill a resealable plastic bag with tactile materials like hair gel, pumpkin seeds, shaving cream, or marbles. Reinforce the seal with strong tape, then use painter's or washi tape to secure the edges of the bag to the floor or a table where your baby can play.

When should I start sensory bags? ›

Babies explore all the time. It's how they learn. A sensory bag is full of things that babies can touch, taste, look at and more.

What age is appropriate for sensory play? ›

In general, most children will be able to start engaging in sensory play from around 6 months old. As they get older, they will be able to explore more complex sensory experiences.

How do you calm an overstimulated 2 year old? ›

Reduce the noise and activity around your child. For example, turn off the TV or radio and take your child to their bedroom. Or stay with your child if they need to be close to you to calm down. Help your child put into words the feelings that they're expressing through behaviour.

What is messy play for 2 year olds? ›

Non-toxic, taste-safe paint can also be used to create great sensory play for year olds activities. Children can paint with their fingers on paper or cardboard boxes. Or, you can water down your paints, mix them with water, and pour them into mini-trigger spray bottles that are easy for kids to use.

What is an example of sensory play for kids? ›

You can easily adapt a simple sensory activity like blowing bubbles for different children at different stages and abilities, for example: Babies might enjoy feeling the bubbles pop on their skin. Toddlers can chase after bubbles and pop them on themselves, the floor, and surfaces around them.

How do you make a feely bag? ›

'Feely' bags involve students feeling objects without seeing them and then guessing what each object might be. Sew 15–20 bags with elastic or drawstring tops. Put one artifact related to the topic into each numbered bag. Place the bags around the room.

How to make an oil and water sensory bag? ›

Help children add oil and water to the bag. Allow them to decide how much of each to add, filling the bag no more than half full. Invite children to add food coloring to the bag. They can choose one color or more than one—it will be interesting to see the results of one color vs.

What are comfort items for 2 year olds? ›

Although different children find comfort in different objects, loveys are usually soft, cuddly, and nice to touch. Some common types are: Soft toys such as a teddy or plushie. Blankets like a fluffy blankie or Kippins baby comforter.

Are sensory bins good for 2 year olds? ›

Short answer: yes. Creating sensory bins for toddlers allows them to build skills and understanding through play-based, hands-on learning. Sensory bins are easy, in-expensive, and effective for supporting toddler in their growth and development – but (spoiler alert) they don't have to be messy to be fun.

How do you make a squishy bag for a toddler? ›

Place flour, food colouring and water into the small mixing bowl. Mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Scoop the mixture into the plastic zip-lock bag. Before fastening the end, place the squishy bag onto a flat surface and gently push any excess air out to avoid air bubbles.

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