Tuff tray any day and any play in early childhood.

I finally got a tuff tray and love it! I just discovered its actual purpose is a mortar mixing board! There are links to what I have used with the tuff tray and if you use them I may get a small amount$.

If you follow my page This is why I teach .ec you will know I love simple and fast set ups that children can add to and have many learning opportunities. The tuff tray offers this and can be used everyday making it well worth the cost, which is actually reasonable.

So far I have used it for:

Physical,

Sensory,

Imaginative play,

Math,

Literacy,

Small world play and

STEM activities.

This is a quick and easy set up has STEM, sensory and depending on the age physical opportunities. This invitation has see-through scarves, crochet bowls and sensory blocks. Ready to explore and with content knowledge be a STEM activity.

Here are my first small world play trays. A favourite sensory material at the moment is the wood fire pellet as it is cheap and great as a solid and then add water and it is like sawdust. It is made from sawdust from untreated wood so it is safe and sustainable. Here trucks and dinosaurs

featured. We also left the tray out and just watched the rain fall on the water inside it. It was soothing and there were so may questions.

Imaginative play with loose parts and items from around the early childhood setting or home. Sand and scooping was popular, with parties and collaboration.

Adding a popular book or a book with interest adds to the experience and penguins were a huge interest. Not one to waste resources we added water to the melted ice and flour to have a sensory / messy / maths activity.

The tuff tray was used as a base to throw bean bags and count, add and improve hand eye coordination. We had a ball... or should I say bean bag of a time. The addition of scissors to the tray with spring flowers offered opportunities to strengthen fine motor skills and enjoy the senses.

Hope you are feeling inspired and maybe can offer more ideas. I am a fan!!!

Here is the hack another teacher offered to create a stand as I have only used the tuff tray on the ground. This is my plan for next week.

Until next time.

Arohanui.

M