Sensory Balloons

I work at a special needs integrated preschool. I've worked in both the classroom and the offices. I have had many opportunities to experience the various ways the therapists work with the children. I've seen their plans and goals written on their paperwork while in an office position and I've also seen the implementation and results while in the classroom setting. One area that gets worked on quite often is sensory needs. I do not believe my boys have sensory issues but that doesn't mean we can't use various sensory techniques in our own home. The kids seem to really enjoy it. My first sensory "toy" is these sensory balloons.

I happened to have a large bag of balloons in a dark purple and also a light purple. I thought it would be a fun idea to fill the balloons with various household objects. Since I had 2 different colored balloons, I figured I'd expand that idea and fill a balloon of each color with the same items so that we can also match the textures.

I soon discovered that some things, while very different outside of the balloon, can appear to be very much alike once inside the balloon. The first set of balloons I filled with rice. Then I filled another set with sunflower seeds. Once I closed up the balloons, it was very difficult to figure out which was which.

I ended up labeling them so I could tell the difference but the boys wouldn't be able to. I tried to take a picture but it's not working out for me. What I did was stretch out the end after I tied it up and wrote inside it. That way, I'll know what it is if I stretch it out and read it but it won't be obvious what it is to the boys.

I filled many more sets of balloons with kosher salt, oats, poly-fil, popcorn kernels, along with the already mentioned rice and sunflower seeds. I'm also not a big fan of candy so I used a bag of Sixlets candy that he got for Halloween and filled balloons with that too. Last but not least, can't forget good old fashioned air.

The lil guy has been having a blast! Who needs fancy, expensive toys?