Both my son (4 years old) and my daughter (5 years old) think mermaids are magical and fascinating creatures to add to their imaginative play. So, of course, we needed to do some mermaid sensory play activities. Confession: I love mermaids too.
Mermaid Sensory Small World Play
This IKEA flisat table sensory play activity was made around Eye Spy Club’s storyboard pieces and an old bag of epsom salts I had in the bathroom cupboard. I dyed the epsom salts blue by simply adding blue food colouring to the salt and shaking in a ziplock bag. The epsom salts had all harden in the bag and I was shaving away salt from a huge ball when I thought, “this is kind of fun, maybe the kids would like to break this up”. So I left the rest of the salt hunk for them. Then I added in a bag of mix-ins from an Ice Cream Play Kit I already had to the coloured salt (also from Eye Spy Club).
The gorgeous hand painted mermaid peg dolls are from Kidfolk and Co. They had so much fun with our already much-loved Tara Treasures mermaid.
I added in our bathymetric pond on its side to look like a cave and some of our other ocean resources. The kids enjoyed breaking up the salt ball first and then spent time organizing the mermaids’ house. They made them beds and puts them to sleep. So sweet.
Materials
- Mermaid Peg Dolls and Resin Conch Shell – Kidfolk & Co. (save with code HOUSEOFPLAY15)
- Storyboard Insert, Great Outdoors Storyboard Starter Pack and Ocean + Sea Play Pieces – Eye Spy Club
- Felt Mermaid – Tara Treasures
- Felt Shell with Pearl, Felt Star, and Wooden Scoop – Sewing Seeds Play (code HOUSEOFPLAY10)
- Acrylic Mix-ins, Mini Loose Parts – Stars and Sensory
- Bathymetric Pond (on its side, it is so versatile!) – Aurora + Holly Children’s Accessories and Play (Save with code HOUSEOFPLAY10)
- Resin Mermaid Tail – Readymade Play (save with code HOUSEOFPLAY10)
Under the Sea Slime Play
We also recently did some mermaid inspired slime play that included many resin pieces and other small shop goodies from our growing sensory collection.
I used to be very wary of slime. I had a few bad experiences with store bought brands that scared me, but then I found Kidfolk & Co’s Magic Slime. It is my absolute favourite! So stretchy and fun, but comes out of clothes and doesn’t create a sticky mess everywhere. My daughter LOVES slime and requests it all the time, so I am so happy we have found something that works for us both.
Now that I’m on-board the slime train, I love it! It’s such an easy sensory activity to set up and clean up. A jar of slime, some fun add-ins and you’re good to go.
Materials
- Magic Slime – Blue (this is just the 2oz jar – a little goes a long way) , Mermaid Magic Pack, and Mermaid Peg Dolls – Kidfolk & Co. (save with code HOUSEOFPLAY15)
- Resin mermaids, mermaid tail, and turtle – Readymade Play (save with code PLAY10)
- Glo Pals Under the Sea Fun Filler – Sewing Seeds Play (save with code HOUSEOFPLAY10)
- Iridescent Shells Mini Mix-ins – Stars and Sensory
- Turquoise tray – Dollarama