Sink Time
Toddlers love to get wet so it only makes sense that they would love to play in the sink. There are plenty of toddler play sinks online that are perfect for this sort of play. The play sinks modeled after kitchen sinks are perfect for this activity. The play sinks modeled after bathroom sinks would work too! Your kitchen sink is also perfect for sink time!
Items needed:
Towel for your play area
Tear-free bath soap if you want bubbles!
If you opt for a play sink, once you put the sink together and place batteries inside, it is ready to be filled with water. It comes with some small plastic dishes and cutlery, so you don’t have to worry about adding anything else for sink time (unless you want to give your little one a few more options).
Steps:
Model how to clean the dishes by wiping with a small cloth (also provided), rinsing and putting the clean dishes on the drying rack.
If you want to add bubbles, use some tear-free soap and swish it around a bit.
Your toddler will be occupied rinsing and washing the play dishes for a LONG time.
I was surprised that it took me so long to hear about these. Surely, such a great sensory activity cannot be a secret. What I love about the toddler sinks:
- The water is recycled. This is great because the temperature of the water cannot get any warmer than the temperature at which it was filled, and it will not make a dent in your water bill.
- The water comes out at a constant pressure.
- The sinks are the perfect size for little hands.
The one downside to these sinks, and it is a pretty big one, is that they do not last long. We got about five uses out of our first sink before it kicked the bucket. Others that I have talked to who have purchased a reasonably priced play sink have shared the same sob story. The general consensus, however, is that the toy is most definitely worth the cost. The sink that I linked above is the sink that I purchased the second time around and it comes with a WARRANTY. It is the cheapest one that I found on Amazon, I love that I can get my money back or a replacement if this one kicks the bucket and my toddler LOVES it!
If you do not want to get a play sink, the kitchen sink is also a wonderland! A stool or kitchen helper is a must for this activity – otherwise your arms will get extremely tired!
Use gentle bath soap to create a lot of bubbles for your little one to enjoy.
Leave a trickle of water running.
Give them an extra (unused) sponge and some spoons to clean.
Model how squeezing the sponge expels the water.
Set out a kitchen towel and some of their dishware and see what they get into.
Throw some floating objects in there as well if you are feeling frisky!
Sink Time can be combined with Pom Pom Play for some extra fun! Trade out the dishes (except the cups and bowls) for the pom poms and rescue them with some tweezers. There are so many other ways that your little one can enjoy sink time!
