As a multi-faceted and stimulating sensory resource glitter is also an extremely relaxing substance that is why it is a necessary component of your arts and crafts activities and always available in your space.
Have you ever seen children having fun and playing with glitter? They are so absorbed by the glitter that they are completely absorbed. Their eyes sparkle as they are captivated by the glittering sparkle and are entertained and eager to see how their fun transforms into creativity.
Glitter is not just a source of enjoyment to children, but can also aid in calming down an angry or over-stimulated child, when there is nothing else to be helping. In the early years of my career for over 20 years, I have learned that glitter is an essential accessory for crafting and art and also as a part of play with sensory elements.
In this piece I will concentrate on the fun of playing with glitter and how it can aid in the development of children in a holistic way. Playing with glitter is not just beneficial for children’s development holistically, but it is also a beneficial element of sensory play that offers many play options as well as learning possibilities.
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Glitter play can open up a variety of opportunities for sensory play in children’s play, much like when children play with water. Children love to play with their toys and are very focused while pouring, filtering and passing water through various sizes of bottles and tubes and experimenting with sinking, floating, and the list goes on. Similar to playing with sand, the glitter play provides a variety of therapeutic activities, it helps improve concentration, enhances fine motor skills, and also contributes to the development of language and social abilities.
I incorporate glitter into all my craft and art classes and it’s always there for the children to use at any moment in our kindergarten. Children are always drawn to glitter. Even as infants they are captivated and are attracted to shiny or shimmering materials or toys.
As children get older, their interests expand and they are required to try new things. The use of glitter provides children with many opportunities to play. It helps them develop social, intellectual, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. Here are a few examples:
Mark creating for toddlers and pre-schoolers.
Offer activities, like making glitter art. This kind of activity can help strengthen hands, fingers and wrists. Children must be able to move their fingers without assistance, and to utilize a pincer grip (the pincer grip is a technique that uses the thumb and finger). The next step is to build the wrists and thumbs. Then they must learn to place their wrists on the table and be capable of moving their hands without restriction.
Here are a few activities that aid in mark making. I’ve selected a few activities which are enjoyable and directly impact the ability to process and interpret information using the senses and control.
Homemade glitter paint
The glitter paint so much more enjoyable for pre-schoolers in our younger years than ordinary paint. Here’s a recipe for DIY glitter paint. You’ll require:
1 cup of flour.
1 cup up to 3 cups of water.
1 cup of salt.
Food colours you like.
Squeeze bottles.
Large bowl.
Paper.
Combine all of the components together in the large bowl, excluding the colors. Then, pour the mixture into squeeze bottles. Then add a different color to each bottle, and shake it thoroughly. When it’s all mixed, distribute it to your youngsters to apply it to the paper. After the paint has dried the salt in the paint creates an effect of glitter.
Paint Christmas trees, stars, and snow balls, and let your child’s imagination take over. The paint can be used to mark all occasions and events in our preschool.
Paint leaves and fir cones using glitter glue
Utilizing natural materials can be fun and can provide the benefit of helping children learn about the world around them. They will be able to recognize various types of trees. You’ll need:
A collection of various kinds of fir cones and leaves.
Transparent glue.
Glitter.
Paint for posters.
String.
Children should mix glitter and transparent glue. Paint the leaves or color the cones and leaves. String the leaves together with the string and create an edging of leaves.
Scooping with glitter pebbles
This activity can help young children focus on the hand eye coordination of children. You’ll need:
Two bowls of the same size.
Teaspoon.
Tray.
Sand made of gold or silver (or pebbles)
Place the sand in one bowl. The child must transfer the sand, by using a spoon, to the second bowl. This game helps children to focus and concentrate by moving the sand’s shiny surface from one bowl to the next bowl. Children will benefit from improved hand-eye coordination as well as increased concentration and build up the thumb, fingers and wrist muscles.
Glitter sand
On a plate, stir together glitter and sand. Children can use their fingers to create shapes , and later to create numbers and letters. Paint brushes are provided, as well as forks and rakes to create shapes.
Glitter playdough
Playdough that is glittered with playdough is one of my favorite activities for pre-schoolers of all ages. Making, rolling cutting, sculpting, squeeze, beating, pressing and tasting the playdough can help to build the fingers robust.
The addition of glitter adds another dimension to the game. If you are working on a subject that is ongoing in the pre-school, then you can create different colored playdough with glitter, for instance the vibrant different kinds of playdough we made for our subject on ‘food and nutritional value’. The kids made a range of vegetables and fruits from playdough.
Playdough with black colour was used to explore the topic of’space as well as planets’. The kids loved playing with the black , silvery glittery playdough to create meteor stars and rocks. Also, give them shiny beads, silver and gold paper.
These are enjoyable play activities , but they have a direct impact on the development of perception of control, sensory experiences and awareness. There are many other options which offer similar experiences.
Calming bottles
I make use of these calming bottles for when I have an anxious and over-stimulated child that needs to be calmed down. These bright and sparkling snow globes are extremely soothing and an excellent tool to help children make the shift from self-regulation to co-regulation, for instance the time a child is unhappy for any reason and doesn’t want to be soothed and wants to be left to their own devices.
The bottles that soothe children are useful. Put the bottle before the child in a place where they can be able to see. The bottles can help bring the child’s attention to one area, particularly when the child is afraid that no one is there to help.
A child is able to shake the glass upside down and instantly focus on the swirling glitter before slowing down. It creates a peaceful, relaxing effect on the brain. The child is calm and is not focused on kicking or pushing. The child’s breathing will slow to a normal level and eventually will reach the normal rate.
These bottles can serve as “time-out” bottles when a child requires to be calm and be quiet for a some time. You can give them the bottle and request them to remain quiet and observe it until all the sparkle is been absorbed by the bottom. It can take between 10 and fifteen minutes to settle completely down. Most importantly, children love watching this. I create the bottles along with preschoolers. You’ll require:
Small empty plastic water bottle.
1 cup of clear glue.
Hot water.
The glitter of your choice.
Hot glue gun.
A large mixing dish.
Hand mixer.
Then, place the glue that is clear in the bowl of mixing. Add enough liquid to bring the container up to the neck (taking into consideration the safety of children). Then, add the glitter you like.
Mix all of the ingredients and ensure that the glitter and glue is well mixed and all glitter lumps have been broken down, so that it is smooth and there aren’t any lumps remaining. Once the liquid is at room temperature, add it until it fills the neck of the plastic bottle.
The final (adult) procedure is to secure the lid using the help of a hot glue gun, so that children won’t be in a position to open the bottle.
Edible glitter
In this article, I’d like to discuss edible glitter. It’s easy and cheap to make and the kids will have a lot of fun while doing it. When I first informed my children that we were going to make edible glitter, they were astonished. They wanted to know whether they could eat the glitter. I replied, yes that when you decorate your Christmas cookies, or cupcakes, you will be able to smell the sparkles. Make these in advance and store the cookies in an airtight container. The edible glitter is suitable to decorate any occasion, like birthday parties Halloween, Easter, Halloween or Christmas, and for cooking and baking.
I am a huge fan of these kinds of games with my children. I want them to understand that it is not necessary to purchase everything from shops. There are items that can be created by us. These kinds of activities give children the opportunity to work as group members, to master the basics of math, and to improve their language skills and learn new vocabulary. They teach children skills in social interaction that include working as a group as well as sharing and caring for each other and waiting for their turn and much more. In terms of emotional satisfaction, it gives them the pleasure of watching the end result of their work.
Making glitter sugar sparkles
Things you’ll need:
One cup of sugar granulated.
1 teaspoon of food color of your preference.
Oven tray.
Mixing bowl.
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Add the sugar and the color in a mixing bowl, and combine all the ingredients thoroughly. Spread them out thinly the baking tray. Place it in the oven at least 10 mins or so until the sugar appears shiny. When the sugar has cooled mix it up and keep it in an airtight container. You can use it anytime you want to decorate cakes or biscuits or other desserts.
Edible salt glitter
It’s easy and cheap You can add this shimmer salt into playdough, or make your own paint. You’ll require:
One cup sea salt (or cooking salt).
Two teaspoons or less of your preferred food colouring (depending on the strength you wish the color to appear (light or darker).
Oven tray.
Mixing bowl.
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Add the salt and the colour in the mixing bowl , and then mix. After mixing, thinly spread it onto the baking tray and bake on the baking tray for about 10 mins. When the salt has cooled then mix it up again and store it in an airtight container.
Utilizing natural materials and combining the natural materials with glitter, colour and glue can be very satisfying for both adults and children. It’s very economical and many of the items are in your backyard and at your home. If you don’t have a backyard then you can use the parks and woodlands that are open to the public. They’re filled with natural resources that are completely free and children can benefit from these short trips.
In our preschool, following Easter, we usually spend an entire day in the park. The children are taken into the parks by parents , and teachers accompany them to the park. The children have their normal kindergarten time in this natural environment. The children really enjoy their time in the park. We gather all kinds of objects, including leaves, twigs, nuts and fir cones, acorns and many more. We then return them at the school.
Sand is a great way to relax for children, and adding glitter can be a great sensory boost and entices children who are shy, and helps to improve their social skills. Creativity boosts their abilities in fine motor skills as well as the development of their language. It assists children in integrating into the larger group.
The above activities help children develop their imaginations and discover how to make use of items that are easily accessible to them. The primary reason for the activities mentioned above is the children are engaging their senses. They use their vision, hearing and smell or touching and tasting, as well as developing fine motor kinaesthetic abilities.
Children are encouraged to take part in activities that can boost their self-esteem and confidence in areas which are appreciated by everyone. This will increase their enthusiasm and motivation to learn, and lay the foundations for their education in the primary school and beyond.
Key Tips
Sand is a great therapy for children, and adding glitter can be a great sensory boost and also helps shy children to play and helps them develop their social skills.
Creativity boosts their abilities in fine motor skills as well as the development of their language. It assists children in integrating into the group.
Glitter should be readily available throughout your early years .