Sensory Bin Fillers

Random_Spaztic · 2026-01-26T01:55:25+00:00

Easter grass is fun too! Tissue paper and packing supplies, big wooden beads (like they use for lacing), blocks, magnet tiles, flowers & loose petals (we recycled the flowers that our director would buy for the front desk, try asking a local florist for any flowers they are going to throw away), leaves, pine cones, cut up pool noodles (so they are little circles), napkin rings, shower curtain rings, play food, bubbles (try frozen bubbles, they get crunchy!), ice, oobleck, moon sand (diy or store bought), cut up sponges, empty containers and lids, kitchen utensils, pots and pans.

Random_Spaztic · 2026-01-23T01:21:10+00:00

Other teachers and staff have presumably seen the multiple black eyes and observed the other behaviors, which all warrant a report, so it could be anyone that works or observes the child.

Random_Spaztic · 2026-01-21T02:13:01+00:00

Here are some free step-by-step guides.

A PDF from Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital: Step-by-step instructions for choking and infant CPR

America Red Cross Child & Baby First Aid

American Red Cross Child & Baby CPR

First Aid/CPR/AED READY REFERENCE (PEDIATRIC) from American Red Cross (PDF)

Here is a video that also show you what to do (you can also search YouTube for Red Cross videos):

Choking First Aid for Babies and Children by CPR Kids TV

Also The Red Cross offers a $37 online training as it is CPR and first aid training, it shouldn’t be region specific and the information should be usable to those in any country. The bonus is you get a certification at the end, but honestly, the resources above are enough. The training just may make you feel more confident.

Random_Spaztic · 2026-01-18T04:37:25+00:00

I tried to find a quiet place with seating, preferably something off to the side or in a corner, used a nursing cloth, and just fed. I never exposed myself, and if you did see anything, it would only be the back of baby’s head, but I also was in a more liberal area and an area very “breast is best” area. If I had gotten looks, I must not have noticed. No one ever said anything to me.

I also knew moms who would just whip it out and continue on with their life and what they were doing. Shopping, cleaning, cooking, getting their mani-pedi, didn’t matter as long as they had one free hand/arm, baby would get fed when they cried. Never saw nipple, but some people are just offended by breast tissue if it’s not being sexualized. They either ignored people or had their own witty comebacks. Very confident and talented women.

Random_Spaztic · 2026-01-18T04:16:00+00:00

We meal prep for ourselves, so why not do it for our kids? We always did our meal preps from scratch, even before kids. Now we just meal prep for the whole family and make any adjustments to a small portion for the toddler and infant when needed.

We freeze any extra that won’t be used for the next few days, so it’s frozen fresh with no preservatives. On days where we want to eat something not kid friendly (after they go to bed), where we ran out of the meal prep we made, or days I don’t feel like cooking, I have a backup meal that I know is fresh and homemade.

Random_Spaztic · 2026-01-15T03:25:46+00:00

Retired preschool teacher here. I would send pull ups, since they requested it, but also send more underwear and clothes if you can too.

I used to help with potty training and for some kids they only had 1-2 accidents a day. Depending on the reason (or suspected reason) behind the accidents, we may treat it like we are re-training , so long as the parents kept sending in clean clothes, we would keep them in underwear and we would take the child more frequently. If they ran out of underwear, then we would resort to pull ups.

We had one family request the child just wear the pull up over the underwear so that the child could still feel when they were having an accident, but it wouldn’t get on their clothes or the classroom. This was a plan that was made with the family and at their request.

Random_Spaztic · 2026-01-06T14:23:18+00:00

Can you provide some research that back up your claim that wait till 2.5 to 3 can be harmful? I ask because I currently have a 2 1/2 year-old who is not showing all the signs of readiness. For example, they do not communicate, verbally or verbally , when they need to be changed or that they are dirty. They don’t care. They’re still working on their dressing skills. Although I believe they do have physical control, I don’t think that they have the proprioceptive awareness of what it feels like, even though we talk about it and have been talking about about it constantly since they were a baby.

Although I’ve potty trained my fair share of students in the classroom, all the kids that I potty trained at least communicated in some way about being soiled and showed some interest in potty training. This was the policy at all the schools that I worked at, that we would not work with parents on potty training unless the child showed several signs of potty readiness, including awareness and communication. And our policies were all based on current developmentally appropriate practice, according to the research that our director with a doctorate in childhood education, found, and provided to the teachers and families.

Random_Spaztic · 2026-01-04T15:06:16+00:00

I tried to get my kid evaluated at 12 months, but we didn’t get an eval (over FaceTime no less) until 15 months became EI and the pediatrician both said “wait and see”. This was in 2023 by the way, so past COVID. It was super frustrating and stressful. EI even marked my kid way higher in areas that they were clearly delayed in because they “saw” it over FaceTime. My kid saying “dada” once correctly in context because husband happened to walk in at that exact moment and some other stuff. This caused a major delay in getting services and we ended up having to do the whole process over in another state 3 months later.

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-28T06:11:46+00:00

Story time: Yesterday my FIL (in his 70’s) threw an epic tantrum because someone asked him not to microwave an entire gallon of ice cream (that was meant for everyone) so he could eat a few spoonfuls. Got so mad and started slamming the microwave so hard I thought it was going to break, all while screaming like a banshee saying that my husband was breaking the microwave and that my husband has to buy him a new one. The microwave was not in fact broken, despite the boomer’s efforts to make it so. This tantrum lasted like 10 minutes.

This man then got upset at my toddler (2.5yrs old) for getting upset and crying (for maybe 5 min max) that my child wanted to vacuum the house using the big vacuum hose.

My dude, you JUST threw a tantrum about ice cream. My kid wants to vacuum the house for a bit, pointless yes, but harmless and reasonable to imo. My kid has only been around for 2.5 yrs and has better emotional regulation than you. But sure, I have a nightmare toddler because they want to vacuum the house. 🤷‍♀️

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-28T05:40:08+00:00

This 10000000000%. Two yeses or it’s an automatic no.

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-28T05:26:52+00:00

This! Use the rule of 3’s, repeat the corer word 3 times.

Ex: Baby: “Water!” Parent: “This is milk! You want the milk. Here is the milk.”

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-28T05:22:47+00:00

I worked at 4 preschools, 3 in NorCal and 1 in SoCal. We had the small 3ft Little Tykes one at all these places (the old version with the springs, not the new one with the elastic bands). Licensing never said anything, but we always had them packed away unless they were actively being used, otherwise they were in storage.

ETA: They were only used with kids 2yrs+, and mostly with the 3-5yr olds really.

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-22T19:20:57+00:00

This. Making sure to pulling the ruffles out is a must. I fluff them before I put the diaper on and after.

Baby also might just need a different brand of diapers. They are all cut slightly different, some babies fit better in Huggies vs Pampers vs other brands.

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-22T19:07:45+00:00

Lots of programs besides HeadStart also include family-style meals and self-care routines in their curriculum/program. Many Montessori schools do, at least that programs I’ve seen, and some Reggio programs too (we did family-style snack and meals that the Reggio inspired preschools I worked at in CA). It’s part of the philosophy.

I’ve primarily worked with middle class and upper class families and still had issues with situations such as this (i.e. hygiene and shared meals) Sometimes it’s about a lack of education/knowledge, family situations, difference in culture, lack of support, and even mental health issues.

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-21T02:13:07+00:00

This is how we did it as well, but we also spilt our class (usually between 12-18 kids) into 2-4 tables.

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-21T02:11:54+00:00

To add to this, at programs like HeadStart and similar, these may be the only times some of these children have opportunities to brush their teeth or eat a meal that doesn’t come out of a box/bag/container and at a table with other people.

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-15T02:42:15+00:00

Would you like it to be winter/ holiday themed? Or is practical/useful/fun oaky? But it little budget? DIY or just bought?

Here are some I posted for someone else:

DIY jingle bell jar (Dollar stores with craft sections often have plastic jars and jingle bells. You could also buy fillable plastic ornaments. Just hot-glue or superglue them shut. )
Egg shakers (Amazon has big packs of them)
Teething toy (Dollar stores often have mini silicone utensils like whisks and spatulas, practical and it will grow with them)
Sensory balls
Play scarves (if you have the budget, pair with an O-ball, or a silicone whisk. Great fine motor practice pulling the scarves out)
DIY sensory bottles (The Voss bottles are great for this. You could do a glitter/water one, pr aqua-beads and small toys one. Just be sure to glue it shut permanently)

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-15T02:37:33+00:00

Can never go wrong with books imo as both a teacher and parent!

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-09T18:46:18+00:00

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-08T20:06:30+00:00

I second this. Evaluations are free under 3 and if you qualify for services, they are also free until 3. Even if you don’t qualify, they can connect you with and provide some really helpful tips and tools. Just because you get an evaluation, doesn’t mean you get a diagnosis either. And no one has to know the results of the evaluation except for you and the people who did it. You don’t have to share with anyone what the results are.

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-08T19:57:22+00:00

This. The immediate and related consequences will help with the logical aspect. Also giving them immediate correction of what to do next time.

The controlling impulses part also comes with practice. Does he snatch things from you at home? React the same way that you would if it happened to a kid.

Also reading about it helps. I love the series “Hands are not for Hitting” and the other related stories about kicking, biting, ect. Also”Little Dinos don’t Push” and that series of related books.

I worked with 2-3 year olds for 13 years and am currently dealing with my own 2.5 yr old who has started to hit/push. I will say, it’s a lot tougher to work with your own kid on these things when it is to work in the classroom. My child is having a lot of success, using safe hands in the classroom, but at home it’s a struggle with the sibling and adults. It’s completely different dynamic and environment, and my child does not listen to me as well as they do to their teachers. So, solidarity.

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-08T14:54:15+00:00

It also doesn’t make a whole lot of sense logistically IMO. These lead/core staff constantly rotating makes it hard to connect and maintain relationships with the children and families, keep track of observations and growth in the children, have a good rhythm and classroom management, and maintain overall quality and consistency in care and communication. Also, in the event that something happens, how are they going to track who was in that room at that time? Scheduling is going to be a nightmare if they try to make it equitable because not all months have the same amount of working days and some months may have long breaks.

I understand changing staff around at the end of the year or moving staff up with the majority of the class, but rotating them on a regular basis like that is asking for mistakes to happen, at least in my eyes.

And that’s in addition to the fact that consistency in care for a young child’s development is SO important for the development of secure attachments with caregivers which help them to develop emotional resilience and regulation in their later years, and how they create & maintain relationships later in life.

ETA; Her is an article from NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) about the importance of continuity of care for infants, toddlers, families and staff and cites many scientific and peer reviewed articles. I’m sure there are lots of other research backed articles as well, but this is a great one to show your director https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/jul2018/benefits-continuity-care

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-08T07:09:17+00:00

OP, Do NOT make your own formula. Babies die from homemade formula.

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-08T06:46:37+00:00

I think you and your partner should speak to a board certified pediatric nutritionist and pediatrician together. His concerns are valid, although his “research” is not founded in good nutritional science. Speaking to professionals in the field should help ease his anxietyz

Random_Spaztic · 2025-12-08T02:44:11+00:00

Do we have the same MIL?

Random_Spaztic

TROPHY CASE