Lately, Liam has expressed more of an interest in understand time. I made this New Year’s sensory bin with a lesson in time to hopefully reinforce just that. Liam had issues with waking up at 5 am to pee and then just wanted to stay up and get started on our day. Umm…that’s gonna be a hell no! When I redecorated his room from jungle to superhero, he insisted he wanted a bedside clock like Lego Batman has in the movie. It was only fitting that I got him a Lego Batman bedside clock.
When I redecorated his room from jungle to superhero, he insisted he wanted a bedside clock like Lego Batman has in the movie. It was only fitting that I got him a Lego Batman bedside clock. I showed him that only when his clock says 6: something, can he get out of bed to start his day. He still wakes up between 5:30-6 am but lights are off and his voice is silent. Every morning between 6 and 6:03, he comes in my room to proudly show me the time before using the bathroom and putting on the first superhero costume of the day. That damn clock gave me my morning back!
Materials & Manipulatives
The base is dry black beans. I tossed in felt days of the week and month labels from a calendar we have hanging nearby. You might recognize the big grey and silver tinsel pom-poms from the Spring Weather Sensory Bin. I found these at Michaels last year. The disco balls are from Hobby Lobby (I think, but any craft store is fine). These were purchased last year while on holiday clearance. They were considered Christmas decor. The party horn made it in there for pictures but I actually replaced it because he cannot blow that horn yet. (Apraxia Problems). I didn’t feel like taking more pictures.
I had to run to the Dollar Tree to get this stand up, 2018 desk calendar. I re-wrote the dates because they were a little difficult to see and I hate teaching him one way to write the letter four, then he consistently sees it another way. I got out some markers and colored a little symbol on holidays we’re familiar with so he can better associate that festivity with a month. Also in there, is a Learning Resources handheld clock that I snagged in a free bin at a yard sale. I really like this one because as you move one hand the other moves slowly behind it on its own. Lastly, Liam’s iPad. I’m going to use this to talk to him about time zones. I plan on switching to stopwatch mode to show him how seconds add up to minutes and compare it to the hand clock. Just out of view is all the cups, funnels, and sparkly pipe cleaners he’ll bring into the mix.
I just put away his Christmas Sensory Bins, which I realize I did not post (gasp)! So this one is new and he has yet to dig in. I’ll need to give a follow up on how well this lesson on time goes. In the meantime, if you’d like to see our Christmas Sensory Bins, I was thinking to continue publishing bins we’ve done in the past. If you have feedback, I’d love to hear it. HAPPY NEW YEAR!