DIY Preschool Classroom Learning Centers: Sand and Water Table Ideas

The sand table, also called the water table or sand and water table, is a staple in preschool learning centers,  early childhood special education and kindergarten classrooms. The sand table is a hollowed out table that can be filled with sand and/ or water for interactive play. Here are diy water table ideas for preschool, day care, homeschool, Montessori, kindergarten and any exploratory classroom environment. The water table is an important part learning centers based classrooms. The sand table provides tactile stimulation, interactive hands-on exploration and play therapy for special education and early childhood development. It fosters perceptual and cognitive development in special education students. It helps with special education occupational therapy.

You can purchase a sand table or make homemade one using one of these alternatives: dish pan, recycled plastic laundry soap bucket, shallow plastic covered storage bin, inflatable child's swimming pool, small hard plastic swimming pool or covered Little Tikes Turtle sandbox. I have used all of these as a DIY water table in my teaching career. The nice thing about using a smaller water table is that it's portable. If you choose a covered container for a sand table you can store in when not in use. The Little Tikes Turtle sandbox makes a particularly nice sand table as you can use it indoors and outdoors, as a pool or sandbox.

In the summer weather, take the Turtle sandbox outside for outdoor learning centers. In the cold, wet winter months, bring the sandbox inside and set up in your special education and preschool classroom learning centers. Cover the floor with an old recycled plastic shower curtain or tablecloth for easy clean up. Set a little broom and dust pan nearby so that children can sweep up sand and replace in sand table. This is good housekeeping practice for the house or practical life learning centers.

Preschool Sand Table Lesson Plans for science learning centers

A sand table is a low child-sized table with tubs that can be filled with materials for children to explore. The sand table, also called sand and water table, is the backbone of preschool science activities in learning centers. Early childhood special education classrooms use a sand table, or water table. The sand table provides hands-on,interactive learning, cognitive and perceptual development and tactile stimulation. You can make your own sand table for preschool learning centers. Then use these sand table science activities for early childhood lesson plans.

Water: Fill tubs with water to make a water table. Add floating toys and bath tub toys. Provide different sized containers that encourage children to practice pouring and measuring. Place revolving water wheels in the water table. Add some items that sink and some that float. Use water table for hands-on exploration with the scientific concepts of flotation, water displacement, density and specific gravity. Create a "What Sinks? What Floats?" chart.

Bubbles: Make a simple bubble solution with water, lemon Joy dish soap and glycerin for sturdy

bubbles. Add bubble making toys and every day household gadgets: apple corer, egg beater, whisk,

egg slicer, slotted spoon, fork, cone shaped applesauce mill and any other safe gadgets for water

science activities in learning centers.

Rocks and seashells: Fill your sand table with water and sand. Add rocks, seashells and old (sanitized)

recycled toothbrushes. Children can scrub shells and rocks with toothbrushes. Shells and rocks are

best seen in water, which brings out their hidden depths. Children will love exploring the intricate

beauty of shells and rocks.

Shaving Cream: Allow children to squirt shaving cream into water table tub. Concentrated gel shaving

cream is lots of fun because it foams up as it sprays. Teach safety so kids don't get soap in their eyes.

Exercise caution with aerosol cans. It may be advisable to have an adult add the shaving cream.

Encourage finger painting and drawing in shaving cream. Make sure children wash their hands after

doing science activities in learning centers.

Snow: Fill the sand table with snow and add plastic sand shovels, trowel, ice cream scoop, melon

baller, recycled plastic cups and containers for molding and shaping snow. Have children to wear

gloves and keep several pairs near the water table.

Recycle bin paper scraps: Place scrap paper in sand table tubs and add scissor with patterned edges

and paper punches. Children love to snip, trim, cut and punch paper. Exploring with paper in the sand

table keeps scraps in one place. This exercise provides good practice in cutting skills, scissors skills,

eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills.

Dried beans or rice: Add plastic measuring cups, spoons and cups with pour spouts. Teach children

about measurement math. Preschool children can practice counting, sorting while getting good tactile

stimulation in learning centers.

Aquarium Fish tank rocks: Buy bags of multicolored aquarium fish tank rocks (the small kind that line

the bottom of the tank). Fish tank rocks make excellent media for pouring, scooping and measuring.

Aquarium rocks also don't draw insects like beans and rice. Beads work well in the sand table, too,

but can be expensive. Explore other materials for your sand table science activities.