DISCOVERY

The greatest venue for discovery is hands-on exploration.  Taking nature walks and listening to the birds, picking up leaves and studying bugs.  Even digging through dirt with bare hands is great - at least for the kids.  But when all of that is not possible and Mom is eager to contain the mess, discovery boxes are a great alternative. Take a plastic dish-pan and fill it with just about anything, and let your child discover new textures, sensations, smells and colors (hopefully not flavors--the idea is to keep things in the tub :o)
Here are some ideas of discovery boxes you can put together at home.

Along with the following suggestions, place measuring cups and  containers for the kids to fill.  You can also place other small objects such as marbles, buttons, charms or small alphabet letters for the kids to find amid the materials. 

• Mixed buttons.  Have your child sort them into an egg carton by color or size
• Grass and Roots
• Bird Seed.  Have your child sort into and egg carton by type
• Shaving Cream and Food Coloring
• Water and Cups
• Mixed Nuts
• Mixed Beans
• Mixed Pastas
• Goop (Water and Corn Starch)
• Anything messy (the messier the better)