Toddler Spring Sensory Play with 10 Rubber Ducks

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Inside: This toddler spring sensory play activity is inspired by Eric Carle’s Book, 10 Rubber Ducks. It’s a soothing water activity that also builds fine motor skills while using sponges and transporting the ducks in their containers.

Rubber ducks in a bubble bath? In the sensory bin? Oh yes, that’s exactly what our toddlers and preschoolers enjoyed with our 10 rubber ducks sensory play.

Sounds perfect for spring, right?

But this water activity also connected to one of our favorite books, 10 Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle. While listening to the story, we see how rubber ducks are made in a factory and loaded onto a freighter. Stormy weather causes 10 of the rubber ducks to fall overboard. The ducks separate and we follow one duck’s journey to find his mother. And so, when we put together our water activity, we made sure we had 10 rubber ducks, pretending they were separating in the sea. “Ducks overboard!”

We aren’t the only ones who’ve had fun with this book. Scroll down to see what others have done!

Toddler Spring Sensory Play with 10 Rubber Ducks

What you will need for this toddler spring sensory play activity:

10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle
Rubber ducks
Water bin
Sponges
Soapy water
And any small pouring containers

Introducing this water activity:

During our morning meeting, we read 10 Little Rubber Ducks. We counted the ducks, we talked about how it would feel to be in the water, lost. Truly, this book connects to many concepts!

We then invited the children to enjoy playing with the ducks in our sensory table.

As with our lavender salt activity, there are so many soothing ideas for the sensory table. Warm water is always popular with our toddlers and preschoolers. They are drawn to its soft touch, to the gentle sounds of water pouring.

And if you know me from my other posts, I just love to add materials that get those hands ready for writing! Wringing water from sponges is an excellent way to do just that. You can see in the photos how hard the hands are working.

Because we had just read the book, I could hear some of the children reciting the book, moving the water like the ocean.

And then, the ducks were safely collected, pulled from the water, and dried.

Ways you can expand this toddler spring sensory play activity:

At the art table we had duck-shaped yellow paper, orange-tinted glue, and feathers. One year we placed the ducks in the block area and the children built a boat from blocks.