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Friends Art Lab / Blog / Spring Flower Sensory Table – Water Play Activity

Spring Flower Sensory Table – Water Play Activity

By Kristian Klebofski   Published: May 18, 2023    Updated: May 19, 2023

If you have a bouquet of flowers that are wilted and on their last leg (stem?), SAVE THEM before you throw them away! Past-their-prime flowers make for a sensational spring flower sensory table.

A plastic bin is full of water and has TONS of flowers & flower petals floating at the top in oranges, pinks, yellows, purples, and greens.
Table of Contents:
  1. Past-their-prime flowers are PERFECT for a spring flower sensory table
  2. This spring flower sensory table is basically FREE
  3. Materials
  4. Directions
  5. A spring flower sensory table is a perfect child-directed activity
  6. What do children learn from sensory tables?
  7. Wait – SAVE your petals and make THIS
  8. FAQ
  9. A spring flower sensory table is what dreams are made of

Past-their-prime flowers are PERFECT for a spring flower sensory table

We’re big fans of finding ways to reuse materials around these parts, and we’re equally big fans of fresh flowers!

Being able to have gorgeous flowers and then use them for a water table? THE BEST.

If you get Mother’s Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, Valentine’s Day, birthday, or other holiday flowers, you hold the key to fun hours.

Related: Our GIANT 10-foot flower coloring banner is perfect for flower lovers!

A flower with a long stem is held over a clear bucket filled with water and Kristian uses blue scissors to snip the end of the stem off.

This spring flower sensory table is basically FREE

When you are using gifted flowers that were on their way to the garbage anyway, it’s next to free.

Okay, 7 cents for the water. 🤣

And while we love that this doesn’t break the bank, it’s also a fantastic opportunity to model to our little learners that we can actually turn trash into treasure.

Looking for more water table activities? We’ve got you covered!

  • Pom Pom Water Table – Busy Toddler
  • Ice Kitchen Water Table – Happy Toddler Playtime
  • Washing Dishes Water Play – Frogs Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
A hand holds a bouquet of flowers over a plastic container on a table with colorful cupcake molds, small plastic bowls, and a pair of kid tweezers.

Materials

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  • Fresh flowers – not fresh-fresh flowers, but used-to-be-fresh-but-it’s-been-a-week-and-now-they’re-wilting flowers 
  • Water
  • Large plastic bin – raid your kitchen for plastic containers, too

Optional materials to add:

  • Scissors – 10/10 recommend scissors
  • Bowls
  • Cups
  • Silicone cupcake liners
  • Spatulas
  • Colanders
A hose fills a large, clear bucket with water. The bucket sits on a grey table and also on the table are colorful silicon cupcake liners and clear plastic bowls.

Directions

It’s the simplest thing. Add the water and the flowers into the bin. Ta-da!

When doing this with a group of kids, you could provide each child with a stem of flowers to contribute to the bin (that’s adorable).

You could also only add a flower into the bin once you’ve named the flower (ex: “First we’re going to add the daisy, next we’re going to add the carnation…”). We love an opportunity to incorporate delicious vocabulary.

Several long-stemmed flowers float on water in a clear plastic bucket.

A spring flower sensory table is a perfect child-directed activity

This type of activity is typically pretty hands-off from adults because kids will know exactly what to do with the supplies, even with little to no instructions given.

As always, supervise to ensure that the kids are using the materials safely, but provide ample opportunities for free exploration.

A series of three photos shows a purple flower being separated at the middle, pulled apart, and then the petals are held in the hands.

What do children learn from sensory tables?

I taught college courses for eight years and have MANY lectures and presentations on the importance of sensory play in my back pocket.

I could talk about this for hours.

Here’s a super quick glance at what kids are learning from water tables and activities like this:

  • Reciprocity – sharing materials
  • Science – exploring water
  • Sensory – using visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory senses
  • Math – measuring and counting
  • Literacy – naming the types of flowers
  • Math – classifying and sorting flowers
  • Fine motor – plucking, scooping, holding, pinching, cutting

Water tables are a cross-curricular activity because it connects so many important domains!

PLUS, IT’S FUN!

A plastic bin is full of water and has TONS of flowers & flower petals floating at the top in oranges, pinks, yellows, purples, and greens.

Wait – SAVE your petals and make THIS

The fun doesn’t end when you’re done with the flower water table.

Save your petals to make frozen ice cubes for HOURS of bonus play!

Four large ice cubes sit in a shallow tray. In each cube are frozen flower petals, leaves, and stems.

FAQ

Are all flowers safe to use?

Before letting kids touch and use the flowers, check to make sure your specific flower varieties are safe for kids to use.

How long does this activity last?

HOURS! You can also save the petals and do it again the next day.

What age is this recommended for?

Any age that can safely use the materials.

A large pink gerber daisy is held above the water table filled with flowers while a pair of purple kid tweezers pulls some petals off.

A spring flower sensory table is what dreams are made of

It’s virtually free, it’s GORGEOUS, and it’s endlessly exciting for young learners.

And once you start looking at materials and wondering, “How else can I use this?” you’ll see the learning opportunities in almost everything.

Every time I share this activity online, I get flooded with messages from people doing it, too.

You. Will. Love. This.

Friends Art Lab Best Resources:

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Directed Draw Sets for Kids ✍🏼
Learn About Virtual Preschool 🖥️
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Kristian

Hi, I’m Kristian!

I love all things early childhood. Having earned a master's degree in education, I love sharing my passion and knowledge both as a classroom preschool teacher and college professor. Friends Art Lab is my heart and I'm excited to share with you! LEARN MORE

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