Dot to Dot Shaving Cream Sensory Play

Aside from it's conventional use, never would I have thought that shaving cream would lend itself as a fun (and messy!) way to work on fine motor skills and foster sensory play prior to kids. But alas, it's a FANTASTIC medium that many kids love to explore. Set up this easy shaving cream sensory play activity to work on a variety of early learning skills for your toddler and/or preschooler!

post may contain affiliate links.

My kiddos love having my squirt shaving cream in and around the bathtub during bath time so they can make designs and spread it all around til the water turns white.

They also love the simple dot to dot workbooks....

So, why not put them together I thought!

Dot to dot + shaving cream gives an extra educational "umph" to shaving cream sensory play.

Now, not only is your toddler and/ or preschooler playing, he/she is learning, too! Your child is putting his/her fine motor muscles to work. And if you've been a reader for while, you know we are big on fine motor skills activities! They are crucial during the early years. We must give our little ones ample opportunity to strengthen the fine motor muscles in their fingers, hands, and arms as they are an important precursor to writing skills. These small, but mighty muscles will get a work out with this fun and messy sensory play activity!

Shaving Cream Sensory Play

All you need is a tray and/or table and a can of shaving cream!

This shaving cream sensory play activity can be set up in minutes, and can be set up to focus on other early learning concepts as well.

Begin by making small squirts of shaving cream to create different shapes, letters, and/or numbers in a connect the dot pattern.

TIP! If your child doesn't like the feel of shaving cream, give them a q-tip to manipulate through the shaving cream, instead-- a little less messy for you, but your child will still be strengthening his/her fine motor muscles.

I made a square, triangle, circle, and heart.

Depending on where your child is in his/her pre-writing skills, you could keep it fairly simple-- up/down, left/right, or make the connect the dots a bit more challenging-- diagonal lines, curves, etc.

Encourage your child to start at one dot and trace all around the object to connect the dots.

And soon it will look like this-- a creamy mess! But no need to clean it up just yet! The shaving cream covered table or tray is yet another perfect opportunity to practice writing letters, numbers, making shapes, and more!

Or grab a few toys, and PLAY!

Continuing to smear the shaving cream everywhere was probably my toddlers favorite part of this activity! But I love sneaking in more learning skills into our activities when I can.

Give this shaving cream sensory play a try!