The Lost Sheep or Lost Coin Sensory Play for under 5s

This activity came about by accident when I was helping to run activities for under 5s at a church camping weekend.  A friend had made some Moon Sand and children had proceded to mix loom bands in with it.  Searching for the hidden loom bands became a great game and the added bonus of sensory play was brilliant!

Use this for exploring the 'searching' element of the Lost Sheep or Lost Coin stories.

You will need: 8 cups of flour and 1 cup of baby oil (or vegetable oil will also work- see here for a recipe), loom bands, a tray with sides to keep the Moon Sand in.

Mix the oil and flour thoroughly.  You will end up with something resembling shortbread mixture, dry but forming clumps when you press it together.  It will easily crumble back when you have finished pressing it!

Hide the loom bands in the mixture and then encourage the children to find them.  You might want to turn it into a game and see who can find the most.  It will get a bit messy so have some paper towels on hand!

Talk about:
How does it feel to be lost?
How does it feel when you are found?
What is it like to look for something?
Why do we look for things when we lose them?
Who or what would you look for if it was lost?

Talk about God's love for us and his determination to show how much He loves us.