Little Wombat’s Sensory Box

Themed sensory play boxes made to order for all ages

Hi There!
I’m a mother to one lovely boy and we love all things messy. I hope to share our play ideas with everyone. We are located in Sydney, Australia.
I sell sensory play boxes to keep your little one entertained and to support learning through play. Each box is made to order and hand packed for your child. Boxes are developed monthly and revolve around a central theme. My goal is for each child to open each box with excitement and foster creativity through engagement with the materials provided.
Please feel free to contact me in regards to the boxes.
Jeannie

March Box

Easter Sensory Play Box

The Easter Sensory box is the first box I have ever designed and created. I was in search of a box with good sensory play material for my 11 month old son and could not find one that was age appropriate. So...I decided to create my own line of boxes! Now that you have received the box let’s talk about ways to use all these items! Most materials are reusable and open to interpretation depending on the child. I will try my best to list as many play ideas as possible for you and your child to get the most out of this box. Please note, all boxes are slightly different as they are specially made for your little one, these are the base items so don’t be surprised to find some extras in your box.
In the 6-12month box we have :
Two egg shakers (one filled with rice and the other with lentils) : in this age group the children are very interested in anything that makes sound. These two shakers make different sound. Parents can describe the difference between the shakers, ‘this shaker is louder, this one is softer’.
Green sensory rice : perfect to start your messy play journey! This one is my favourite medium because it is easy to clean up and so engaging.
Two chicks in a clear egg : visually appealing and fun to shake around.
Peg person and cup puzzle : a good introductory puzzle for younger children
Easter storybook : language development and bonding time.
Organza Scarf : loose part play. Please keep this if you are purchasing future boxes, I will include one loose part in each box for you to collect and put together a treasure basket for your little one.
In the 12-24 month box:
Two egg shakers (one filled with rice and the other with lentils) : in this age group the children are very interested in anything that makes sound. These two shakers make different sound. Parents can describe the difference between the shakers, ‘this shaker is louder, this one is softer’.
Green sensory rice : perfect to start your messy play journey! This one is my favourite medium because it is easy to clean up and so engaging.
Shredded paper hunt : I have included some stickers for you to hide into this shredded paper for your little one dig around and find.
Colour matching chick and egg : perfect for children learning their colours and for developing fine motor skills.
Colouring in
Egg matching cards : use this to play a basic matching game. For more advanced turn the cards over to play a memory game!
Easter Puzzle
Bunny face mask : for some messy free crafting!
Easter storybook : for language development and colouring in.
Organza Scarf : loose part play and imaginative interpretation.

Cost: $20
Delivery: depending on your location

Thank you everyone for purchasing! This box is now sold out. Happy Easter! 🐰

April Box

Solar System Box

This box will be ready Mid-April. Our theme is the solar system 😊 Our messy play medium will be sand!! For babies I have made a taste safe version of sand. I have clay, galaxy scarf, loose parts to be used with sand, ‘hidden star painting’, planet matching cards, and colouring in your own planets. For younger children I have a lift the flap ‘Space’ book and some twinkle lights to make a sensory jar. In the older child box we have a space sticker book with heaps of facts and a ‘decorate your own star’ activity. With the boxes I will provide a detailed ‘resource manual’ with ways to use each material and alternative ways to use the materials, this resource will be accessible via this website or a PDF can be emailed to you for further reference. If you have anymore questions feel free to shoot me a message or email.

Available for purchase. Please message me for further details.

SOLD OUT!
Price: $25
Delivery: depending on location

May Box

Season’s Sensory Box

I’m so excited to be releasing this new box!! This month I have teamed up with the wonderful @sandies_sandbags. Together we have created some beautiful seasonal sandbags! These are perfect of all open-ended play.

Our sensory medium this month is SNOW! I have a taste-safe version for the mouthing babes. Each box also comes with a wooden tree that has four faces. You or your child can decorate each side to the four seasons. There are so many language development opportunities with this box! I have also included a beautiful set of Montessori three-part flashcards, a pine cone, playdoh and some crafty items. The sandbags and book are optional at an additional price.

For more information on the Sandies, check out their Instagram @sandies_sandbags. Each set is an additional $16.

DM or email to order now!

DM - @little.wombats
Email - jeanniek250@gmail.com

Special Box - Rainbow

Hand-made and specially designed for your little one

Since we have sold out of the Solar System (April Box), I decided to put together some special limited edition boxes! These are made especially for your child. I will work alongside you and make this the perfect box for your little one. ❤️
Each box is special and perfect.

Please contact me if you’re interested in one! I will organise a chat and we can work out what materials are best suited for your little one’s current developmental stage.

Jeannie

Salt Dough Recipe

How to make salt dough.

For Caden’s first birthday I decided to make some hand and foot prints in salt dough as a keepsake. Here’s our recipe!

Ingredients :
2 Cup Flour
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Salt

Method :
1. Add all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Kneed until combined
3. Roll out and put into desired shape or mould.
4. Bake on baking paper for 2 hours at 120 degrees Celsius.

Foam Paint

How to make taste-safe foam paint.

This one is probably our favourite recipe so far. NO WASTE! How good is that?

Ingredients :
- 1 Can of Chickpeas
- Food colouring (optional)
- Cream of tartar (optional)

Drain chickpea water into big glass boil. Using hand mixer on high, whip for 5 minutes or until foaming and stiff. Mix colours into separate boils. THAT’S IT! How simple. Cleaning is probably the hardest part of this activity 😅

To avoid food waste - USE THE CHICKPEAS FOR HUMMUS!!! I will post up a recipe for our smoked paprika hummus soon (it was also a huge hit!).

The Importance of Teaching Children to do Things for Themselves.

Why Parents Should Engage Children in Doing...

This has been on my mind for a while now and I haven’t brought it up as it can be quite a sensitive topic. Allowing a child the time to learn skills for themselves is a painful process. It is definitely more efficient and less messy to do things for them. However, taking time out of your day to show your child how to do it for themselves can benefit them in so many ways. Too often I see children incapable of doing simple things because it was always more convenient for the adult to do it for them. Parents, if you are reading this I urge you to take some time out of your day and allow your child the chance to observe and follow. Children are like a sponge. Just because they cannot do it today does not mean they won’t be able to do it tomorrow.

I am a huge advocate for child-led learning. I believe in Caden and his ability to be able to do anything he wants, when he is ready. I have witnessed this at home and really wanted to share some of the activities we implemented at home to help him achieve his full ability.

There are so many ways you can encourage your child to start doing things for themselves. A good place to start is during mealtimes. Children are fully capable of feeding themselves from the moment the start the weaning process. Allow your child the chance to feed themselves regardless of how messy it can get. This provides such a good sensory experience for them. I have always engaged Caden in preparing his food. It is good for a child to know that food does not magically appear on their plate and a lot of work goes into washing, chopping and cooking before it is ready to be eaten. From the start I have cleaned in front of him and once able and willing, he also started to clean after himself.

With all that being said, it definitely is a very long learning process. It requires a lot of time and patience to finally get there (almost).

Child-sized Cleaning Equipment

Moover Toys - Aqua Blue Cleaning Set

Evo Learning Tower

My Happy Helpers - Evo Adjustable Learning Tower in birch

Soup for the whole family

Chicken Soup

This soup is one my favourite go-to recipes. Perfect for the cooler weather and pairs perfectly with noodles. It’s loved by my whole family and boosts your immune system. I cook this using my Philips all-in-one cooker on the ‘soup’ setting. This makes the chicken so incredibly soft and falls off the bone! So yummy!

Ingredients :
1 Whole Chicken
1 Whole Garlic
3 Carrots
2 Potatoes
1/4 of bunch Celery
3 Dry Dates
Handful of peanuts
Water
Sesame oil (optional)
Shallots (optional)
Salt (optional)

Method :
1. Chop all the vegetables roughly. Leave the garlic in cloves.
2. Wash the chicken and cut off the butt part.
3. Stuff the chicken with garlic. Leave some to put around the chicken.
4. Put the chicken into the bowl, add all the vegetables and garlic around it.
5. Add water into the bowl until the chicken is fully submerged (forgive my non-cooking terms)
6. Put into the all-in-one cooker and pop on soup setting. If you are using a stove just pop the lid on and boil until chicken is cooked fully.
7. Serve with sesame oil and shallots

The dates and peanuts are used in a lot of traditional Chinese soups as they provide more nutrition into the soup and make it ‘sweeter’. We love ours with our without these. This is Caden’s favourite soup! You can freeze this for future use as stock. We love to cook noodles, rice and wonton in this soup for a full meal. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Banana & Carrot Muffins

Recipe for Sugar-free Banana & Carrot Muffins

This morning we made some banana and carrot muffins. We had two over ripe banana’s and heaps of carrots so I thought I would try making a new recipe. Obviously, being me, I didn’t quite keep track of the ingredients I used. So here is a very rough recipe. It makes about 5-6 muffins and they turned out very soft and fluffy.

Ingredients :
2 Ripe bananas (mashed)
1/2 Carrot (shredded)
1 Egg
1/4 Cup of Coconut Oil
1/2 Pouch of Fruit Purée of choice or Applesauce
3 Tablespoons of Coconut Milk
1/2 Cup of Wholemeal Spelt Flour
1/2 Teaspoon of Bicarbonate Sosa
1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla
A dash of Cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 170 Degrees Celsius.
2. Mix all wet ingredients in one small bowl.
3. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix until well combined.
5. Oil baking tray with coconut or olive oil. Pour mixture evenly into the tray.
6. Bake for 15 minutes (approximately)
7. ENJOY!!

If your baby is anything like Caden then they will devour the muffin before it is fully cooled. I highly recommend to let them sit at least 10 minutes to cool down. However, my impatient little man could not wait and snuck one entire muffin onto the couch and ate it all. It is definitely a Caden approved recipe 👍

Birthday Cake

Lemon-Honey and Coconut Cake

For Caden’s first birthday I wanted to make him a cake that we could enjoy together as a family. After trialing a couple of made up recipes I finally came out with the perfect cake!! It’s a super moist cake so really good for toddlers to eat. Like most of my other recipes this is a very rough guide on what I actually used as I didn’t take not while preparing the cake. Also, please note coconut flour is very different to most flours I have used. It soaks in A LOT of liquid so I used a lot of coconut milk. I also opted for all organic products but it doesn’t make a difference!

Ingredients:
[Cake]
2 Cups Coconut Flour
2 Tablespoons of Bicarbonate Soda
2 Tablespoons of Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice
Some Lemon Zest
1L of Coconut Milk (in can)
4 Eggs
1 1/2Cup of Coconut Oil
1 Cup of Honey

[Frosting]
600mL of Thickened Cream
1 Tablespoon of Greek Yogurt
2 Tablespoons of Honey

Method:
Preheat oven to 170 Degrees Celsius and pop a bowl of water under so that cake contains moisture and doesn’t crack.
1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Mix all the wet ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. Mix well to combine ingredients.
5. Divide the batter into 3 bowls evenly.
6. Pour first batter into an oiled pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
7. Repeat the baking process with the other two batters.
8. Let cake cool down.
9. While cake is cooling you can make the frosting. I whipped the cream until peaks formed and mixed in honey and Greek yogurt. Whipped it for another minute after that.
10. Frost your cake.
11. EAT IT 😋

Anyway, I really hope I’m not missing anything in the recipe. Let me know if you do make this! It is so so yum. Good luck!!

Shakshuka Eggs

Toddler-friendly Shakshuka Eggs

I loveeee Shakshuka eggs. Nothing better than fresh out of the oven shakshuka eggs on a cool morning - my ideal breakfast. If you know me, you know I LOVE to eat. If we are going to hang out, it’s probably at a brunch spot. The fact that we have been unable to brunch sucks. So I thought why not try and recreate some dishes at home! Of course, when cooking at home I always keep Caden in mind and ensure everything I make is toddler friendly. This recipe has sooo many hidden veggies so it’s yummy and healthy!

Shakshuka Eggs Recipe

Ingredients :
5 Eggs
1 Red Capsicum
1 Small Onion
5 Cloves of Garlic
1 Can of Organic Diced Tomatoes - no added sugar or salt
1 Tomato
Handful of Spinach
Olive Oil
Tablespoon of Paprika
Pinch of Cumin
1 Medium Sized Pan
Sourdough (optional)

Method :
[Preheat Oven to 165 Degrees Celsius]
1. Dice the onion, capsicum, garlic and tomato.
2. Heat your pan up to high heat and sauté onion and garlic.
3. Add capsicum into the pan and cook for 1-2minutes.
4. Add can of diced tomato into the pan with freshly diced tomato.
5. Cook for 7-10 minutes until it thickens. You want to caramelise the tomato so it is not as sour.
6. Crack in 5 eggs
7. Put into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes (depending how cooked you want your eggs - for us we cooked for 15 minutes as Caden would also eat it with us)
8. Prepare sourdough by toasting, cutting into strips and drizzle olive oil on top.
9. Serve!

Hope this is a simple recipe for everyone to give it a go! Enjoy 😊

Banana & Peanut Butter Doughnuts —

Banana & Peanut Butter Doughnuts with Greek Yogurt Icing

It’s been a long time since my last past. A lot has been going on. Hopefully your little one likes this recipe as much as Caden did! He demolished the entire doughnut in one go. I hope this recipe is accurate as I didn’t use specific measurements.

Ingredients :
1 Ripe Banana
1 Egg
100mL Coconut Oil
100mL Milk of Choice (I used cow’s milk)
1 Pouch of Organic Apple Purée
3/4 Cup of Organic Wholemeal Spelt Flour
1/4 Cup of Self Raising Flour
1TBSP Cinnamon
Dash of Vanilla Essence

Method :
Preheat 175 degrees Celsius
1. Smash ripe banana until mushy.
2. Combine all wet ingredients together and mix.
3. Sift dry ingredients together.
4. Slowly mix wet ingredients with dry.
5. Oil the doughnut tray.
6. Pour into tray evenly.
7. Bake for 20 minutes! The doughnuts rise so beautifully.

Note - this recipe makes 6 doughnuts

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