Styrofoam Peanut "Snow"

The Pre-K teacher thought it would be great fun to put styrofoam peanuts in the sensory table, to play with like snow. The children played with this yesterday---and boy did they love it, maybe too much.

They started out scooping and pouring, but you know since it's snow, you have to throw it up in the air. As you throw in up in the air, you also squish the peanuts and make them real small. Once you're done throwing them in the air, you have to throw the "snow" at each other.

Oh my gosh. I didn't think we were ever going to get them or the area cleaned up. You see, if you didn't know, the more you play with styrofoam peanuts the more static electricity they seem to have. They stuck EVERYWHERE!

First the children were covered and every time we tried to help wipe them down, those little peanuts jumped right back on them and then on us. We couldn't control them. Then try to sweep up styrofoam peanuts filled with static electricity! They stick to the broom, as you scoop them up with the dust pan they are flying off like Mexican Jumping Beans. I didn't know what to do.

So Mrs. T decided to try a spray bottle. She lightly misted the children and wiped the peanuts off. It got a lot of them, but there were still some real sticklers. Also, we cleaned up one little girl who came back and said I think I have some in my back, not just some, more like a lot.

Mrs. T then squirted the floor lightly and swept up the area while I grabbed he vacuum for the rugs. Looked good for about 10 minutes. The table was away, but I'm not sure why we kept finding areas of "snow" everywhere.

Well, mom and dad, I hope you were able to get that "snow" cleaned up, but please know your children had a GREAT time--and it wasn't cold:).