Pretend Ice Cream Sensory Box

So here is more of my attempt at "teaching" Virginia things through play. 
I've been seeing alot on blogs about sensory tubs.  Really it's just putting different textured things in a box/tote and having some fine motor skill play go along with it. 
Who doesn't love to play with fuzzy, soft, little pom poms?  And why not pretend they are ice cream and put them in different ice cream "containers?" 
So for my Mommy friends I'll explain what all I put in the box and where I found the items and how much they were.
The box I had laying around.  You can use a small tote too.  Pom Poms-I used something like 4-6 bags of pom poms that I got at the dollar store.  One time investment that you can just keep for things like the ice cream box OR use in other craft projects.  Each of the ice cream "containers" I also got at the dollar store for yep you guessed it $1.  The big pink ice cream cone was $1 by itself but the champagne glass came in a packet of 2 and the little "shot glasses" came with like 10 in a pack.  I think they look like communion cups. 
Did I ever tell you how when I was little we would have communion at church and then I would come home and have communion with my dolls.  Oh how I would have loved to have these little cups to "pretend" with my dolls. 
You can't really see them but the tongs are in the bowl and they came in a set of 2 and then big long handled spoon also came in a pack with a spork all at the dollar store.  I went through Virginia's play kitchen and got the little play coffee cup and added it along with the small ice cream cone.  She has some play food and you could pop the ice cream scoop out and just have the cone. 

So how does she like it?  SHE LOVES IT.  We are going on 45 minutes of play by herself right now!!
She is NOT fan of the big long handled spoon or the tongs.  She couldn't figure them out at first and got frustrated and threw them down.  I let it all go and she's been playing happily ever since.  I would like for her to eventually use those 2 things because that does help with her fine  motor skills but remember it's all about being FUN!!! 

And guess what we are going to have for dessert tonight, ICE CREAM!!! 
So I spent about $10 on this box but they are all things that can be used over and over again in other sensory boxes.  Like I bought a big bag of plastic primary colored dinosaurs today at a yard sale for $2.  I plan on this winter putting some rice in the box and "hiding" the dinosaurs and hopefully she will use her tongs or scoop to "find" the dinosaurs and then possibly match the colors.  You could also use colored rice or noodles for this too and the ice cream "stuff." 

She was NOT wanting me to take her picture so that's why she looks rather frustrated and perturbed in the pictures.  It was right after naptime and sometimes she just needs some "alone time" to fully wake up and be sociable.

And yes those are Lightening McQueen pajamas she has on.  She LOVES them!