Banana Pudding in a Bag: Sensory Fun for Visually Impaired Children

Banana Pudding in a Bag Sensory Recipe

A mash up of classic, kid-friendly flavors

This recipe combines the classic, kid-friendly flavors of bananas, applesauce, and vanilla yogurt all mashed up in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Technically, it’s not pudding but the consistency is very similar. Finely chopped granola adds just a bit of texture but the longer you leave the pudding to chill in the refrigerator, the softer the granola will get.

With each step, we provide sensory suggestions for you to try with your child. You can follow one or all the suggestions – touch, taste, see, smell, hear. This recipe makes a single portion.

Utensils

3 tablespoons
3 small bowls to put the ingredients in (optional)
One gallon-size Ziploc plastic bag
A measuring cup or can

Ingredients

3 tablespoons oats and honey granola (no nuts or raisins)
1 medium banana
3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons vanilla yogurt

Recipe Steps & Suggested Sensory Directions

Step 1.
Gather the ingredients, a Ziploc plastic bag, tablespoons, and small bowls, if using. For some children it might be easier to measure out the ingredients when they are in poured into larger, contrasting containers.

TOUCH. What do they feel like? Are their textures rough or smooth? Do the bowls feel warm or cold? The plastic bag feels smooth except for the zipper on top.
LISTEN. Listen to the clickety-clack of the tablespoons as you bang them together on your countertop.

Step 2.
Open the Ziploc bag. Add 3 tablespoons of the granola. Squeeze out the air in the bag and seal it. Lightly crush the granola with a can or the bottom of a measuring cup. For children who are sensitive to textures, crush the granola into finer grounds.

SMELL. Smell the granola. Granola is made by baking oats and honey, giving it a comforting smell. Do you know someone who eats granola for breakfast?
SEE. If you put the granola into a bowl before you measure it out, use a white or colored bowl so the granola stands out.
LISTEN. If you pour the granola into a metal bowl, listen to the sound of the cereal clinking. Metal scatters the sound waves more than ceramic or glass.
LISTEN. Count out loud as you and your child put 3 tablespoons of granola in the bag. Cooking helps children practice their counting skills.
LISTEN. Talk about how you’re crushing the granola into smaller pieces with the can or cup. How does your kitchen band sound?

Step 3.
Peel the banana. Open the bag and add the banana.

LISTEN. Talk about why bananas come in a bunch. Count the bananas in your bunch. Even the word “banana” sounds funny when you say it out loud.
TOUCH. Let your child touch the unpeeled banana. The skin feels rubbery.
SMELL. Peel the banana skin and sniff what’s inside. The banana is sweet.
TASTE. Cut a slice off the banana and let your child eat it. Touch a little bit to your child’s lips with your fingertips if your child is picky about new textures or flavors.
LISTEN. Use narration as you describe how you peeled the banana and put it inside the bag. Using words like “inside,” “outside,” “on top of,” and “next to” teach important early orientation and mobility concepts.

Step 4.
Add 3 tablespoons of applesauce to the bag.

SMELL. Smell the applesauce. It should smell like apples!
TASTE. If your child isn’t already licking the applesauce off their fingers, put some on your finger and touch it to their lips.
SEE. What color is the applesauce? Apples are usually red or green, but the insides are yellow!
TOUCH. Using hand under hand, help your child spoon the applesauce into the bag. You could say, “Hop on top of my hand while we scoop the applesauce.” Giving your child the choice to participate in this recipe promotes independence by allowing them to become an active learner.
LISTEN. Count out loud as you put 3 tablespoons of applesauce in the bag.

Step 5.
Add 3 tablespoons of yogurt to the bag.

TOUCH. The yogurt is cold. Put some on your work surface and invite your child to finger paint with the yogurt. If they’re not licking their fingers, maybe put yogurt on their toes.
TASTE. Is yogurt one of your child’s favorite snacks? Many young children enjoy its smooth texture and mild flavor.
LISTEN. Count out loud as you and your child add 3 tablespoons of yogurt to the bag. You could say, “Three tablespoons again? This recipe has a pattern!”

Step 6.
Press out the extra air and seal the bag. Let your child squish and mash the bag until everything is mixed together.

TOUCH. Ziploc bags are handy when you’re introducing new sensory experiences to your child. If your child is reluctant to touch something new, put it in a Ziploc bag. The plastic masks the texture and even the smell while still allowing your child to experience the object. Ziploc bags are also handy for mixing ingredients in a recipe.
LISTEN. As you and your child mix the pudding, use words like “squish,” “smoosh,” and “squeeze” to describe how you’re mashing the ingredients in the bag with your hands.
SEE. Where did the banana go? Notice how everything is all mashed together.
SMELL. Open the bag and smell the banana pudding now that all the ingredients have been combined.

Step 7.
Chill the pudding inside the sealed bag in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Then, spoon the pudding into a bowl or directly on your child’s feeding tray.

TOUCH. When you open the refrigerator, the air feels cold. The cold temperature will make the pudding taste better.
LISTEN. While you’re waiting for the pudding to chill, learn a new rhyme like “Pudding on a Plate.” Here’s the second verse of the rhyme that you can say while you serve the pudding. “Pudding on the plate/Pudding on the plate/Wibble wobble/Wibble wobble, Pudding on the plate.” After practicing this rhyme, put some chilled pudding on the plate and make it wobble while you sing. Combining words with movement can help build connections in your child’s brain.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Cooking Matters