Sensory play is one of the best ways to engage your child’s imagination, develop their motor skills and encourage exploration – all while having loads of fun!
Whether your child loves squishing, splashing or scooping, sensory activities are perfect for keeping little hands busy and curious minds active. The best part is that these DIY activities are affordable, simple to set up and adaptable to suit any child’s interests. Here are some easy-to-implement ideas that you can bring to life from the comfort of your own home.
Sensory bins
Your house is packed with items that can double as sensory tools. Rice, pasta, sand or even dried beans can make fantastic bases for a sensory bin. Pour them into a large container, throw in some scoops, cups or small toys, and sit back as your son or daughter explores textures and practises hand-eye coordination at the same time.
Hidden fun
If you want to take it a step further, add an element of surprise by hiding small objects for your child to find, like toy animals, buttons or letters. This makes for an easy pivot into a treasure hunt where you can ask questions like, “Can you find the letter A?” or “How many animals can you discover?” Games like these are wonderful for encouraging your little one’s problem-solving skills – and for keeping their minds engaged for long stretches of time.
Keeping clean
If space is limited or you prefer mess-free exploration, a handy tip is to seal sensory materials into ziplock bags. Kids can press, squeeze and move the items around without creating a mess, making this a perfect activity for toddlers or for on-the-go play.
Stress-free mess
Let’s face it – kids love mess, but the cleanup isn’t usually fun for parents. A great trick is to embrace manageable messes in spaces where it’s easy to clean up. For example, set up a ‘foamy soap station’ outdoors or in the bathtub. Simply spray a dollop of foamy soap or shaving cream onto a tray and let your child mix, swirl and create patterns with their hands, brushes or sponges. To make life easier for yourself, lay a plastic tablecloth or shower curtain on the floor if you’re setting up messy play indoors – it makes cleanup a breeze!
Extra texture
If they’re feeling adventurous, encourage your little one to experiment with textures by adding soft sponges, toothbrushes or even feathers to the mix. While they’re having a blast, they’re also building their sensory processing skills and strengthening their hand muscles.
Water play
Water play is a sensory classic that never goes out of style. Whether it’s splashing, pouring or scooping, kids are naturally drawn to water. To bring some of this excitement into your child’s next weekend activity, simply fill a large container or bucket with water and toss in toys, cups and sponges. Add floating items if you have them, like small plastic lids, for little ones to collect or sort. As always, use your judgement and never include anything that could potentially be a choking hazard.
For an added challenge, encourage your child to ‘rescue’ items from the water using tongs or a slotted spoon. This not only boosts their hand-eye coordination but also introduces a bit of problem-solving into the fun.
Sensory walkways
Why not turn your garden or living room into a sensory adventure with a DIY walkway? Exploring different textures and materials with a sensory walkway will give your child hours of entertainment and learning, encouraging them to use their senses in new ways.
All that’s needed is to gather items like bubble wrap, sandpaper, grass mats, soft towels or pebbles. Place them in a line on the floor or garden path and let your child walk barefoot to experience each texture. Alternatively, they can crawl or use their hands to feel their way through the walkway if they prefer. This is such a novel way to engage kids’ sense of touch, and it makes a great activity for a long weekend afternoon.
The power of ice
Ice play combines sensory fun with a dash of science, so if you have a budding scientist at home, this is the perfect new game for them. You will need to freeze small toys or objects in ice cubes or larger moulds and challenge your child to figure out how to ‘free’ them. Provide your son or daughter with warm water, droppers or kid-safe tools to chip away at the ice, and then leave them to their experimentation!
This activity is ideal for hot days, offering little ones a cooling sensory experience while encouraging their problem-solving and patience. You can also turn it into a mini science lesson by explaining a little about how heat melts ice. For an extra splash of colour, freeze the water with a few drops of food dye. This goes down a treat with children – just be prepared for colourful hands afterward!
Sensory bottles
Not all sensory play has to be messy. Sensory bottles are a great option for visual and auditory stimulation, offering a calming experience that’s perfect for quiet time. It’s quite simple – take some clear plastic bottles and fill them with everyday items like rice, beads or glitter. Add a bit of water or baby oil to create a slow-moving effect – and that’s it!
Encourage your child to shake, twist and turn the bottle to see what happens. You can even create ‘I spy’ bottles by adding tiny objects like paper clips or buttons and challenging them to find each one. These bottles are especially helpful for soothing overstimulated children or as a portable sensory tool for long car rides. Again, use your judgement when it comes to choking hazards – make sure the bottles are securely closed so no small pieces can escape, and always keep a close eye on proceedings.
Outdoor fun
Sensory play can also be brought outside for some fresh air and extra space to explore. After all, nature is brimming with opportunities for hands-on learning.
Mud kitchens
Repurpose old pots, pans or utensils for a mud kitchen in the garden. Let your child mix dirt, water and leaves to create their own ‘recipes’ – a simple but effective way to have hours of fun!
Nature collecting
Give your little one a basket and challenge them to find items with different textures, like smooth stones, crunchy leaves or soft grass. Discuss the differences and see what creative stories they come up with. This is a great activity for when you’re also doing your own thing in parallel in the garden, and can be made as long or short as you like.
Sand play
Sand is the original sensory activity. If you have a sandpit or access to a beach, let kids dig, pour and sculpt to their hearts’ content. Pair sand with water for building castles or creating mini rivers. These activities not only encourage exploration but also help children connect with nature and understand the landscape around them.
Why it matters
Sensory play isn’t just about keeping kids entertained – it’s actually a crucial part of their development. It helps build their coordination, improves their concentration and encourages creativity. Activities like scooping rice, squishing foam or walking on different textures develop hand strength and coordination, laying the foundation for writing, drawing and other skills.
This style of play also brings out kids’ independence and problem-solving ideas, which is why it’s important to resist the urge to direct or control your little one’s experience. When children are given the freedom to explore, they learn to navigate challenges, experiment and make decisions by themselves – all valuable life skills.
So, embrace the mess (when you can), get outside where possible and watch your child’s curiosity and confidence grow through the magic of sensory play. These small moments of fun will create big memories – and abilities – that last a lifetime!
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