Sensory activities

Sensory play is the messy, hands-in-it kind, and it is doing far more than keeping small hands busy. Pressing into flour, squeezing a wet sponge or fishing ice cubes out of a bowl builds the finger and palm strength a child will later use to hold a crayon, and teaches them that the same stuff can feel completely different wet, dry, warm or cold. Everything here comes from the kitchen cupboard and most of it happens on a tray, so the clean-up is one shake over the sink. Each activity has a drier, calmer version for days when you cannot face the mess.

128 activities

Barefoot on the Grass illustration Barefoot on the Grass from 12 months · 5-10 min Bath Toy Colours illustration Bath Toy Colours from 12 months · 5-10 min Bottle Shaker Band illustration Bottle Shaker Band from 12 months · 30-45 min Bubble Wrap Stomp illustration Bubble Wrap Stomp from 12 months · 5-10 min Cup Rinse at Bath Time illustration Cup Rinse at Bath Time from 12 months · 10-15 min Flour Hand Prints illustration Flour Hand Prints from 12 months · 25-40 min Foil Tray Drum Band illustration Foil Tray Drum Band from 12 months · 10-15 min Garden Splash Tray illustration Garden Splash Tray from 12 months · 10-15 min Jelly Squish Tray illustration Jelly Squish Tray from 12 months · 20-35 min Leaf Crunch Basket illustration Leaf Crunch Basket from 12 months · 20-30 min Lights On, Lights Off illustration Lights On, Lights Off from 12 months · 5 min Oat Tub Dig illustration Oat Tub Dig from 12 months · 25-40 min One Colour Treasure Basket illustration One Colour Treasure Basket from 12 months · 30-45 min One More Bubble illustration One More Bubble from 12 months · 5-10 min Paper Bag Tear and Stuff illustration Paper Bag Tear and Stuff from 12 months · 30-45 min Pudding Finger Paint Splat illustration Pudding Finger Paint Splat from 12 months · 20-30 min Pumpkin Guts Tray illustration Pumpkin Guts Tray from 12 months · 15-30 min Squish Bag Painting illustration Squish Bag Painting from 12 months · 5-10 min Stir the Pan illustration Stir the Pan from 12 months · 5-10 min Textured Fabric Basket illustration Textured Fabric Basket from 12 months · 20-30 min Tissue Paper Rain illustration Tissue Paper Rain from 12 months · 10-15 min Touch the Garden illustration Touch the Garden from 12 months · 10-15 min Wash the Pumpkin illustration Wash the Pumpkin from 12 months · 10-15 min Wet Hand Prints illustration Wet Hand Prints from 12 months · 10-15 min Wet Sponge Squeeze illustration Wet Sponge Squeeze from 12 months · 20-35 min Where Is Everyone? illustration Where Is Everyone? from 12 months · 5 min Bowl Drum Concert illustration Bowl Drum Concert from 13 months · 30-45 min Flour Spoon Tap illustration Flour Spoon Tap from 13 months · 5-10 min Flour Spoon Trace illustration Flour Spoon Trace from 13 months · 5-10 min Basin Boat Bob illustration Basin Boat Bob from 14 months · 5-10 min Bell Bracelet Shake illustration Bell Bracelet Shake from 14 months · 5-10 min Big Spoon, Small Spoon illustration Big Spoon, Small Spoon from 14 months · 5-10 min Cornflour Goop Tray illustration Cornflour Goop Tray from 14 months · 20-35 min Funnel Water Race illustration Funnel Water Race from 14 months · 5-10 min Ghost Footprints illustration Ghost Footprints from 14 months · 10-20 min Let It Land Everywhere illustration Let It Land Everywhere from 14 months · 10-15 min Play Dough Poke illustration Play Dough Poke from 14 months · 25-40 min Pom-Pom Cup Scoop illustration Pom-Pom Cup Scoop from 14 months · 5-10 min Pots And Pans Band illustration Pots And Pans Band from 14 months · 25-40 min Sink-Side Cup Play illustration Sink-Side Cup Play from 14 months · 10-15 min Sound Hunt Walk illustration Sound Hunt Walk from 14 months · 20-35 min Spoon Drum Beat illustration Spoon Drum Beat from 14 months · 5-10 min Torchlight Bug Search illustration Torchlight Bug Search from 14 months · 25-40 min Tub Scoop and Pour illustration Tub Scoop and Pour from 14 months · 30-45 min Yoghurt Finger Paint illustration Yoghurt Finger Paint from 14 months · 20-35 min Bath Time Names illustration Bath Time Names from 15 months · 5-10 min Shaker Bottle Shake illustration Shaker Bottle Shake from 15 months · 5-10 min Blue Cup Walk illustration Blue Cup Walk from 16 months · 5-10 min Flour Dough Knead illustration Flour Dough Knead from 16 months · 20-40 min Foam First illustration Foam First from 16 months · 5-10 min Frozen Toy Dig illustration Frozen Toy Dig from 16 months · 25-40 min Knock And Count illustration Knock And Count from 16 months · 5 min Paintbrush Puddle Art illustration Paintbrush Puddle Art from 16 months · 5-10 min Pom-Pom Water Scoop illustration Pom-Pom Water Scoop from 16 months · 20-35 min Sponge Paint Dots illustration Sponge Paint Dots from 16 months · 25-40 min Water Pouring Station illustration Water Pouring Station from 16 months · 25-40 min Bubble Bath Whisk illustration Bubble Bath Whisk from 18 months · 20-30 min Egg Box Boat Float illustration Egg Box Boat Float from 18 months · 10-15 min One Colour Painting illustration One Colour Painting from 18 months · 30-45 min Steamy Window Circles illustration Steamy Window Circles from 18 months · 5 min Wash the Spot Off illustration Wash the Spot Off from 18 months · 10-15 min Carton Funnel Pour illustration Carton Funnel Pour from 20 months · 10-15 min Flour Sift Shake illustration Flour Sift Shake from 20 months · 5-10 min Shaker Band Practice illustration Shaker Band Practice from 20 months · 30-45 min Soapy Whisk Bubbles illustration Soapy Whisk Bubbles from 20 months · 5-10 min Torch Twilight Search illustration Torch Twilight Search from 20 months · 10-15 min Big Jug, Little Cups illustration Big Jug, Little Cups from 24 months · 30-45 min Cauldron Potion illustration Cauldron Potion from 24 months · 20-30 min Cauldron Scoop and Count illustration Cauldron Scoop and Count from 24 months · 15-25 min Drum Roll, Then Hush illustration Drum Roll, Then Hush from 24 months · 5 min Jelly Hands Dig illustration Jelly Hands Dig from 24 months · 20-30 min Loud Shoes, Quiet Socks illustration Loud Shoes, Quiet Socks from 24 months · 5-10 min Magic Milk illustration Magic Milk from 24 months · 10-15 min Sock Sorting By Feel illustration Sock Sorting By Feel from 24 months · 5-10 min Spooky Sounds Band illustration Spooky Sounds Band from 24 months · 10-20 min Flour Finger Drawing illustration Flour Finger Drawing from 26 months · 20-30 min Kitchen Shape Hunt illustration Kitchen Shape Hunt from 26 months · 30-45 min Oat Scoop And Pour illustration Oat Scoop And Pour from 26 months · 25-40 min Spoon Tap Tune illustration Spoon Tap Tune from 26 months · 5-10 min Texture Basket Guess illustration Texture Basket Guess from 26 months · 5-10 min Muddy Garden Pat-A-Cake illustration Muddy Garden Pat-A-Cake from 28 months · 25-40 min Copy My Clap illustration Copy My Clap from 30 months · 5 min Draw on My Back illustration Draw on My Back from 30 months · 5-10 min Family Band illustration Family Band from 30 months · 20-30 min Guess Who's Talking illustration Guess Who's Talking from 30 months · 5-10 min Heavy or Light? illustration Heavy or Light? from 30 months · 5-10 min How Many Sounds? illustration How Many Sounds? from 30 months · 5-10 min Tube Voice illustration Tube Voice from 30 months · 5-10 min What Disappears? illustration What Disappears? from 30 months · 20-30 min Sink or Float Guess illustration Sink or Float Guess from 33 months · 10-15 min Spaghetti Snip Tray illustration Spaghetti Snip Tray from 34 months · 10-15 min Apple Taste Test illustration Apple Taste Test from 36 months · 10-15 min Barefoot Feely Path illustration Barefoot Feely Path from 36 months · 15-20 min Bubble Beard Faces illustration Bubble Beard Faces from 36 months · 10-15 min Bubble Snake Bottle illustration Bubble Snake Bottle from 36 months · 10-15 min Chalk Round the Puddle illustration Chalk Round the Puddle from 36 months · 10-15 min Feely Bag Mystery illustration Feely Bag Mystery from 36 months · 30-40 min Frozen Toy Rescue illustration Frozen Toy Rescue from 36 months · 30-40 min Guess the Voice illustration Guess the Voice from 36 months · 5-10 min Hide the Music illustration Hide the Music from 36 months · 5-10 min Listening Walk illustration Listening Walk from 36 months · 15-20 min Minibeast Hunt illustration Minibeast Hunt from 36 months · 15-20 min Mud Pie Recipes illustration Mud Pie Recipes from 36 months · 30-45 min Petal Perfume illustration Petal Perfume from 36 months · 30-40 min Play Dough Colour Squish illustration Play Dough Colour Squish from 36 months · 10-15 min Rain Stick Music illustration Rain Stick Music from 36 months · 30-40 min Rainbow Water Cups illustration Rainbow Water Cups from 36 months · 10-15 min Rainstorm Body Band illustration Rainstorm Body Band from 36 months · 5-10 min Rice Tray Diggers illustration Rice Tray Diggers from 36 months · 15-20 min Sandcastle Row illustration Sandcastle Row from 36 months · 15-20 min Smell Pots illustration Smell Pots from 36 months · 10-15 min Snow Dough World illustration Snow Dough World from 36 months · 30-40 min Splash Sounds Test illustration Splash Sounds Test from 36 months · 10-15 min Sun and Shade Hunt illustration Sun and Shade Hunt from 36 months · 10-15 min Tissue Paper Window illustration Tissue Paper Window from 36 months · 10-15 min Warm and Cold Hands illustration Warm and Cold Hands from 36 months · 10-15 min Weather on My Back illustration Weather on My Back from 36 months · 5-10 min Wet and Dry Stones illustration Wet and Dry Stones from 36 months · 10-15 min What Dissolves? illustration What Dissolves? from 36 months · 30-40 min Which Cup Holds More? illustration Which Cup Holds More? from 36 months · 30-40 min Windy Day Watch illustration Windy Day Watch from 36 months · 10-15 min Witch's Potion Lab illustration Witch's Potion Lab from 36 months · 30-40 min Stick Shapes illustration Stick Shapes from 38 months · 10-15 min Big Box, Little Box Drums illustration Big Box, Little Box Drums from 40 months · 10-15 min Clap Your Name illustration Clap Your Name from 40 months · 5-10 min Clapping Rhyme illustration Clapping Rhyme from 40 months · 5-10 min Dough Snake Letters illustration Dough Snake Letters from 40 months · 10-15 min Flour Tray Letters illustration Flour Tray Letters from 40 months · 10-15 min

Other types of play

Fine motor activities for toddlers · Gross motor activities for toddlers · Everyday helper activities for toddlers · Quiet & calm activities for toddlers · All activities