Sensory Play Activities You Can Take Home

When you hear the phrase “sensory play” you may wonder “doesn’t all play involve the senses in some shape or form?” And while this is true, some types of play are especially stimulating, inviting children to explore the world around them through touch, sight, smell, taste, and sound.  

The Benefits of Sensory Play 

When children explore different textures, sounds, tastes, and other sensory inputs, they’re also building important connections in the brain. These experiences help support movement, language, and thinking skills, while encouraging curiosity, focus, and discovery through play. 

Sensory play can also help children learn to manage big feelings. As they engage their senses, they begin to notice what their bodies are feeling and practice simple ways to calm down and respond, building early coping skills they can use throughout the day. 

Sensory Play Activities to Try at Home 

Because sensory play plays such an important role in development, we make it part of our daily routine across our classrooms. Many of our favorite sensory experiences are easy (and inexpensive!) to bring home, too. Whether you have an infant, toddler, or preschooler, here are some practical sensory play ideas you can try with your child: 

Sensory Play Activities for Infants 

• Texture trays: Place a few soft, safe objects (silicone teether, squishy ball, crinkle toy, etc.) on a clean towel or tray and let your baby explore by touching and mouthing. 

• Sensory bag: Seal a little yogurt or water with a drop of food coloring inside a zip-lock bag, seal it, and tape it down so your baby can squish and watch. 

• Fun with food: When your baby is ready to transition to solids, it’s easy to introduce them to new textures and tastes through food. 

  
  

Sensory Play Activities for Toddlers 

• Scooping and pouring: Fill a bowl or bin with dry rice, beans, or pasta and give your child cups, spoons, or funnels for scooping, pouring, and dumping. 

• Playdough or “mud” play: Let them squish, roll and shape homemade or store-bought playdough. 

• Blow bubbles: Blowing bubbles and encouraging your toddler to chase, pop, and try to catch them teaches cause-and-effect and encourages coordination. 
  

Sensory Play Activities for Preschoolers 

• Blindfolded feel‑box: Put a few objects like a toy, a spoon, and a soft animal into a box or bag and encourage your child to reach in and guess what each item is. 

• Shaving cream drawing: Spray a thin layer of shaving cream on a baking tray and let them draw letters, shapes, or pictures with their fingers. 

• Sorting trays: Use a muffin tin or divided tray and give them small objects (think buttons, pom‑poms, or bottle caps) that they can sort by color, size, or type. 
  

And when in doubt, just live your life! Whether it’s splish‑splashing during bathtime, swinging at the park, or taking a walk, there are so many natural moments in your daily routine that double as sensory rich experiences for your little one.   

In our childcare centers, using sensory play is just one of the many ways we support the “whole” child, helping them develop key skills they’ll take with them through life.  

If you’d like to see how we bring sensory play to life in our infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms, we invite you to schedule a tour at one of our locations.