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Sensory activities for toddlersare a great way to encourage toddlers and promote their development.
They engage in exploration, creativity, and sensory integration.
These activities help children build cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills.
These ideas are generally pretty easy to adapt to your kiddos needs.
So, get ready to dive into the world of sensory play and watch your toddlers imagination soar!
I hope your little ones enjoy it, and you, too!
I have realized I love some of these activities just as much as my kiddos do.
Paper Mache
Source: craftsyhacks.com
A fun and easy sensory activity for toddlers is paper mache.
Its a great way to use up old newspapers and magazines and have fun at the same time!
Make any animal, craft, or other fun projects you find online.
Weve loved making fun ornaments withthis mold, trays, and even an alphabet set.
This is one of the bestindoor activities for toddlerson a rainy day!
Once dry, let your kids enjoy!
Salt Dough
Mix flour, salt, and water to create a moldable dough that promotes fine motor skills.
Create something together, practice shapes or letters, or give your kid some free playtime.
This dough is an excellent recipe for ornaments and can take paint or other mediums once dry.
Make it themed or pair it with what your young one loves or is learning about in school.
I lovethese binsfor any sensory activity!
I only make sensory stuff with these bins because of the storage stackability.
Duct tape the opening so no one gets tempted to get inside of the bag.
Nothing too pointy, either!
Add food-safe dye to foam for that extra fun, colorful appeal.
Cream of tartar is the secret ingredient to make the chickpea juice hold its form.
Dont be afraid to really whip itthe longer you go, the stronger the foam.
Chocolate Cloud Dough
Combine cocoa powder and oil to create a sensory experience that smells delicious.
This would be such a funactivity for kids birthday parties!
Use food-safe dye for those adventurous explorers that like to sample anything and everything.
Add spaghetti into different pots and add the colors youd like to one pool each.
Fake Snow
Source: momscollab.com
Use baking soda and shaving cream to create a sensory experience that mimics snow.
Edible Paint
Create a natural painting experience by making paint out of yogurt and food coloring.
Grab a plate or large cutting board and let your child explore.
Add water, rice, or any other appropriate base for your child, and let them explore.
We lovethis little Easter packand will re-buy it every year or few to leave little gifts for the kiddos.
The old stuff gets used for the binsa great way to upcycle old holiday decor.
We like to pair this one alongside our regular holiday sensory bin for all the fun textures and exploration.
Water Bead Calming Sensory Bottles
Fill bottles with water beads and glitter for a calming sensory experience.
Hot glue the lid shut and let the kiddos have fun once dry.
Or, you’re free to reserve these bottles for when someone needs calming.
Add some food gel or dye to batches to get the multicolored effect.
I know weve all reprimanded or fished water beads away from a kids mouth.
In the kids defense, they look like little pieces of candy.
Homemade Slime
Source: littlebinsforlittlehands.com
Create a fun and slimy tactile experience using ingredients like glue and borax.
verify to grabthese perfect-sized slime containers!
A tip, if you havent experienced itkeep slime away from any fabric or carpet and thank me later.
Im still chipping dried slime out of different parts of my house, car, and kids clothes.
Christmas Pom Pom Water Play
Use pom poms and water to create a festive sensory experience.
Just like the Easter bin, older (safe) items get implemented into the mix.
Dye the base or water a holiday color your kids love for even more fun.
Have them practice active listening for I Spy, counting, color identification, and so much more.
Use bottles safe for lightsaber fights if youre making more than one.
This bottle is a really easy and fun gift to give the Star Wars lover in your life.
Paint Texture Sensory Bag
Mix paint with various materials like beads or sand for a textured sensory experience.
Add them to different bags on a board so your kid can play with different textures.
Use this for a fun activity if your kid is learning about descriptors in school.
Have them describe each texture to you.
This is one of the most funlearning activities for 3-year-olds!
Make holiday ones, and for the stamps that arent perishable, keep them for years to come!
Incorporate store-bought stamps with homemade for an even more unique art project.
Dot one color or two that will yield in their favorite color.
Let them explore by combining the color alongside the texture of the bag.
Add glitter, gel, or beads for a special touch.
Yogurt Silly Putty
To create this putty, start by mixing yogurt and cornstarch together.
Add safe food dyes or natural dyes into the pots of yogurt.
We like to usethese small containers for the puttythe smaller sizer of the slime containers.
And, this putty only lasts so long in the fridgecompost or trash it once it expires.
Its a fun mess free activity if they are learning about fall or an early school activity.
Other simple silhouettes would look cute too!
Whether seasonal, holiday, letter/number oriented, or beyond, its a great mess-free art sensory activity.
Shaving Cream and Mirrors
Let toddlers explore with shaving cream and mirrors for a unique sensory experience.
Practice shapes, letters, numbers, etc., in the foam for a different educational exercise.
Add a bit of washable paint into the mix for extra fun.
Create spooky sensory bags filled with gel and creepy crawlies.
This is one of the most funHalloween games for classrooms!
This little vegetable garden setis absolutely perfect for what we need!
This would make a funoutdoor activity for preschoolersin the summer!
It could also be a great tool for a color study or practicing identifying colors, too.
Buy different colored hearts to practice colors to make this bin all the more helpful as well as fun.
Arctic Ice Sensory Play
Source: simplyfullofdelight.com
A great bin for any kiddos learning about winter or landscapes!
Create a sensory experience using ice cubes and arctic animals.
Rainbow Rice
Dye rice in various colors to create a fun and colorful sensory bin.
Its a great way to let your child really engage with the sensory activity at hand.
I lovethis dye setbecause it has so many options of colors.
