60 Easy Sensory Activities for Kids

Sensory play ideas are a great way for young children to explore the world around them. It helps to build connections in the brain, fine motor skills and even help them calm down if they’re feeling overwhelmed. Engage your child’s senses through any of these 60 Sensory Activities for Kids.

If you want to go more in depth as to what sensory play is, and what the benefits of sensory activities are in early childhood development. Then read what an OT has to say about this kind of play.

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Sensory Activities for Kids

1. Shaving Cream Sensory Bin

This shaving cream sensory tub is so much fun to play with. Watch as your little one explores their senses with each colorful swirl and squish of the food coloring and shaving foam.

2. Rainbow Rice

Rainbow rice is a great activity for young kids. All you need are a few simple ingredients and kids of all ages will have a fun sensory activity to play with. Get the recipe and learn how to make taste-safe rainbow rice.

If your babies and toddlers love to put everything in their mouths, check out these 15 Taste Safe Sensory Bins.

3. Rainbow Chickpeas

Looking for a fun and easy sensory play activity? Even little hands can help you make these wonderful rainbow chickpeas. Use them as a base for any number of sensory bin ideas.

4. DIY Sensory Lids for Babies

Sensory lids for babies are a great way to help your little treasures learn through play. They can safely explore different textures and colors while you have a rest.

For more sensory based baby play ideas, check out these 24 Sensory Activities for Babies.

5. Taste Safe Mud Sensory Bin

Now this is a fun way to let your kids explore their senses while having a blast. Learn how to make taste safe mud so that even babies and toddlers can enjoy the outdoor mud kitchen. There really are as many sensory activities for kids as you will ever need.

6. Frozen Peas Sensory Bin

A sensory bin filled with frozen peas is a great way to explore the sense of touch. Kids can feel how cold the peas are and better yet, the different ways they can play with them as they thaw out and become mushy.

7. Rainbow Jelly Sensory Bin

Looking for sensory games that will keep your little ones entertained for ages? Then try this rainbow jello sensory bin! It’s filled with various items for them to find and match to a shape matching puzzle. Not only will all the small toys help with language development, it’ll help with problem-solving skills too.

8. Giraffe Sensory Bag

This giraffe sensory bag is a a fun and mess-free sensory activity for one year olds! All you need is some hair gel and a few small pom poms to move around. Your baby will love giving the giraffe some rainbow spots.

For more ideas, visit 18 Sensory Activities for Toddlers.

9. Space Sensory Bin

This outer space sensory bin is perfect for older kids who are fascinated by the stars and planets. With free printable planets, sun and moon to explore, your little astronauts will be engaged for hours.

10. Vegetable Garden Sensory Bin

My kids spend a lot of time in the garden and love watching things grow (and pulling them out when they shouldn’t). Here is a great sensory activity thats all about vegetables and healthy eating. Try a veggie patch sensory bin and let your kids harvest these plants as much as they like.

11. Taste-Safe Rainbow Spaghetti

Rainbow spaghetti is a wonderful way to play. Babies and toddlers will love this sensory recipe that is 100% taste safe.

12. Farm Sensory Bin

A farm themed sensory bin is a fun and interactive way to help your child learn about the farm. This sensory experience helps your kids develop cognitive skills, such as memory and language skills.

13. Alphabet Sensory Bin

Teach your big kids their ABC’s with this alphabet sensory bin. All you need on your sensory table is a simple tubful of dried black beans and an alphabet puzzle, with the peices hiding underneath the beans.

For more educational sensory ideas, check out these 19 Sensory Bins for Preschool.

14. Shape Sorting Sensory Bin

Check out this sensory bin that is perfect for shape sorting. The free printable shape sorting game provides new ways to teach your toddlers and preschoolers all about 2D shapes.

15. Australia Sensory Bin

Learn how to set up an Australia themed sensory bin using items from around the garden. Different plants are a wonderful source of sensory activities for kids, because they provide a variety of textures for young kids to explore.

16. Dinosaur Sensory Bin

A dinosaur themed sensory bin is filled with hands-on fun. Toddlers and preschoolers will love learning about their favorite dinosaurs in this easy play idea.

17. Thunderstorm Sensory Bin

Looking for a fun and easy way to teach your kids about the weather? Try this thunderstorm sensory bin! All you need are some cotton balls and blue glass beads that go clang when dropped.

18. Construction Sensory Bin

This construction sensory activity comes with a hidden benefit. It also develops gross motor skills. At least it did for my little ones because they were digging, building and running around with these construction vehicles all over the place.

19. Pirate Treasure Slime

This is the perfect activity for a pirate-themed birthday party or preschool lesson plan! Learn how to make your own pirate treasure slime using different materials, such as gold glitter and plastic gemstones.

20. Pirate Treasure Sensory Bin

Want to turn your entire sandbox into a vessel for sensory exploration? This pirate treasure sensory bin is a fun way to spice up your regular sandpit play.

21. Rainbow Rice Valentines Sensory Bin

Check out this Valentine’s Day themed rainbow rice sensory bin! You can even mix essential oils into the recipe to make the rice smell like roses or whatever flower you like.

22. Valentines Pom Pom Sensory Bin

This pom pom sensory bin for Valentines day is fantastic fun for early years classroom. Toddlers and preschoolers will love placing the pom poms into the heart shaped boxes.

23. DIY Toddler Garden

Do your kids get excited by nature? Make them their own DIY garden for toddlers, where they can plant the flowers again and again. This will end up being one of their favorite sensory activities to do during Spring and Summer.

24. Flower Soup Sensory Bin

Making flower soup is a fun new way to engage in water play with your kids. They’ll just love splashing around with the petals and leaves you collect from the garden.

25. Spring Garden Sensory Bin for Toddlers

I love looking for fun and easy sensory activities for kids. Just like this spring garden sensory bin! Filled with colorful flowers and growing carrots, it’s perfect for exploring with little hands.

26. Insects Sensory Bin

This insect based sensory bin is perfect if your daughter or son loves bugs! It’s full of fun, colorful creatures for them to explore, and they’ll have a blast!

27. Birds Nest Sensory Bin

Not everyone is a fan of messy play, thankfully with this birds nest sensory idea you don’t have to be. It’s perfect for exploring texture and encouraging creative play, while still being able to clean up in less than a minute.

28. Butterfly Sensory Bin

Check out this butterfly sensory bin! This is a good sensory activity for kids who love nature and exploring the world around them.

29. Frog Pond Sensory Bin

Practice counting the speckled frogs with this frog pond sensory bin. Fill it with frogs and water beads and watch as your kids learn to count while they play.

For more ideas, check out these 17 Spring Sensory Bins.

30. Counting Carrots Sensory Bin

Do you want to work on counting with your preschoolers? Try this counting carrots sensory activity. This is another example of how sensory ideas can be used to teach your kids early math concepts.

31. Musical Easter Egg Sensory Bin

Have you seen this Easter Egg Sensory Bin? All you need are some plastic eggs, rainbow rice and a bit of imagination to make your own music this Easter.

32. Foam Sensory Bin for Easter

Hide some plastic easter eggs in this Easter themed foam sensory bin. All you need is the bubbles from soapy water and a few small toys and then you’re ready to have fun.

33. Easter Bunny Sensory Bin

Feed the bunny in this Easter bunny sensory bin. This is one of the sensory play activities that is also fantastic at strengthening little hands and fingers.

For more ideas, take a look at these 20 Easter themed sensory activities for kids.

34. Beach Safe Rainbow Sand

Beach days are filled with the potential for great ideas. We had a blast making rainbow sand at the beach and using it to make colorful sandcastles. You can also use this beach friendly recipe for the regular sand in your sandbox at home. Give it a try, your kids will love it.

35. Tropical Island Sensory Bin

Looking for a summer themed small world to play with? You can’t go wrong with this tropical island sensory bin! It’s perfect for kids who love fun sensory activities.

36. Frozen Sand Sensory Bin

Frozen sand is a fun and unique sensory idea. Freeze toys inside the sand to turn it into a scavenger hunt as your children melt and break apart the sand.

For more ways to play, check out these 25 Summer Sensory Activities for Kids.

37. Shark Bay Sensory Bin

There are so many different fun ideas for celebrating shark week, like this Shark Bay Sensory Bin. This easy sensory play idea is perfect to use with water, kinetic sand or blue-colored rainbow rice.

38. Watermelon Slime

Learn how to make watermelon slime with this easy recipe. This rubbery goop is perfect for summertime fun with kids who have special needs. If you’re not a fan of slime, don’t worry, you can always use the same idea with play dough instead.

39. Summer Lemon Sensory Bin

Are you looking for an activity that provides multiple levels of sensory input this summer? Try this summer lemon sensory bin! This one features a single item – lemons – just place sliced lemons in your water table and watch your kids play, taste and have fun.

Don’t forget to try more of these 30 water sensory bins for summer.

40. Watermelon Sensory Bin

Sensory bins, bottles and bags are a fun way to help meet your child’s sensory needs. Place the contents of this watermelon sensory bin into any container and your kids will just love exploring and learning.

41. Sea Foam Sensory Bin

This sea foam sensory activity is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who love to explore and get messy. Find the sea animals hiding underneath the foam and learn about marine life.

42. Corn Sensory Bin for Fall

Looking for a fun and easy activity for Fall? Then give this corn sensory bin a go! It’s perfect for little ones to explore and is sure to keep them entertained.

43. Counting Pumpkin Seeds Sensory Bin

This counting pumpkin seeds sensory bin is a fantastic math activity for your preschool classroom. The kids will have so much fun counting the pumpkin seeds while exploring their senses.

44. Rainbow Oats Sensory Bin for Fall

Make rainbow oats that look like Fall leaves in this sensory activity for toddlers. These oats are completely taste-safe which means they are suitable for kids who still love to put everything in their mouths.

45. Apple Tree Sensory Bin

Fun sensory activities for kids aren’t complete without a mini apple picking adventure. This apple tree sensory activity is sure to be a hit with your little ones.

Don’t forget to check out these other 25 Fall Sensory Activities.

46. Witches Potion Sensory Bin

Use bubble bath to make the soap foam in this witches potion sensory play idea. Your kids will be brewing in their own cauldrons in no time.

47. Jello Eyeballs Sensory Bin

A wobbly jello eyeball sensory activity is surprisingly easy to make and so much fun to play with. It’s perfect for Halloween and it’s sure to make your kids giggle.

48. Halloween Spaghetti Sensory Bin

Make sure that you try a fun sensory activity with your little ones this Halloween. Just like this easy and messy halloween spaghetti sensory bin which is perfect for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

49. Skeleton Sensory Bin

A skeleton sensory activity is a great way for kids to learn about the human body. This science and sensory activity will teach kids about the bones in their body and how they work together.

For more spooky activities, look through these 26 Sensory Activities for Halloween.

50. Fake Snow Sensory Bin

This homemade fake snow recipe is perfect for winter sensory fun. It’s a great way to make snowmen and snow angels inside.

51. Rainbow Rice Christmas Sensory Bin

A sensory bin filled with rainbow rice and Christmas-themed objects is a perfect activity for toddlers and preschoolers. This Christmas rainbow rice sensory bin is so easy to throw together this holiday season.

52. Jingle Bells Sensory Bin

Play with the musical jingle bells in this fun sensory tub. This is a fun way to play with one of Christmas’s iconic sounds.

53. Christmas Decorations Sensory Bin

Save the ornaments on your real tree by distracting your babies and toddlers with this Christmas decorations discovery basket. This is a fun way for them to join in on the fun while leaving your tree alone.

Remember to take a look at all of the 30 Christmas Sensory Activities, for fun holiday themed ideas.

54. Polar Animals Sensory Bin

How do all of those arctic animals stay warm in winter? Talk about it with your kids while they play with this polar animals sensory bin. It’s a fun way to learn a bit about our wonderful world while staying inside where it’s warm and dry.

55. Iceberg Sensory Bin for Winter

Learn how to make taste-safe icebergs for sensory play. This easy recipe is perfect for making sensory activities for kids this winter.

56. Winter Forest Sensory Bin

A winter forest sensory bin is a wonderful way to explore nature with toddlers and preschoolers. Pick up everything you need the next time you head outside to the local park or your own backyard.

57. Winter Sensory Bottles

These winter themed sensory bottles are a great way to help your overstimulated kids calm down. Watching the glitter and pom poms swirl around is always magical to watch.

For more ideas, check out these other 25 Winter Sensory Activities.

58. Glow Sticks Sensory Bottle

This glow stick sensory bottle is a great way to provide visual stimulation for kids of all ages. All you need is to break a few stick sticks and place them in a bottle filled with water, then watch as the water glows in the dark.

Photo: Teaching Mama

59. Homemade Textured Finger Paints

Looking for a homemade finger paint recipe that’s textured and sensory? Look no further! This recipe is easy to follow and only requires a few ingredients.

Photo: Parenting Chaos

60. Cloud Dough

Learn how to make cloud dough for some fun finger play. This homemade recipe is easy to make and only requires things you already have in your pantry.

Photo: The Best Ideas for Kids

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