Creating sensory activities is SO fun!
Sensory play is a great way for your kids to use their senses to explore and learn.
Coming up with these themed bins is one of my favorite things to do with my kids. We had a blast playing and learning with each of these activities.
Let me show you 40 AMAZING sensory activities for kids!
Activity #1: Hot Chocolate Sensory Bin
I love creating sensory bins that the kids can eat! This one was a huge hit because we don’t typically buy sugary cereals.
So, when I broke out the Cocoa Puffs, they literally ran to see what I had planned for them.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- sensory bin
- Cocoa Puffs
- mini marshmallows
- Starbucks cups
- measuring cups
- whipped cream
- mini red cups
B. Set-up
Dump some cereal into your sensory bin. Then, add in some mini marshmallows, cups, and spoons!
C. Activity
Let your little ones make their own “hot chocolate” by scooping the Cocoa Puffs into the cups! They can add in some marshmallows as well! They can also use the spoons to scoop out some whipped cream from the mini red cups and put it on top of the cup!
Don’t worry… I ate some too. Don’t feel bad :).
RELATED: Winter Activities for Kids
Activity #2: Corn Sensory Play
Corn is such an awesome sensory activity for kids! There are SO many different ways corn can be used.
I am going to show you three fun and simple ways corn can be used for sensory play. Adult supervision is required, children should not put popcorn kernels in their mouth.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- popcorn kernels
- food coloring
- jars
- water
- vinegar
- sensory bin
- farm animals
- baking soda
B. Set-up
There are three different activities but the one that requires prep is the colored kernels. To dye the kernels, add 2/3 cup of water to a jar, 1/2 cup of kernels and 2/3 cup of vinegar.
Add a bunch of food coloring in the jar. Then, let it sit at least for a few hours. I let it sit overnight, that’s how you get the best results!
Once it’s done processing, drain the water out using a colander and wash the kernels to help kids not get stained fingers.
Let the kernels dry on a tray!
C. Activity
Add the kernels to a sensory bin! You can add in some farm animals as well! This is such a cute small work sensory setup.
For the dancing corn experiment, all you have to do is fill a jar 1/2 full with water. Then, add 1/4 cup of baking soda and a 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels. Lastly, add 1/4 cup of vinegar to watch the kernels dance
Activity #3: Pond Number Sensory
I love planning sensory activities that involve learning as well! It’s so fun to come up with these set-ups that the kids enjoy.
This pond setup is the perfect spring sensory activity to practice some counting and number recognition.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- sensory bin
- water
- blue food coloring
- green felt
- Sharpie
- toy frogs
- nature items (sticks, rocks, and flowers)
B. Set-up
In a sensory bin, add some water and blue food coloring. Place in some sticks, rocks, and flowers from outside (this is so fun to do with the kids)!
Create some lily pads with green felt paper. Next, write numbers on the lily pads you want to review with your kids. Lastly, add some frogs to the pond.
C. Activity
The kids should use the frogs to jump from lily pad to lily pad. When they reach the lily pads, they should say the number! They can also count and play with the frogs.
RELATED: Spring Activities for Kids
Activity #4: Gardening Sensory Bin
Gardening is one of my favorite things to do with the kids! It’s a great way for us to get outdoors and have some family time!
We did this activity before we could get outside and actually get in the garden. This was great practice as well!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- sensory bin
- fake flowers
- flower pots
- mini watering cans
- Cocoa Puffs
- gardening outfit and tools
B. Set-up
Dump Coca Puffs in a sensory bin! Then, add all the gardening accessories like your pots, tools and fake flowers!
C. Activity
Let the kids use the shovel to scoop some of the “dirt” in the pots. Then, they can add in some flowers. They can play with the dirt and pretend they are gardening!
RELATED: Outdoor Toys for Kids
Activity #5: Lucky Charms Learning Pack
Lucky Charms are a St. Patrick’s Day staple. They are PERFECT for learn and play activities for this month. Do anyone else’s kids just want to eat the marshmallows?
This year, I created a FREE Lucky Charm Learning Pack for you!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- FREE Lucky Charms Learning Pack
- Lucky Charms
- sensory bin
- green cups
- tape
- fine motor tools
Click here for your FREE Lucky Charms Learning Pack.
B. Set-up
It couldn’t be easier! Print off the learning pack pages and play! In the pack, I have a marshmallow sorting activity (as you see above) as well as a marshmallow graph.
C. Activity
1. Sorting activity
Cut out the labels and tape them to green cups. Dump the lucky charms into a sensory bin! Have your little ones sort the marshmallows in the correct cups.
2. Graph
Have your kids sort the marshmallows by type. Then, they should place them on the graph. Show them how to tell how many there are on the graph!
This is a great way to introduce graphs to your kids. This is a fun activity that involves treats and small numbers!
RELATED: Teaching Resources
Activity #6: Flower Sensory Bag
Sensory bags are an amazing way to do a sensory activity that’s MESS FREE!
It makes my heart so happy to hear those words. We do many activities around here, and when something is mess-free, it makes my life so much easier.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
B. Set-up
Dump a little bit of alcohol on a cotton ball to remove any labeling on the bag. With colored Sharpies, draw some colored flowers around the bag.
Dump a little bit of hair gel and a little bit of water in the bag so the poms can move around easily.
C. Activity
Have your child push the poms through the bag to create colored flowers! They will work on fine motor and color matching skills when doing this activity!
RELATED: How to Teach Toddlers Colors
Activity #7: Sensory Bottle Sky Fill
I love using sensory bottles! The kid’s made their own sensory bottles this time, and it was SO much fun!
It works out great because you get two activities in one! You have a sensory setup the kids can play with, and they can make the sensory bottles for later use!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- sensory bin
- rice
- blue liquid watercolors
- plastic bag
- parchment paper
- baking sheet
- rainbow poms
- scoop
- sensory bottles
- cotton balls
B. Set-up
*Make the blue-colored rice by dumping 2-3 cups of rice in a plastic bag. Add a few drops of liquid watercolors in the bag, close it up and shake!
*Dump it out on a baking sheet with parchment paper on it. Wait for it to dry (it only takes a few minutes).
C. Activity
Place the colored rice in the sensory bin! Add some rainbow-colored poms and cotton balls! Place a scooper inside the bin and let the kids have fun with the setup.
After a little bit, place the sensory bottles inside and let the kids fill them up. Then, they can shake and see how they look!
Activity #8: Insect Sensory Bin
My kids are always fascinated by insects outside! It makes for such a fun sensory and play activity for kids.
While you are playing with this activity, discuss that insect starts with the letter i. If your little one is also working on beginning sounds, it’s important to have them say what sound the letter i makes.
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need
- sensory bin
- toy insects
- flour
- vegetable oil
- cocoa powder
- fake grass
- stones
- craft sticks
- fine motor tools
- gardening toys
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2. Set-up
In a sensory bin, dump 7 cups of flour, 1 cup of vegetable oil, and 1 cup of cocoa powder. Mix it up! Move it to one side of the bin and place fake grass on the other half. Lastly, add in stones, sticks, and insects!
3. Activity
Have your little ones use the fine motor and gardening tools to play! They will have a blast exploring the bin and the insects. Talk about the different insects, what they eat and how many legs they have.
RELATED: Letter I Crafts and Activities
Activity #9: Dinosaur Oobleck Sensory
This dinosaur muddy play is the perfect sensory setup for your little ones to play with their dinosaurs!
There is a land section and a water section for this sensory bin. When you add water into the mix, the kids always enjoy it. I’m also not kidding when I say that I had to set up the blue water set up for my son for weeks straight after this activity.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- sensory bins
- cornstarch
- water
- food coloring
- fake grass
- toy dinosaurs
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B. Set-up
To create oobleck, you mix two cups of cornstarch and 1 cup of water. Then, add in A LOT of brown food coloring. To get it to look brown, I had to add many drops of brown food coloring.
It won’t stain their hands!
Add the oobleck and the fake grass in one sensory bin and add some water with a few drops of blue food coloring in another bin.
C. Activity
Let the kids explore the dinosaur’s habitats! If you have different types of dinosaur toys, you can separate which dinosaurs would be in the water and land.
They can cover them up in the oobleck and then give them a bath in the water too!
RELATED: Dinosaur Activities for Kids
Activity #10: Sensory Bottles
Sensory bottles are my latest obsession. They turn out so pretty, and they are SUPER simple to do!
Watching the objects move through the bottles is so calming. It’s also really cool to see the differences in how the objects move in each one.
This is a great sensory activity for toddlers and babies because they can’t put anything in their mouths. You can also glue them shut to make sure the top won’t come off!
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need
2. Set-up
In the sensory bottle, dump 3/4 of the clear glue into the bottle and fill the rest of the bottle up with water. Leave a little room at the top so the items can move around. Drop in your objects and shake them all up. See how the glue and water interact to make the objects slow down. You can also use hair gel to see if there is a difference in how fast it goes.
3. Activity
Shake and flip around to watch the objects move around!This activity is great to help calm and relax kiddos!
RELATED: Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids
Activity #11: Feed and Count Dinosaur Activity
Feeding activities have become a BIG hit around here! They work great for fine motor skills, color recognition, and counting skills.
I love when activities work on several learning skills at once!
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need
- Count and Feed Dinosaur Printable
- poms
- sensory bin
- plastic cups
- tape
- laminator(optional)
- scissors
- knife
- kid-friendly tweezers
Click HERE for your Count and Feed Printable
2. Set-up
In a sensory bin, dump a whole bunch of different colored poms! Print off the characters and the counting cards. Cut out the characters, punch a hole in their mouth using a knife, and then cut the inside part of the mouth open. Tape the characters to a cup.
3. Activity
Have your little ones use the counting cards to see what color and how many of each color they should place inside the character’s mouth. They can use kid-friendly tweezers to add some fine motor skills, or you can just have them use their hands. They should tell you the number and count out loud how many they are placing inside!
RELATED: ABCDeeLearning’s TpT Store
Activity #12: Writing Tray
Writing trays are a frustration-free writing activity for kids! They don’t have to stay within the lines, and they can just try their best to learn how to form the letters.
I always try to add something fun like sprinkles, shaving cream, or corn into my writing trays! The kids love the sensory aspect of it.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- tray
- Bone Letters Printable
- sand
- paintbrush
Click HERE to grab your Bone Letter Printable.
B. Set-up
Print off the letters you want to work on so your child knows how to create each letter! Then, in a tray, dump in the sand!
C. Activity
Your child can use their fingers, a paintbrush, or Q-tip to create the letters in the sand! They should identify the letter that you place in the tray then create it! Repeat for all the letters.
RELATED: Handwriting Activities for Preschoolers
Activity #13: Peppermint Mocha Sensory Bin
I have a slight obsession with Starbucks and their holiday drinks. But, even if you don’t share this same obsession, this sensory bin is still AMAZING.
There is mashed up chocolate cake inside this bin! It’s the best sensory bin you’ll ever make, I promise you that!
This is also a toddler-safe sensory bin since it’s all edible! I love these types of bins because they can work for most age groups.
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need:
- chocolate cake mix (and all the ingredients to make the cake)
- baking pan
- mixing bowl
- mini red cups
- whipped cream
- candy canes
- marshmallows
- measuring cups/spoons
- Starbucks cups (I just washed out mine and resued them!)
- sensory bin
2. Set-up: Make the chocolate cake by following the directions on the box. Let it cool, then start mashing it up using the spoon. Once it looks good, dump it into the sensory bin! In the mini red cups, add in some whipped cream and crushed-up candy canes. I placed unwrapped candy canes in a ziplock bag, crushed them, and then dumped them on top of the whipped cream.
3. Activity: The kids can make their own kid-friendly peppermint mochas by adding cake, whipped cream, and marshmallows!
RELATED: Christmas Activities for Kids
Activity #14: Dinosaur Sensory
I have a sensory bin that includes two sensory set-ups! But don’t worry, the prep isn’t more time-consuming at all!
This is a sensory bin of “mud” and sand for the kids to dig and play!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- pudding
- sensory bins
- flour
- vegetable oil
- dinosaurs
- skeleton dinos
- paintbrushes
B. Set-up
Make the pudding by following the directions on the box! Then, scoop it into a sensory bin.
To make the cloud dough “sand,” add 8 cups of flour in a sensory bin along with 1.5 cups of vegetable oil. Mix!
C. Activity
Hide some dinosaurs inside the sand bin! The kids will use paintbrushes to act like paleontologists to discover the dinosaurs!
Once they have found all the dinosaurs, they can play with them in the sand or place them in the mud (pudding).
At the end of play-time, have them help clean up! Grab a bin of water so they can help give the dinosaurs a bath! 3 sensory activities in 1! Gotta love that :).
Activity #15: Alphabet Bubble Foam
Bubble foam is super easy to make, and it is a great sensory activity to do with the kids!
The kids loved scooping out the letters! This was a really engaging way to practice letter recognition.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- letters
- measuring cups
- sensory bin
- dish soap
- water
- blender
- food coloring
B. Set-up
In a blender, add 2 tablespoons of dish soap, 2/3 cup of water, and a few drops of food coloring!
Blend on medium and dump into a sensory bin. Repeat this step for each of the colors you want to use.
C. Activity
Have the kids use scoops or just play with their hands in the bubbles! They will grab/scoop letters and identify them!
They can search for specific letters that you ask for, or they can just find them and tell you what they are.
Play with the bubble foam after! You can even add some of their other favorite toys inside.
RELATED: Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers
Activity #16: Alphabet Sensory Bag
This activity isn’t specific to the letter J; it’s for all the letters of the alphabet! This is a play-based learning strategy that kids love.
Sensory bags are a HUGE hit! The best thing about them is, they are MESS FREE! I always appreciate a mess-free activity.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- plastic bag
- hair gel
- Sharpies
- plastic letters
B. Set-up
Write the letters of the alphabet you want to review on the bag with Sharpie. Then, dump 1 bottle of hair gel into the plastic bag. Also, dump the letters you wrote on the front into the bag.
C. Activity
Have the kids scoot the letters to the right letter on the bag to match them up! Then, have them identify each of the letters when they are moving them!
This is a wonderful sensory activity, fine motor, and letter recognition activity!
RELATED: How to Teach Toddlers the Alphabet
Activity #17: Alphabet Soup
Everything is always more fun when you add water! This alphabet activity works perfectly for a winter theme or a summer theme!
My favorite part about this activity is that you can use a can to play along! I love being able to recycle and play!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Alphabet Soup Printable- 36 recipes included! 20 alphabet and 16 sight words
- sensory bin
- ladle
- bowl
- letters
- water
Click HERE to grab the Alphabet Soup Download.
B. Set-up
Take the label off a can and tape it on my alphabet soup label! Also, print off my recipe cards!
In a sensory bin, add water and some plastic/foam letters.
C. Activity
Your little ones will look at one of the recipes and scoop the letters on the recipes either in the can or in a bowl!
They should say what each letter is before they scoop it out of the water!
Once they are done with one recipe, repeat for another! If you have an older child, they can also practice building sight words!
RELATED: Sight Word Activities for Preschoolers
Activity #18: Night Sensory Bag
This night-themed sensory bag and printable is a FUN way for kids to practice the alphabet letters.
It is a mess-free and exciting activity for kids to search for letters!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- plastic bag
- rubbing alcohol + cotton ball ( to remove label)
- hair gel
- water
- black food coloring
- star glitter
- FREE printable
Click HERE for your FREE Night Sensory Printable
B. Set-up
Remove the label to the bag by putting a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball to wipe it off!
Add a bottle of hair gel and 1/2 a cup of water to the bag. Then, drop in a few drops of black food coloring and some star glitter!
Print off my nighttime alphabet printable and tape it down to a flat surface.
C. Activity
Place the sensory bag on my printable and have the kids start to search! They should shout out the letter they find when they come across it.
The goal is to try to find ALL the letters of the alphabet!
RELATED: Teaching Resources
Activity #19: Christmas Cookie Cloud Dough
Are Christmas cookies a big thing around your house during the holidays? They sure are over here!
We end up making several batches throughout the season. Why? Well, because Christmas calories don’t count, right?
This activity isn’t really about eating, though, unfortunately. It can be eaten, but I will say it’s not very tasty!However, it is a blast to play with!
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need
- flour
- vegetable oil
- vanilla
- cookie cutters
- cups
- sprinkles
- mixing bowl
- spoon
2. Set-up
In a large mixing bowl, add two cups of flour and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Then, you can add in 1 tablespoon of vanilla to make it smell good! I also put some Christmas cookie sprinkles to make it seem like they were making Christmas cookies! Once all the ingredients are mixed, dump into a sensory bin.
3. Activity
Add in the cookie cutters and cups for the kids to play along with! They can pretend like they are making cookie shapes with the cutters!
Activity #20: Pumpkin Spice Sensory Bin
Are you ready for the best sensory bin ever? I’m not kidding when I say this, either.
Pumpkin.Spice.Sensory.Bin.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Pumpkin cake mix
- Starbucks/Dunkin cups
- measuring cups
- spoons
- IKEA sensory bin
- mini red cups
- whipped cream
- cinnamon
B. Set-up
Follow the directions to make the cake and let it cool once made. Break it up and scoop into your sensory bin. Add in the coffee cups. In the mini red cups, put some whipped cream and sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.
C. Activity
Have your kids make a PSL! This is the best edible sensory bin I have ever done. It smelled and tasted amazing. They can use the measuring cups and spoons to scoop the cake mix and whipped cream.
RELATED: Fall Activities for Kids
Activity #21: Muddy Pumpkin Patch
So in real life, a muddy pumpkin patch would be something that no one would really want to go through.
But, in the play world, this is a fantastic sensory activity for kids! My kids loved pretending they were at the pumpkin patch picking on their favorite pumpkins!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- brownie mix
- candy corn pumpkins
- spoons
- bowls
- sensory bin
B. Set-up
Dump the brownie mix into a sensory bin and add a bunch of candy pumpkins in rows.
C. Activity
Let the kids use spoons and bowls to play with the pumpkins and the brownie mix. Have them pretend like they are at the pumpkin patch picking out their pumpkins! To make this super muddy, add in water to the brownie mix. The kids will love this addition to the activity!
I do suggest doing this activity outdoors. It can get messy, and their little hands get quite dirty! But it’s fun and festive for the holiday!
Activity #22: Halloween Jell-O Excavation
When you think of Halloween sensory activities, the best ones are the slimy ones, right?
The best thing about this slimy sensory bin is that your kids don’t have to touch it unless they want to!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
B. Set-up
Make two packets of Jell-O and dump into a tray. Add in all the fun Halloween accessories you have. Put in the refrigerator and wait till it’s ready.
C. Activity
Have your children use fine motor tools like scoop scissors or tweezers to pull out the Halloween items! They can place what they found in another tray or bowl! Count how many things they found.
RELATED: Fun Fine Motor Activities
Activity #23: Fall Themed Sensory Bin
I love all things FALL. I’ll admit, I’m totally basic when it comes to this season, and I’m not ashamed of it.
Fall festivals are one of my favorite events to attend. My absolute favorite part is the corn pits.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- sensory bin
- corn
- toy tractor
- toy farm animals
- egg carton
- small straw hats and straw bale
- fake leaves
B. Set-up
Dump a bunch of corn into the sensory bin. Add in all your fall items into the bin for your kids to play with!
C. Activity
Let the kids have a blast pretending like they are at a fall festival diving face-first into that corn pit! Corn is an excellent sensory filler, and the kids just love pouring and scooping it! Add in the farm animals and talk about what animals would live on a farm!
Activity #24: Car Wash Activity
Got a kiddo who loves cars? This sensory activity is PERFECT for them!
It’s super simple to set up too! You just need two ingredients to do this activity.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- foam shaving cream
- food coloring
- bowls
- sensory bin
- water
- sponges
- cars
B. Set-up
In a bowl, add some foam shaving cream and mix in a few drops of food coloring. Mix with a spoon and scoop into a sensory bin!
Repeat this step for all the colors you want to do. Lastly, add some water to another sensory bin.
C. Activity
Add some toy cars into the shaving cream mix! Have the kids get the cars all messy and then put scrub them with a sponge.
Then, they will put those cars into the water to wash them off. You can also have a towel there to dry the cars at the end.
This is such a fun pretend play set up for the kids!
Activity #25: Snowman Sensory Bag
Sensory bags are also another mess-free alternative for a sensory activity!
Sensory bags are good for ANY age. Literally, babies can play with them all the way up to adults! I enjoy a good sensory bag activity!
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need
- ziplock bag
- hair gel
- cotton ball
- rubbing alcohol
- white poms
- brown pipe cleaner
- Sharpie
- snowman accessories
2. Set-up
Remove the label on the ziplock bag but using a cotton ball and rub it off with some rubbing alcohol. Draw the snowman using a Sharpie. Lastly, dump your hair gel (I usually use two bottles) and all the accessories inside!
3. Activity
Place some painter’s tape down around the bag so it won’t move. Then, have your kids try to move the pieces of the snowman to go back together! This is such a fun activity to do! Mess it up and do it repeatedly. See if they can beat their time for how quickly they can put the snowman back together.
Activity #26: Artic Animal Sensory Bin
Okay, time to get into some sensory bin activities! These are my ALL time favorite. I do love the others, but these let me really use my creativity for the kids.
For this sensory bin, I used DIY fake snow, ice cubes, and blue gems.
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need
- baking soda
- hair conditioner
- mixing bowl
- sensory bin
- Safari LTD. TOOB animals
- blue gems
- ice cubes and ice tray
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2. Set-up
Make the fake snow by adding a 1/2 cup of hair conditioner to 2 cups of baking soda. Mix it up, and you have fake snow! Dump that in your sensory bin, add in the gems and the ice cubes.
3. Activity
Let the kids have a blast playing with the arctic animals in the bin! They can create homes for the animals in the ice cube tray! They can also have them slide on the ice cubes in the snow or on the gems! Talk to them about the arctic animals and their habitats. Also, you can discuss what these animals eat!
Activity #27: Puffy Paint Snowman
Did you know it only takes two ingredients you most likely have on hand at home to make puffy paint?
Glue and shaving cream. That’s it! Mix, and you got yourself some puffy paint.
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need
- shaving cream
- glue
- spoon
- paintbrush
- bowl
- blue and black cardstock paper
- snowman accessories
2. Set-up
In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of foam shaving cream and 1/4 cup of white glue. Draw three circles on your piece of blue cardstock paper. Lastly, create a snowman hat using black cardstock as you see above.
3. Activity
Scoop the puffy paint into the circles and have the kids use their fingers to spread out the paint into the circles. Have them add on the snowman accessories! Dot some snowballs around the snowman using a paintbrush!
Activity #28: Play Dough Letters
Playdough is one of my kid’s favorite sensory items that we have! They always end up playing with it for longer than I think!
It’s also a great way to work on the alphabet with kids! Just make sure to watch the entire time to make sure they don’t eat the dough!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Playdough (we love our Wild Dough)
- alphabet stampers
Grab 15% off of your purchase of Wild Dough! Just use the code ABCDEE15 at checkout!
B. Set-up
Roll the dough out and use a rolling pin to spread it out or just your hands!
C. Activity
Have the kid’s press letters into the dough! Have them say each letter that they press. See if they can even use the letters to spell their name!
Older kids can create words with this activity!
RELATED: Sight Word Activities for Preschoolers
Activity #29: Construction ABC’s
I have the easiest sensory setup for you! It only takes a few minutes, and your little ones will LOVE it!
What do you think is the sensory filler for this tray? I bet it’ll surprise you! I’ll give you a hint, it smells delicious.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- tray
- brownie mix
- small smooth stones
- construction toys
- sticks
- Sharpie
B. Set-up
Dump the brownie mix into the tray!
On the stones, use a Sharpie to write the letters of the alphabet.
Add in all the construction toys and other construction odds and ends.
C. Activity
Tell your little one to find a specific letter and scoop it up with their fingers or a small shovel and place it in the dump truck.
They can also just play naturally with the alphabet rocks and tell you what letter they are picking up while they are playing.
Activity #30: Googly Eye Soup
Looking for a simple but FUN Halloween sensory activity for your kids?
Googly Eye Soup is bound to be a hit. Honestly, anything with googly eyes seems to be a hit around here!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- sensory bin
- water
- food coloring (purple, orange, green, or black)
- googly eyes
- small caldrons
- ladle
I mentioned earlier that I got this sensory table from IKEA. If you aren’t interested in a full table, these plastic bins work great for both storage and sensory activities!
B. Set-up
In a sensory bin, add some water and a few drops of food coloring. Dump in the googly eyes and mix it around.
C. Activity
Let the kids have fun playing with the concoction. They can use the measuring cups/ladle to dump the liquid into the small caldrons. This works on scooping and pouring skills, which are fantastic practical life skills!
RELATED: Halloween Activities for Kids
Activity #31: Snowy Letter Search
I am a HUGE fan of bringing learning into sensory play. The kids are always engaged and ready to learn when they see activities like this.
In this sensory bin, I made some fake snow and placed in some of our favorite letters!
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need
- FREE Snowy Letter printable
- sensory table
- fake snow
- letters
- dry erase folders
- fine motor tools
Click HERE to grab your FREE Snow Letter Match.
2. Set-up
Create fake snow by dumping in a little powder and adding some water! Then, add in the letters. Lastly, print off my worksheet and place it into a dry erase folder!
3. Activity
Have your little ones use kid-friendly tweezers to pick out the letters and match them up on my worksheet! Talk about what each letter is with your child.
RELATED: Teaching Resources
Activity #32: Stuff the Turkey
Stuff the Turkey is a great fine motor activity! My son especially loves fine motor play activities, so I was really excited to show him this set-up.
How cute is this idea for Thanksgiving? It kept him busy for such a long time too! He wanted to do it again and again.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
B. Set-up
Print off the turkey face from the download and tape it to a red solo cup. Dump your poms out into a bin and add in some fine motor tools like tweezers or scoops.
C. Activity
Have the kids use tweezers to pick up the pom-poms and place them inside the water bottle to “stuff the turkey.” They can also use their fingers if they are too little to use the tweezers!
RELATED: Thanksgiving Activities for Kids
Activity #33: Mermaid Sensory Bin
This mermaid bin was the biggest hit with my daughter! The colors are just beautiful! But what made it perfect was the colored glitter added in.
I used Crayola Play Sand as the filler for this bin. We got multiple colors, and I knew I just had to make this for her.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- sensory bin
- mermaid toys
- colored glitter
- water
- gems
- shells
B. Set-up
Add blue, green, and purple sand into the bin. Sprinkle-colored glitter in each section.
Add in your gems, shells, and mermaid toys!
C. Activity
In another bin, add water if you want, they can combine the water and sand!
Let them imagine, play and explore!
Activity #34: Ocean Oobleck
Oobleck is just an amazing sensory experience! My kids always enjoy playing with it!
This ocean-themed st-up is perfect to help teach your children about ocean animals!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- sensory tray
- cornstarch
- ocean animal toys
- sand
- food coloring
- shells
- bowl
B. Set-up
To make oobleck, combine 2 cups of cornstarch, 1 cup of water, and a few drops of blue food coloring.
Dump that into the tray, add some sand onto the other side. Add all the other supplies in!
C. Activity
Play with the ocean animals in the sand and the oobleck! Your kids will love the consistency of oobleck. It’s part liquid and part solid.
Talk about what animals live in the ocean while playing!
Activity #35: Fish Color Match
This is a little bit of a different sensory activity. I love creating sensory crafts!
Coloring matching, sensory, and crafting? What else could you want?!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- cardboard
- play doh
- cardstock paper
- acrylic paint
- sand
- pipe cleaners/googly eyes
- sand
- liquid watercolors
B. Set-up
Paint a piece of cardboard blue! Then, grab some colored doh and create a circle and smash it a little on the board.
Cut some colored paper to make fins for each fish. Add a googly eye on each one!
Color small pasta by adding some pasta to a ziplock bag and squirt a few drops of liquid watercolors in. Shake it up, dump it out on parchment paper to let dry.
C. Activity
Have your kids color match the colored pasta to the colored fish that you created! This pasta will be the fish’s scales!
You can also work on counting with this activity to extend the learning!
Activity #36: Moon Sand Space Themed Bin
Space is one of our favorite themes! The kids always want to learn more about the planets, the moon, and what’s in outer space.
This astronaut-themed moon bin is the perfect way to have some conversations about the moon!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- flour
- vegetable oil
- space themed toys
- spoon
- sensory bin
B. Set-up
In a sensory bin, add 5 cups of flour and 1 1/2 cups of vegetable oil. Then, mix it up! It should form little crumbles everywhere- if it doesn’t you can always add more vegetable oil (just don’t add too much or it’ll be too wet).
Add those space-themed toys inside the bin!
C. Activity
Discuss some facts about the moon with your little ones! Talk about the different toys and about astronauts heading up into space!
This moon dough is the perfect way activity for this theme!
Activity #37: Jungle Sensory
Jungle animals are some of our favorite animals! This bin was SO much fun since we had two different fillers inside.
Yes, they did mix- there’s no way they wouldn’t mix, if that bothers you this may not be the bin for you!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- rice
- liquid watercolors
- ziplock bag
- parchment paper
- play dirt
- jungle themed animals
- rocks
- toy trees
B. Set-up
Color the rice by dumping 2 cups of rice into a plastic bag. Add in a few drops of liquid watercolors, shake it, then dump on parchment paper to dry!
Add the play dirt in one side of the bin! It’s that easy!
C. Activity
Grab those jungle animal toys and place them in both areas of the sensory bin. Talk about what animals you would see in the jungle!
You can also talk about what those animals would eat and the things they like to do. It’s a great way to explore this theme.
Activity #38: Lion Pasta Craft
Here’s another fun sensory craft! This is one of our favorites that I have ever made!
Using colored pasta is a great sensory activity. Plus, it makes for a really fun art project.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- bow tie pasta
- spiral pasta
- spaghetti noodles
- cardboard
- acrylic paint
- paint brush
- googly eyes
- box cutter
- hot glue gun/hot glue
- parchment paper
- ziplock bags
B. Set-up
Use a bowl to trace a circle shape on cardboard. Cut it out using a box cutter! Make a face on the lions using paint, googly eyes, and spaghetti noodles for the whiskers.
To color the pasta, dump the noodles into a plastic bag, add some acrylic paint, shake then dump on parchment paper to dry!
C. Activity
Glue the lion’s faces onto another piece of cardboard. Then, start gluing the colored pasta noodles around the lion’s face to be the mane.
This can be a pattern learning activity too! Use 2-3 different colored pasta noodles to create a pattern!
RELATED: Kindergarten Activities for Kids
#39: Fruit Loop Color Sort
Looking for a sensory activity to do with a toddler who loves to put everything in their mouth? This is the one for you!
You won’t have to worry if there is just cereal in the bin! Work on some color sorting with my FREE Fruit Loops printable.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- sensory bin
- Fruit Loops
- cups
- FREE printable
- tape
Click HERE to grab your FREE Fruit Loop Sort
B. Set-up
Print off my Fruit Loop labels and tape them on each cup!
Dump Fruit Loops in a sensory bin. It’s that EASY!
C. Activity
Have your little one start sorting the colors in the cups! Make sure to review the different colors.
This is a great way for your kids to explore colors, have a fun snack and work on those fine motor skills!
Activity #40: Puffy Paint Farm Animals
How cute are these puffy paint farm animals? I actually did this activity after we went to a few county fairs close to where we live.
The kids had so much fun learning about the farm animals when we went to the fair, I wanted to continue the fun with this sensory craft.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- glue
- foam shaving cream
- food coloring
- acrylic paint
- paint brushes
- googly eyes
- yarn
- poms
- cardboard
B. Set-up
To create the puffy paint, mix equal parts glue and foam shaving cream. Add food coloring to each one if you want to use different colors!
Draw the farm animals on a piece of cardboard, then paint the faces and feet using acrylic paint.
C. Activity
Scoop some puffy paint onto the animal’s body! Then start spreading it out using the paintbrush.
You can add some fun odds and ends on each animal (we used corn, grass, and hay). This is another sensory addition to this craft!
Wait for them to dry and feel how each animal turned out! When puffy paint dries it feels awesome!
Activity #41: Dental Hygiene Sensory (from the.sensory.bin)
I love when sensory bins can involve some learning! This sensory activity by the.sensory.bin is such a fun way to learn about the importance of good dental hygiene!
Check out Tiffanie’s page on Instagram for some more awesome sensory ideas!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- rice
- food coloring
- parchment paper
- art tray
- ziplock bag
- dentist toys
B. Set-up
For this sensory bin, Tiffanie used pink-colored rice. This bin only uses pink rice, so I would use about 4 cups of rice!
Add the rice to a ziplock bag, add in some pink food coloring and shake! Dump out on an art tray with parchment paper on it and let it dry for 15 minutes.
C. Activity
Add the rice to the bin as well as all the dental toys! Let your little ones explore the bin. Talk to them about the importance of brushing their teeth, flossing and going to the dentist regularly.
Again, make sure to check out more of Tiffanie’s awesome sensory bins on Instagram @the.sensory.bin.
Activity #42: Rainbow Rice Activities
Have you ever colored rice? I have an easy recipe for you that includes no vinegar!
Using rice is one of my favorite sensory activities! There are so many ways to play with it.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- rice
- acrylic paint
- art tray
- parchment paper
- water
- cardstock paper
- sensory bin
- jar
- tray
- paintbrush
- FREE letter tracibles
FREE Upper Case Tracibles
FREE Lower Case Tracibles
B. Set-up
To color the rice, dump 1 cup of rice into a ziplock bag. Then, add some acrylic paint in and 1 tablespoon of water. I don’t measure the acrylic paint, I just add a little bit!
Place a piece of parchment paper onto an art tray. Then, shake up the rice and dump it out onto the tray. Spread out the rice so it doesn’t stick together.
Wait for the rice to dry, this takes only about 15 minutes!
C. Activity
I am only mentioning three fun ways to play but there are SO many more! You can create crafts like a rainbow by adding a thin layer of glue down to cardstock paper. They will sprinkle the rice on top of the glue!
You can also have the kids practice scooping and pouring skills by adding the rice to a sensory bin! They will use a scoop to add rice to a jar, or cup!
Lastly, you can create a writing tray! This is a fun way to practice writing skills for beginners. Add the rice to a tray and give the kids a paintbrush. Print off my FREE traceable linked above and have the kids create the letters in the rice.
RELATED: Rainbow Crafts for Kids
Activity #43: Corn Sensory Play
Corn is such an awesome sensory activity for kids! There are SO many different ways corn can be used.
I am going to show you three fun and simple ways corn can be used for sensory play. Adult supervision is required, children should not put popcorn kernels in their mouth.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- popcorn kernels
- food coloring
- jars
- water
- vinegar
- sensory bin
- farm animals
- baking soda
B. Set-up
There are three different activities but the one that requires prep is the colored kernels. To dye the kernels, add 2/3 cup of water to a jar, 1/2 cup of kernels and 2/3 cup of vinegar.
Add a bunch of food coloring in the jar. Then, let it sit at least for a few hours. I let it sit overnight, that’s how you get the best results!
Once it’s done processing, drain the water out using a colander and wash the kernels to help kids not get stained fingers.
Let the kernels dry on a tray!
C. Activity
Add the kernels to a sensory bin! You can add in some farm animals as well! This is such a cute small work sensory setup.
For the dancing corn experiment, all you have to do is fill a jar 1/2 full with water. Then, add 1/4 cup of baking soda and a 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels. Lastly, add 1/4 cup of vinegar to watch the kernels dance!
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Sensory activities for kids are fun and exciting for them to explore and learn about different themes!
Not all sensory activities have to be messy either! I did show several mess-free options (sensory bags/bottles) for those who don’t love to clean up the mess!
Do you enjoy doing sensory activities with your kids? I’d love to hear what your favorite activity was on this list; comment below! I’m looking forward to some more in the future!
Happy Learning
Deena
