Sensory Play Ideas for the Under 5s

We all want the best for our children and for them to grow up in a safe, supportive and stimulating environment. Sensory play is a key part of a child’s development and it’s one of the most effective ways for them to learn and engage with the world around them. The five senses of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell allow us to experience our surroundings on multi levels and there are many benefits of sensory play for children, especially in their early years. 

Schools and nurseries encourage sensory play on a day to day basis, but there are plenty of activities you can do at home too. If you’d like to know more about why sensory play is so important during a child’s early years, and get some ideas for fun activities for all the family, read on for our handy guide.

Why is sensory play important?

Sensory play is fun for you and your child, but it also has many important benefits for their development. Sensory activities help to build nerve connections in the brain and it also encourages the development of motor skills. These nerve connections in the early years provide a strong foundation which helps children’s ability to engage with more complex learning tasks as they get older. 

Sensory play also supports language development, cognitive growth and problem solving skills, as well as encouraging children to socialise. It’s also great for hand eye coordination and helping to strengthen children’s hand and finger muscles.

Ideas to get started

As mentioned above, there are five senses: sight, touch, taste, sound and smell. Sensory play can focus on one sense, or a combination, and they offer so much scope for fun and engaging activities. You can often use items you already have in your home and it’s very easy to get started, so see below for a few of our favourite ideas.

Sand art

If you’re prepared to get a little messy then sand art is a fun and different way to create pictures. All you need is different coloured sand, paper and glue, and you can purchase sand art kits from many high street shops. Sand gives a great textured look to pictures and you could encourage children to think about how it feels and the different textures as they create pictures. 

You could also layer coloured sand in bottles or glass jars to create colourful rainbows and shapes.

Finger painting

Finger painting is where most young children start to draw and create, and it has many benefits for toddlers and pre-school age children. Finger painting helps to improve children’s fine motor development, and it teaches them about different colours and how primary colours work together. 

Encourage children to mix different colours to create new ones and explore making a variety of shapes with their hands and fingers. Don’t worry if things get a little messy, that’s all part of the fun!

Digging for ‘fossils’

This is great fun for little ones, especially if they already have an interest in dinosaurs. All you need is a plastic tub, some sand, and small items like shells, interesting looking rocks and toy fossils (you can purchase these from places like museums or online). 

Bury the items in the sand and let children ‘dig’ for them using small spades, spoons or just their hands. You could also provide some paint brushes to help them clean the sand off gently like real paleontologists do.

Rice bowls

You can make quick and easy ‘rainbow rice’ by mixing dried rice with food colouring. Simply shake in a container and then spread out and leave to dry. Bowls of different coloured rice are great for babies and toddlers to play with and it covers several different senses including touch and sound. Younger children may be more than happy to simply pick up the rice and watch it fall, or you could use coloured grains as part of multi textured art pictures.

Scented play dough

Play dough is a staple for many children and it can be easily found in shops or made at home. It’s a sensory experience on its own, but if you want to go one step further, add different scents and ask children what they can smell. If you’re making your own play dough, add a few drops of essential oil to different batches, in scents like peppermint, lavender or lemon. 

Scented dough is a great way to teach children about different smells and flavours, but make sure they don’t put the dough in their mouths.

Sound sensory jars

These are a great way for children to experience different sounds and they make quick and easy musical instruments too. You’ll need clean plastic containers with lids (or small jars like old spice containers). Fill the containers with different materials of various sizes, you can use whatever you can find around the house, there are endless options! Some safe ideas to start include sugar, rice, dried beans, coins, marbles and even just water.

Water xylophone

This is another great sensory activity that’s easy to create at home, all you need are glass jars or vases of various heights and sizes. Fill up each jar with water to a different level and then tap gently on the glass to hear the different notes. Experiment with different levels of water in different jars and see how this changes the sound - are they higher or lower? Louder or softer?

Smoothie taste test

This is a fun (and slightly sneaky!) way to encourage children to try new foods, and it’s an easy way to use up any excess fruit and vegetables lying around. This activity covers smell, taste and sight, and children might discover a new favourite flavour. Blend together different combinations of fruit (and small amounts of vegetables) to create different smoothies; you could make some thicker using banana or yoghurt and leave some more juice based. 

Try some sweet combinations (like strawberry and kiwi) or some that are more sharp (like plain raspberries or add orange and lemon). See if children can identify each flavour and help them to think about the textures, taste and smell of each mixture.

I-Spy

Sometimes the classics are the best, and I-spy can literally be played anytime, anywhere. It’s so simple that it might not even feel like a sensory ‘game’ but it encourages children to really take in their surroundings and use sight, hearing and smell to identify what they might be looking for. I-spy helps children with language development, recognition and sensory skills, and the opportunities are endless; play in your home, on long car journeys or on outdoor walks. 

We understand the importance of sensory play here at Sandfield Nursery, which is why we’re proud to offer the highest quality facilities and a safe, happy and stimulating environment for your child. Our daycare facilities are suitable for children aged six weeks to five years and our team of dedicated staff are trained to recognise the needs of each child. 

We offer plenty of opportunities for sensory play, with facilities including an indoor soft play room, plenty of arts and crafts, and outdoor activities. Our staff are committed to providing stimulating education and structured pre-school activities in a warm, safe environment. To find out more about our daycare, including our competitive fees, give us a call today.

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