Sensory play activities stimulate your child’s senses which supports their brain and language development, gross motor skills, social interaction and problem-solving skills. Here are some fun and easy sensory play ideas for you to try at home!

Ideas for Babies

How to make Taste-safe Foam

You’ll need:

• 1 x Tin of chickpeas
• ¼ teaspoon Cream of tartar
• A few drops of food colouring (optional)

Drain the tin of chickpeas, reserving the liquid (and perhaps keep the chickpeas to make a meal later!) Then add Cream of Tartar and a few drops of food colouring. Beat on high speed with an electric mixer until it turns to foam.

Ice play

You’ll need:

• Snap lock bags
• Ice
• Water
• Tape to stick them to the floor

Begin by adding ice into the bags and then add some water on top. You then begin closing the bag as you push out as much air as possible to have the ice bounce around through the water as you touch the bags.

Ideas for Toddlers

How to make Gloop

• You’ll need:
• 2 cups of cornflour
• 1 cup of water

A few drops of food colouring (optional) Mix all of the ingredients and then watch as it turns from a solid to a liquid, depending on the amount of pressure being used.

Hand painting

You’ll need:

• Paint
• Paper
• Smock or old clothes

Get a tray about the size of a baking tray and add the different colours of paint all in blobs around the tray. Then put on a smock or some old clothes and watch the children use their bodies to explore the paint.

Ideas for 3-5-year-olds

Sand Play

You’ll need:

• Sand
• Water
• Food colouring (optional)
• Glitter (optional)

Add sand and water to a large bowl, then add your choice of food colouring and glitter and mix until the colour is combined. Pour the sand onto a tray and leave the food colouring to dry. Once dry, let children explore the texture with their hands and other materials.

Alphabet Soup


You’ll need:

A tray with water

• Foam or plastic letters
• Ladle
• Bowl

Place the letters in a tray filled with water and ask your child to use the ladle to scoop letters out into the bowl. Ask them to pick out specific letters such as those in their name.



*Safety is always a priority – so don’t give children items that are a choking risk, always supervise children around water and consider which activities are developmentally appropriate and safe for your child.