Affordable DIY Sensory Play Activities for Kids

Have you been looking for some good sensory activities for your kids? Sensory activities involve hands-on playing through touching, tasting, smelling, seeing, moving, and hearing. The activities enhance learning while stimulating the child’s senses.

These types of activities are an important foundation for later learning skills. It doesn’t only help a child to differentia sounds, shapes, sizes, etc. but they are also considered calming and therapeutic. Providing sensory activities is crucial for a child’s brain development.

Here are some ideas for affordable DIY sensory play activities to do with your kids!

1. Playdough via Meraki Mother. Probably one of the most popular and really the easiest sensory tool you can make. Meraki Mother uses only 2 ingredients and helps hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
2. Sensory Bottles via Mama Instincts. These bottles are so easy to make with a recycled water bottle and they are perfect for calming kids down.
3. Jell-O Soap Foam via Fun-A-Day. What kid doesn’t love getting messy and playing with bubbles? The best part about this is because you use Jell-O it also works for your sense of smell in addition to touch.
4. Button Tree Quiet Bin via Hands On As We Grow. This is perfect for quiet time, hand-eye coordination, shapes and textures, and colors all in a relaxing way.
5. Eye Spy Sensory Bag via Learning 4 Kids. Probably one of my favorite sensory plays. It’s the very beginning days of hide and seek. You fill a bag with dry rice and tiny little treasures and trinkets. There is no sewing required.
6. Edible Moon Sand via Powerful Mothering. The best part about this is the moon sand is edible. Not that I would encourage your child to eat it, but it just means all ages of babies and toddlers can play with this so if they accidentally get it in their mouth it’s completely safe.
7. Upcycle Busy Board via DIY mama. These can be made in a large variety of different ways and with different attachments to the board. I do love the peek-a-boo door though!
8. Wacky Sensory Sacks viaSomewhat Simple. These are also known as stress balls for us older folks!

Although only a few were mentioned above, there are literally thousands of ways that kids can learn through sensory play, the possibilities are endless!