10 Must-Try Activities for Sensory Play in the Classroom

You notice how activities for sensory play help students every day in class. Sensory activities make students curious. They help students pay attention. They help students join in. They help students control their feelings.

Research in Frontiers in Psychiatry says movement and touch tools help the brain work better. These tools help all students think more clearly.

Teachers can use activities for sensory play to help all kinds of students. This creates a good place for students to grow.

Key Takeaways

• Sensory play helps the brain grow by making new connections. It also helps students think better. Activities like sensory bins and play dough help students use their hands. These activities also help students learn new words. Changing sensory play activities often keeps students interested. It also makes them excited to learn. Adding nature and movement to sensory play helps students work together. It also helps them control their feelings. Changing sensory activities lets all students join in. This includes students with special needs. All students can benefit from these activities.

Sensory Play Activities Overview

What Is Sensory Play?

You use your senses to learn about the world. Sensory play means doing things that use touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. These activities also use movement and balance. This helps your body know where it is. When you squeeze modeling clay, you feel its texture. Listening to rain sounds is sensory play too. Walking on a mat with bumps is another example.

• Sensory play uses your hands, eyes, ears, nose, and sometimes your mouth.

• You can mix sand and water, smell spices, or sort beads by color.

• These activities help you notice how things feel, sound, or look.

• Moving or stretching during play helps you learn about your body.

Teachers use sensory play to help you focus and learn better. These activities let you explore and find out new things with your senses.

Why Sensory Play Matters

Sensory play is not just for fun. It helps your brain grow and makes learning easier. Using your senses builds strong brain connections. These connections help you solve problems and remember things. Sensory play also helps you talk and work with others. You share what you feel, see, or hear with classmates.

Sensory activities can be grouped by which senses they use. This helps you learn in many ways.

Here is how sensory play helps you grow:

When you do sensory play, you get ready for harder learning. You also learn to work with others and share your ideas. Sensory play makes learning fun and important.

Monthly Sensory Play Ideas

January: Frozen Sensory Bin

Begin the year with a frozen sensory bin. This activity brings winter into your classroom. You can feel cold, smooth, and soft textures. You only need easy-to-find items. Use cotton balls, white beans, foam pellets, glass stones, and soft pompoms. These materials help you learn about textures. They also help you use your hands and fingers. You can hide small penguin toys or winter animals in the bin. This makes the activity more fun.

Tip: Change your sensory bin ideas every week. This keeps sensory play new and fun.

April: Easter Sensory Bin

April brings bright colors and new sensory play ideas. An Easter sensory bin uses plastic eggs, shredded paper, and small toys. Fill eggs with rice or beans for sound and touch. This helps you build fine motor skills. You also learn to solve problems. You get to share and talk with classmates. This helps you grow socially.

• You explore colors and textures.

• You find and open eggs to solve problems.

• You practice sharing and teamwork.

• You calm down and focus during sensory activities.

Other Monthly Themes

Keep sensory play fun by changing themes each month. Teachers use everyday items for sensory play. This saves money and is easy to do. Here are some ideas you can try:

Other creative sensory play activities include:

• Make tactile boards with cotton balls and sandpaper.

• Use playdough to build hand strength and creativity.

• Try colorful bins with dyed rice.

• Use scented playdough or spice jars for smell and language.

• Do obstacle courses and yoga for movement and body awareness.

• Try taste-safe activities like edible playdough or frozen juice cubes.

Sensory play tips: Use simple materials and change activities often. This helps you stay interested and learn through new experiences.

Top Activities for Sensory Play

Sensory Bins

Sensory bins give you a fun way to learn. You touch many textures and see bright colors. You scoop, pour, and sift different things. This makes your hands stronger. Your brain learns new things as you play. Sensory bins help you talk and share with classmates.

Materials:

• Rice, beans, pasta, or sand

• Small toys or scoops

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Natural items like leaves or pinecones

Change the materials often. This keeps sensory play fun and fresh.

Play Dough

Play dough is great for hands-on learning. You squeeze, roll, and shape the dough. This helps your fingers get stronger. You can be creative and make new things. Play dough lets you feel different textures. You can add scents or colors to make it more fun.

Materials:

• Homemade or store-bought play dough (non-toxic and edible)

• Rolling pins, cookie cutters, and plastic knives

• Essential oils (lavender, peppermint)

• Natural elements (leaves, flower petals)

• Small toys or beads (for older children)

Safety Tips:

1. Always watch young children when they play.

2. Use safe, edible ingredients for homemade dough.

3. Do not use small objects for toddlers.

4. Wash hands before and after play.

Add spices or oils for new sensory experiences.

Water Play

Water play mixes science and fun. You pour, splash, and try new things with water. You learn about volume and measurement. You see how water moves and changes. Water play helps you share and take turns. You work together with friends.

• Water play teaches sharing and taking turns.

• You learn to care about others.

• Pouring water helps you learn about volume.

• Water play can help you feel calm.

Materials:

• Water table or large bin

• Cups, funnels, and sponges

• Floating and sinking toys

• Food coloring or ice cubes

Try water play outside. It makes cleanup easy and adds more fun.

Nature Play

Nature play brings the outdoors into your classroom. You touch leaves, smell flowers, and listen to birds. Nature play helps you be creative. You work with others and feel good.

• Playing outside helps you think and grow.

• Nature play helps your memory and brain.

• Group games build teamwork and communication.

• Outdoor play helps you plan and solve problems.

Materials:

• Leaves, sticks, rocks, and pinecones

• Soil, seeds, and small pots for planting

• Nature scavenger hunt lists

• Magnifying glasses

Bring nature inside with crafts or gardening for sensory fun all year.

Sensory Art

Sensory art lets you show your feelings and ideas. You paint, draw, and create with many materials. This helps you feel calm and be creative.

• Sensory art helps you understand feelings.

• It makes you feel proud and confident.

• Art activities make the classroom friendly and fun.

Materials:

• Finger paints, brushes, and sponges

• Clay, sand, or textured paper

• Natural dyes or scented markers

• Recycled materials for collage

Let students pick their own materials for more fun.

Light Table

A light table makes objects look bright and colorful. You put clear or colored things on the table. You watch how light changes what you see. Light tables help you explore and think like a scientist.

Materials:

• Light table or DIY version with a clear bin and LED lights

• Colored plastic shapes or blocks

• Transparent letters and numbers

• X-rays or leaves for science exploration

Use a light table for tracing, sorting, or mixing colors.

Sound & Music

Sound and music activities help you learn language and remember things. You listen to music and play instruments. You hear different sounds and patterns. This helps your brain get better at learning.

• Listening to music helps you talk and understand others.

• Sound activities help you work with friends.

Materials:

• Drums, shakers, and bells

• Recorded music or nature sounds

• Rhythm sticks or homemade instruments

Try sound walks or tell stories with music for more fun.

Tactile Storytelling

Tactile storytelling makes stories exciting with touch and movement. You use sensory bins and props to act out stories. This helps you remember details and learn new words.

• Use sight, sound, and touch for better learning.

• Everyday items make storytelling hands-on.

Materials:

• Textured fabrics, sandpaper, or felt

• Story props (puppets, figurines)

• Sensory bins with themed items

• Movement cards

Tactile storytelling helps all students and makes stories easy to remember.

Scented Science

Scented science uses smell to help you learn and remember. You mix and smell different things. This makes learning fun and helps you remember facts.

• Smelling things helps your brain learn and remember.

• Scents like peppermint help you focus and feel good.

• Scented science helps you learn with many senses.

Materials:

• Scented play dough or slime

• Spice jars (cinnamon, cloves, mint)

• Scented markers or oils

• Flowers or herbs

Use scents in science or art for more sensory fun.

Obstacle Course

An obstacle course lets you move and explore in class. You crawl, jump, and balance. This makes you stronger and more confident. Obstacle courses can be changed for everyone. They help you learn with your senses.

Materials:

• Mats, cones, and tunnels

• Balance beams or stepping stones

• Textured surfaces (bubble wrap, foam)

• Visual cues and instruction cards

Always check for safety and change the course for all students.

These activities help you learn new skills and make friends. Teachers use these ideas to make the classroom fun for everyone. Try new activities often to keep learning exciting.

Sensory Activities for Special Needs

Adaptations

You can make sensory play work for every student. Each child learns in their own way. Some students need extra help to join in. You can change sensory activities to fit many needs.

• Students with visual impairments can use textured materials and musical games. These activities help them explore with touch and hearing.

• Students with hearing impairments can use visual and tactile activities. Sign language and clear pictures help guide them.

• Students with physical disabilities can join while sitting or standing. Make sure materials are easy to reach for everyone.

• Students with learning disabilities can use structured sensory play. Step-by-step instructions and pictures help them follow along.

Tip: Change sensory play ideas and materials often. This keeps everyone interested and excited.

Tools & Tips

You can help students with sensory processing disorders by using the right tools. These tools help students feel safe and ready to learn.

1. Use visual supports to give clear instructions.

2. Try visual timers and calm-down bottles for smooth transitions.

3. Offer tactile learning with sand trays, sensory bins, and textured items.

You can also use these sensory tools in class:

• Headphones that block noise

• Toys with different textures

• Weighted lap pads and vests

• Fidget toys

• Visual schedules and timers

These ideas help you make a friendly space for all students. When you use good sensory activities and tools, every child can enjoy play and learning.

Managing Sensory Play

Routines

You help sensory play work well by making clear routines. Start each day with a morning meeting and a visual schedule. This helps students know what will happen and feel ready. Use timers to show when it is time to change activities. Choice boards let students pick activities they like. This gives them some control.

Make quiet corners with calming things for students to relax. These spots let students take breaks and calm down. Open-ended toys in play zones help students work together. Creative spaces let students show feelings through play. Add tactile, vestibular, auditory, and proprioceptive inputs to lessons. This gives students many sensory experiences.

Watch what each student likes and change routines for them. You can use the DIR Floortime approach to make activities fit. Let students help design sensory stations. Set up a small area with soft lights and clear rules. Add breathing cards, self-regulation cards, and tactile items. When students help care for these stations, they feel proud and responsible.

Tip: When routines stay the same, students feel safe and sure during sensory play.

Safety & Cleanup

You keep sensory play safe by making clear rules and using pictures. Put up signs to show how many kids can play at once. Show steps for getting ready, like putting on smocks, and for cleaning up. Make sure materials are easy to reach in tables, tubs, or big bins.

If you use water, always follow safety rules and watch students. Ask students to help clean up after play. Give them easy jobs like wiping tables, sorting toys, or putting things away. This teaches them to be responsible and keeps the classroom neat.

Note: Check for safety often and give clear steps. This makes sensory play fun and safe for everyone.

You make your classroom better with sensory play. Using many senses helps students remember things. It helps their brains grow and makes them work well with others. Here are some long-term benefits:

You can fix problems by changing small things. Use spaces that are good for sensory play. Try new activities and change them for your class. Sensory play helps everyone feel part of the group. You help students grow and care about others. Try new sensory play ideas in 2025 and see your classroom do well.

FAQ

What if my classroom has limited space for sensory play?

You can use small bins on desks. Try trays for activities. Change activities often to save space. Use sensory bags or tabletop play. Store materials on a rolling cart.

Tip: Flexible seats and portable stations help sensory play fit anywhere.

How often should you change sensory play activities?

Change activities every week or two. This keeps students interested. You can also change them for classroom themes. Ask students what they like and adjust.

Can sensory play help older students?

Yes! Sensory play helps focus and lowers stress. It boosts creativity for all ages. Use harder materials like science experiments or art projects.

What if a student dislikes certain textures or materials?

Respect what each student likes. Give choices with different textures. Let students explore gently. Never force anyone to join.

• Example: If slime feels bad, try dry rice or fabric squares.

How do you keep sensory play safe and clean?

Set clear rules for play. Watch students during activities. Use materials that are easy to wash. Teach students to wash hands before and after play.

See Also

Engaging Sensory Activities for Preschoolers to Explore

Best Non-Messy Sensory Activities for Nurseries This Year

Easy Ideas to Create a Sensory Corner

Ultimate Resource for Sensory Play Ideas in Education

Essential Resources for Setting Up a Sensory Room