Creating an Inviting Sensory Tray in 5 Simple Steps

Sensory play is commonly discussed in early childhood education. Most of us are familiar with the IKEA sensory table photos on Pinterest, the playdoh kits on Etsy, or the absolutely amazing kinetic sand bin that will have even you fully immersed in the play. Honestly, I’m almost thirty and I get really excited about sensory play and creating sensory trays or bins for my kids. This year, I plan to be more intentional with sensory play invitations in our homeschool. Here are 5 simple steps you can use for creating an inviting sensory tray or bin.

Sensory Play for Brain Development

Sensory play is much more than finger painting or playing with homemade playdoh. It promotes language and fine motor skills, which is great for brain development. “Sensory exploration is a child’s way of examining, discovering, categorizing, and making sense of the world (source).” To create an epic sensory play activity, you want to think about all five senses and not just touch alone. Consider sight, smell, hearing, and in some cases, taste when creating or designing a sensory tray.

Creating an Inviting Sensory Tray in 5 Simple Steps

Pinterest can be pretty intimidating, and we might not always have it in the budget to buy pre-made sensory kits. So, lets keep things simple so that you can create your very own “Pinterest-worthy” sensory trays or bins.

Before you begin, you’ll want to have either a tray, bin, board, or whatever that can be used for your sensory play invitation.

Step 1: Filler or Base for Sensory Tray

Once you have your blank canvas (i.e. a tray), you can choose a filler or base. This is the main touch aspect of your tray. You can also include sight in this area by getting creative with color. Here are some examples of commonly used fillers and bases:

rice
dry beans or peas
dry pasta
dried corn kernals or popcorn kernals
dried oats
sand
playdoh
shredded paper
flour
water
water beads

To add color to these items, simply use dye. There are some great natural dyes you can purchase or make yourself with things like turmeric powder. Include your child’s sense of smell by using naturally scented playdoh. This can be done with things such as coffee or essential oils (be cautious when using essential oils that may cause harm if a child happens to eat any of these fillers).

*Using food as a filler for play may not be a responsible option for some, so I recommend using natural resources in your environment. Dirt, clay, sand, rocks, rainwater, etc. are great. Creativity is endless.

Step 2: Additional Textures

While we do have touch covered with our filler, you want to include additional textures to the tray. These could be a bit larger in size compared to the filler. For example:

wool balls
rocks
sticks
wood cubes or slices
glass gems
grapat loose parts

Step 3: Themed Trinkets

Here is the fun part! Themed trinkets. Creating a themed sensory tray is a fun way to include your child’s interest and make this invitation to play super fun. These trinkets are things you might find in nature (acorns, pine cones, flowers, etc.) or at your local craft shop, dollar store, or target dollar spot. Think seasonal here as well. Mini holiday trinkets like Christmas boxes or nativity pieces. Here are some fun themes and trinket examples:

Autumn: felt leaves, acorns, and pinecones
Space: astronaut figurine, space ship, and star trinkets
Dinosaurs: dino figurines, sticks, and little wood eggs
Ocean: sea creature figurines, shells, and a boat
Farm: mini picket fence, animal figurines, and peg people or figurines
Bugs: toy bugs and sticks
Vegetable Garden: wood food, mini watering can, and empty seed packets

capptivating play dino playdoh kit — Image of our Dino Dig sensory kit from Capptivating Play

For a great black-owned and women-owned shop for pre-made themed sensory kits or non-toxic playdoh jars to use in your own tray, visit Capptivating Play.

Step 4: Sensory Tray Tools: scoops, tongs, bowls, rollers, stampers, ect.

Next, you’ll want to add a few tools to your sensory tray or bin. These are pretty straightforward. Remember, you don’t have to overwhelm the tray with tools, one or two tools will go a long way. Switch it up from tray to tray to keep things new and inviting.

Step 5: Educational Resources

Finally, add your educational resources. Because I love books, I recommend including one in every sensory tray invitation. Pair a related book with the activity and offer to read it as a read-aloud while they play. If your child is reading, including a book for their reading level. If they read it, great, if not, that’s fine too. They may just flip through for inspiration. Here are some other examples of educational resources to include when creating an inviting sensory tray or bin: