13 Toddler Sensory Activities That’ll Keep Your Little One Busy (And You Sane!)

Let’s talk about getting messy with our toddlers! We know that sensory play isn’t just about making a fun mess (though that’s definitely a bonus) – it’s about helping our little ones learn and grow through touching, feeling, and experiencing new things.

Sensory activities boost brain development, improve fine motor skills, and help our toddlers process the world around them in ways that actual toys just can’t match.

We’ve rounded up some amazing sensory activities that you can easily do at home with stuff you probably already have in your kitchen or craft drawer.

Don’t worry if things get a little chaotic – that’s totally part of the fun! These hands-on experiences are perfect for those busy toddler days when you need something new and exciting to keep those tiny hands occupied.

1) Shaving Cream Sensory Art

Let’s get messy with one of our favorite sensory activities – shaving cream art! We love this activity because it’s super cheap and provides endless entertainment for our little ones.

Grab a baking sheet and fill it with lots of cheap shaving cream. Trust us, more is better! Your house might smell like a barbershop for a day, but watching your toddler’s face light up makes it totally worth it.

Want to make it extra fun? Try mixing shaving cream with glue to create puffy paint. Our kiddos go crazy for this magical combination!

We love setting up shaving cream finger painting sessions. Just spread the cream on a table or tray and let your little artist create swirls, patterns, and masterpieces with their fingers.

Safety tip: Keep a close eye on your toddler during this activity and make sure they don’t try to taste the shaving cream. We recommend using the sensitive skin variety to be extra gentle on those tiny hands.

Clean-up is actually part of the fun! Give your little one a small towel and turn wiping up into its own activity. They’ll feel so proud helping with the cleanup.

2) Rainbow Rice Adventure

Let’s get messy with one of our favorite sensory activities – rainbow rice! This colorful play material is super easy to make and provides endless entertainment for curious little hands.

Developing fine motor skills is a huge benefit as your toddler scoops, pours, and explores the rice. We love watching their little fingers work as they play!

Creating rainbow rice is a breeze! Just mix uncooked rice with food coloring and let it dry. We recommend making several vibrant colors to really spark their imagination.

Set up a bin with some cups, spoons, and funnels. Your toddler will have a blast transferring the rainbow rice between containers and mixing the colors together.

Learning opportunities abound with this activity! We can practice color recognition, counting, and even basic math concepts while playing.

Pro tip: Put a sheet under the play area for easy cleanup. Trust us, some rice will escape the bin – but that’s part of the fun! We’ve learned to embrace the mess and focus on the giggles.

3) Water Bead Treasure Hunt

Let’s get ready for some seriously fun, sensory play ideas! Water beads are perfect for toddlers because they’re squishy, bouncy, and totally fascinating to little hands.

Fill a clear plastic bin with colorful water beads and hide some exciting treasures inside. We love using small plastic toys, rubber ducks, or even empty plastic Easter eggs for this activity.

Watch your little one’s eyes light up as they dig through the wiggly water beads to find their prizes! It’s like a magical underwater treasure hunt that keeps them busy and helps develop their fine motor skills.

We recommend using larger water beads for this activity since they’re easier for tiny fingers to grab. Always supervise your toddler during water bead play since these fun little balls can be a choking hazard.

Pro tip: Place a towel under your bin to catch any escaped water beads – these bouncy little guys love to go on adventures! Your kiddo might just spend time and ages squishing, sorting, and searching through their sensory bin.

4) Edible Paint Finger Fun

Let your child’s development really get messy with some totally safe and edible finger paints that your little ones can explore without worry! We love this activity because it’s perfect for babies from 6 months old all the way up to preschoolers.

The easiest way to make edible paint is with colored yogurt. Just mix plain yogurt with a few drops of food coloring, and you’ve got yourself some taste-safe paint that’s ready for tiny hands and curious mouths.

Want to make it even more fun? Try setting up a simple paper plate as a paint palette. We like to add different colors in small dollops around the edge. Your little artist can use their fingers or even safe paintbrushes to create their masterpiece.

Cool whip makes another amazing paint option that kids absolutely love. It’s smooth, creamy, and perfect for sensory exploration. Plus, who doesn’t love sneaking a little taste while making art?

Remember to put down some old newspapers or a splash mat – this activity is definitely going to get messy! But that’s half the fun, right? We promise the giggles and creative exploration are totally worth the cleanup.

5) Playdough Monster Creation

Let’s get silly with some seriously fun monster making! Creating playdough monsters is one of our favorite ways to spark imagination water play and giggles with our little ones.

Grab your favorite playdough colors and spread out some fun decorations like googly eyes, pom-poms, and pipe cleaners. We love watching our toddlers go wild adding as many eyes and arms as they want – because who says monsters need to follow rules?

This activity is perfect for tiny hands since it helps develop fine motor skills while counting all those monster parts. Plus, squishing and squeezing the playdough is amazing sensory play.

Our pro tip? Don’t worry about the mess! Just lay down some paper or a plastic mat first. We’ve learned that the best monster-making sessions are the ones where we let our kiddos get totally creative without stressing about perfection.

Keep things exciting by asking your little one questions about their monster. What’s its name? What does it like to eat? Where does it live? We’ve found this really gets those adorable imaginations running wild!

6) Hot Chocolate Sensory Bin

Let’s make winter play extra cozy with a hot chocolate sensory bin! This fun winter activity for toddlers brings all the joy of hot cocoa time without the mess of actual drinks.

We love using cloud dough as the base – it feels just like hot chocolate mix! Mix brown-colored cloud dough in your bin and get ready for some pretend play magic.

Add mini marshmallows, pom-poms, or cotton balls to be the “floating marshmallows.” Throw in some plastic mugs, scoops, and spoons so your little ones can play barista.

Your kiddos can practice their counting and sorting skills while they play. They might count marshmallows, sort toppings, or take pretend orders at their very own hot cocoa shop.

Want to make it extra festive? Add some red and white pom-poms or mini candy canes. We’ve found that this sensory activity helps develop fine motor skills while letting imaginations run wild.

7) Nature Walk Sensory Scavenger Hunt

Taking our little ones on a nature walk is such a fun way to engage their senses and get them moving! We love turning these walks into exciting sensory scavenger hunts that keep our toddlers engaged and learning.

Let’s have our kiddos look for things they can touch – like smooth rocks, fuzzy leaves, or rough tree bark.

We can get older children and ask them to listen for bird songs or crunchy leaves under their feet.

Looking for specific colors is another fantastic activity. We might hunt for something green, brown, or yellow. Our toddlers get so excited when they spot their target colors in nature!

Sensory nature walks help develop our little ones’ observation skills and vocabulary. They learn new words like “soft,” “bumpy,” or “squishy” while exploring the outdoor world.

Don’t forget to let them collect treasures along the way!

We can bring a small bucket or bag for gathering pinecones, pretty leaves, or interesting sticks. These items make great craft materials for later activities too.

Remember to keep it simple and fun – our toddlers might get distracted by a butterfly or want to splash in a puddle, and that’s totally okay! The best sensory experiences often come from these spontaneous moments.

8) Sensory Bottle Sky Watch

Let’s create a magical sky-themed sensory bottle that’ll keep your little one totally mesmerized! Visual stimulation from music and watching objects float helps develop your toddler’s focus while having tons of fun.

Grab an empty water bottle (we love using VOSS bottles because they’re super clear!) and fill it with blue hair gel.

Add some sparkly glitter to make your “sky” shimmer like stars.

Want to make it extra special? Try adding tiny cloud-shaped cotton balls or small sky-themed toys like mini airplanes or birds.

Your toddler will love watching them float and drift through their personal piece of sky.

These bottles aren’t just fun – they’re perfect for calming down cranky kiddos!

We’ve found that watching the glittery “stars” float up and down can work wonders during those fussy moments.

Remember to seal the bottle super tight (we usually add some hot glue around the cap for extra security).

Now you’ve got an awesome portable sky that’s ready for endless entertainment!

9) Foam Letter Name Puzzle

Let’s get creative with this super fun and educational activity that helps your little one learn their name! We love using foam letters because they’re soft, colorful, and perfect for tiny hands.

Making name puzzles is a breeze. Just grab some foam letters and write your young child’s name on a piece of paper or cardboard. This becomes their template for matching the foam letters.

Your toddler will have a blast matching the foam letters to spell their name. It’s like their own personal puzzle!

We find this activity works great during circle time or as an independent play option.

Want to make it extra exciting? Try hiding the foam letters in a sensory bin filled with rice or beans.

Now your kiddo gets to dig for letters while learning – talk about double the fun!

Pro tip: Start with just their first name, and once they’ve mastered that, add their last name too.

We’ve found that foam letter stickers work a great idea for creating a more permanent version they can practice with again and again.

Remember to celebrate every time they complete their name puzzle – those proud smiles are everything! 🎉

10) DIY Slime Time

Let’s get messy with one of our absolute favorite sensory activities for toddlers – homemade slime! Non-toxic slime recipes are perfect for tiny hands and curious minds.

We love making chia seed slime because it’s safe if your little one decides to taste-test their creation (which they totally will).

The texture is amazing and keeps those busy hands engaged for ages.

Want to add some sparkle to your day? Try making shimmery gold slime with your toddler.

The metallic shine makes it extra magical, and watching their eyes light up when they squish it between their fingers is priceless!

For an extra special sensory experience, we love creating relaxing sensory bottles filled with glitter slime.

They’re perfect for calm-down time or just plain fun.

Remember to supervise slime play with younger kiddos.

We promise the cleanup is worth it when you see those happy faces and developing motor skills in action!

11) Jell-O Sensory Dig

Let’s get messy with this super fun Jello sensory activity that our little ones absolutely love! We’re going to hide some small toys in Jell-O and let our toddlers dig them out.

Grab a few boxes of Jell-O in different colors and make them according to the package directions.

Once it’s set, hide some toys inside – we love using plastic animals, small toy cars, or letter blocks.

This activity is perfect for developing fine motor skills and sensory exploration.

Plus, it’s totally safe if our kids decide to take a little taste! The sticky and gooey texture is a wonderful sensory experience.

We like to put the Jell-O in a large plastic bin or on a cookie sheet to contain the mess.

Give your toddler some plastic spoons, cups, or even their hands to dig out the buried treasures!

Pro tip: Try this activity during bath time or outside on a warm day.

The cleanup will be so much easier, and we won’t have to stress about the mess. Our kiddos can splash and squish to their hearts’ content!

12) Sandpaper Texture Drawing

We’re obsessed with this super fun drawing activity that’s perfect for tiny artists! Coloring on sandpaper creates a unique tactile experience that’s way more exciting than regular paper.

Grab some crayons and fine-grit sandpaper from your local craft store.

The rough texture makes the crayons glide differently, creating the coolest effects that’ll have your little one totally amazed.

When chalk pastels meet sandpaper, it’s like a color explosion!

The grainy surface adds extra sensory input that makes this activity extra special for developing minds. Plus, it’s basically impossible to mess up – which we absolutely love!

Let your toddler scribble, draw shapes, or just explore. There’s no right or wrong way to do this activity.

We love watching their faces light up when they feel the scratchy paper and see how the colors look different than on regular paper.

Clean-up tip: Keep a small container nearby to catch any crayon bits that might flake off.

Trust us, your vacuum cleaner will thank you later! 🎨

13) Bubble Wrap Stomp Dance

Let’s turn bubble wrap into the most epic dance floor ever! Bubble wrap stomping is such a blast – we love seeing those little faces light up when they hear that first POP.

Grab a big sheet of bubble wrap and tape it securely to the floor.

We recommend using a hallway or open space where your tiny dancer has room to move.

Put on some fun tunes and let the stomping party begin!

This activity isn’t just super fun – it’s also amazing for developing balance and coordination.

Plus, we’ve noticed it’s a fantastic way to help kiddos burn off extra energy on rainy days when we’re stuck inside.

Want to make it even more exciting? Try making a bubble wrap runway down your hallway.

Our toddlers go absolutely bonkers for this, especially when we join in the fun too!

Remember to keep a close eye on your little one during this activity.

We know it’s tempting to let them go wild, but safety first!

Some tots might prefer gentle popping with their fingers instead of stomping, and that’s totally cool too.

Why Sensory Play Is a Game-Changer

We’re obsessed with how sensory play lights up our little ones’ worlds! It’s amazing to watch our kiddos learn and grow through hands-on exploration while they squish, splash, and discover new textures.

Boosting Brain Power

Let’s get real – sensory play is like a brain workout for our tiny humans!

When they dig their hands into squishy playdough or pour water between containers, they’re building those super-important neural connections.

Our little scientists are learning so much when they explore different textures and materials.

They start figuring out cause and effect (what happens when I dump this?), and they’re picking up early math concepts without even realizing it!

We love watching them problem-solve as they experiment with different sensory materials.

Whether they’re sorting colorful beans or measuring sand, these fun activities are secretly teaching them about size, quantity, and basic scientific concepts.

Building Social Skills

OMG, you should see how our tots light up during group sensory play!

When kids gather around the sensory bin, they’re not just playing – they’re becoming tiny social butterflies.

Language development explodes during these learning activities, as our kiddos learn new words to describe what they’re experiencing.

“Squishy,” “smooth,” “rough” – their vocabulary grows with every sensory adventure!

Playing together at the water table or sharing tools in the kinetic sand teaches them those golden social skills:

• Taking turns

• Sharing materials

• Working together

• Using their words to communicate

These shared experiences create the perfect opportunity for making friends and learning how to play nicely with others. Plus, it’s absolutely adorable watching them figure it out together! 🥰

Kicking Off Your Sensory Adventure

Starting sensory play with your little one can feel overwhelming, but we’ve got your back!

Let’s walk through some ideas for some simple ways to make these activities stress-free and super fun.

Mess Control Tips

Setting up the right space makes mess-free sensory play just so much fun and easier!

We love using a plastic tablecloth or splash mat under everything – it’s a total game-changer.

Pop an old t-shirt or art smock on your kiddo. Trust us, those tiny hands will get into everything!

Keep cleaning supplies within arm’s reach:

• Baby wipes (lots of them!)

• Paper towels

• A small trash bag

• A damp cloth

Pro tip: Take it outside when the weather’s nice. Mother Nature doesn’t mind a little summer mess!

Picking the Right Materials

We always start with safe, toddler-friendly materials that are ok if they end up in curious mouths:

• Rice

• Dry pasta

• Large pom-poms

• Playdough

• Cotton balls

Choose containers with low sides that a child with tiny hands can easily reach into.

Clear plastic bins are perfect. They’re unbreakable and let your little one see all the fun stuff inside!

Look around your kitchen! Simple items like flour, dried beans, and water make amazing sensory materials.

Just remember to watch those small items with younger toddlers.