Sensory Table Ideas for Children

Children learn through sensory experiences from day one. Babies and toddlers readily investigate new objects by grabbing, smelling, touching and tasting. Sensory exploration becomes a natural way to explore and learn about the world. As children grow and explore with each other, sensory play also provides a way to build language, social and dramatic play skills.

Mixtures

Allow children to explore the properties of mixtures by providing a variety of mixing materials, utensils and containers. Ideas include color mixing with a set of primary colored paints to discover which secondary colors can be created, or cornstarch and colored water to make a paste. Children can explore mixing other items, such as rocks and sand, oils and liquids or marbles and beads.

Bubbles

Add liquid soap to containers of water then blow into the water with a straw, creating bubbles. Make your own bubble mixture by combining 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup and 4 tablespoons dish soap. Pour this into a shallow tray or pan and supply various sized bubble wands and blowers or bend wire coat hangers into circles to make your own.

Monthly Themes

Provide different sensory objects based on a monthly theme. Include containers of various sizes for sorting, such as muffin pans, cookie tins or plastic bowls. Examples include faux leaves, mini pumpkins and gourds for October, plastic flowers, bird seed and trowels for May or plastic eggs hidden in oatmeal for April. Use multi-colored pompoms, ice cream scoops and bowls for July, or water sponges, floating toys and funnels for June or August.

Pouring

Provide a variety of different sizes and shapes of containers, measuring cups and funnels. Allow children to explore by pouring water into the different containers. Add a bit of food coloring to the water so it is more visible. Sand or rice can also be used for pouring. Use spoons to transfer materials, such as cocoa powder, flour, sugar or oatmeal, from one container to another. Allow children to taste and smell the materials if appropriate.

Creative Exploration

Create a number of different landscapes for children to explore and role play. Examples include river rocks, grass, dirt, plastic turtles or frogs, sand and sticks for a creekside setting. Include sensory items such as feathers, shaving cream animal fur, wigs or fake snow. Use gelatin, pudding or marshmallows as a special taste treat. When selecting materials, consider how much mess you want to clean up. Cover the floor with a washable mat and put aprons on the kids or have them wear old clothes.