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Writer's pictureOur Playful Learning Journey

8 Easy Ideas for Sensory Play Trays

Updated: Jul 9

Easy ideas for some sensory play inspiration

sensory play tray for children using lentils and coloured wooden balls
A fun sensory play tray. Sensory play can be very calming for children.



A sensory play tray is a fun way to engage in some calming play for children!


In this blog post you will find ideas for 8 easy sensory play trays using a range of sensory bases.


The small figurines/ objects added into the trays are only ideas. You can use whatever you have handy at home to make your tray interesting. We reuse our sensory bases and just add in new items to create new interest in playing again.



*Important - These play ideas are for children ages 3+ as they contain small parts. All play was actively supervised by an adult.






Here is a list of 8 easy ideas for sensory play trays:



SENSORY PLAY TRAY 1


Fine Motor Workout

- Lentils

- Bowls

- Coloured wooden balls

- Scoops

Play tray filled with lentils, coloured wooden balls and bowls
Fine Motor Workout


 

SENSORY PLAY TRAY 2

Garden Play

- Kinetic sand

- Flowers (could use real ones)

- Little pots (we used Grapat mates)



Play tray using green kinetic sand, mini pots and plastic flowers
Garden Sensory Play Tray

 

SENSORY PLAY TRAY 3


Scoopy Fun

-Kinetic sand

-Scoopy tweezers

-Animals

-Container or bowls



Play tray using green kinetic sand, scoopy tongs and panda figurines
Scoopy Fun Sensory Tray


 

SENSORY PLAY TRAY 4


Beautiful Loose Parts

- Coloured chick peas

- Loose parts - We used Grapat mandala pieces

- Scoops

- Bowls


Play tray filled with coloured chickpeas, wooden bowls and loose parts
Beautiful Loose Parts Sensory Tray



 


SENSORY PLAY TRAY 5


Orange Calming Tray

- Sand

- Loose parts (We used Grapat Mandala cones and rings)



Wooden play tray filled with sand and orange loose Grapat parts
Orange Calming Sand Tray


 

SENSORY PLAY TRAY 6


Learning Letters

- Coloured chick peas

- Letter tiles (Q Toys brand)

- Jewels (Grimms large jewels)


Play tray including letter tiles, gemstones, and coloured chickpeas
Learning Letters Sensory Tray

 

SENSORY PLAY TRAY 7


Scoop and Fill

- Chickpeas

- Containers - we used Grapat Lola tubes

- Ice cube tray

-Grapat Mandala Eggs

- Flower Toob

- Scoops


Chickpea scoop and fill sensory play tray
Scoop and Fill Sensory Play Tray


 

SENSORY PLAY TRAY 8


Fill A Bucket

-Pom poms

-Container or small bucket

-Tweezers

-Optional - Fill a Bucket book


Basket with mini bucket, pom poms and tweezers for scooping
Fill a Bucket Sensory Play

 

Thank you for reading this blog post!


These 8 different sensory trays used a range of bases - chickpeas, kinetic sand, lentils, and pom poms. You can use the same sensory play tray many times by quickly swapping out the figurines etc that are added in or changing the sensory base.


I hope that you found some inspiration for some fun sensory play today.



Until next time, have fun learning in a playful way!



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