Sensory trays - exploring our senses
Infant and Toddler
| Engagement level:
Create an open-ended sensory experience for your child to explore through touch, taste, sight, sound and smell.
Skills and benefits:
- Sensory exploration
- Cause and effect
- Creative exploration
- Food exploration
What you'll need:
- 5 aluminium trays or shallow bowls
- Shredded coconut
- Coloured water
- Cooked pasta
- Rice
- Herbs and edible leaves
- 2 towels
What to do:
- Place one towel on the table and another one underneath (this will assist you to clean up after the experience)
- Lay your 5 trays out on the table
- Fill each tray with enough of each sensory item to cover the bottom. Place wet sensory items in separate trays directly next to dry items to encourage your child to compare the difference.
- Encourage your child to use their hands to explore each tray. Use descriptive language to prompt them to poke, swirl, pat and scrunch.
- Ask questions like, "how does it feel? Is it hard, soft or crunchy? Is it cold, warm or sticky?"
