Sensory Toddler Activities
Toddlers are at the prime age where anything and everything sensory really catches their attention. They are at a very tactile age, so they want to touch, feel and even mouth everything in sight. In this blog post, I will show you ideas that will inspire you to present some of these sensory toddler activities in safe and educational ways.
Head this way for more fun toddler activities that are easy to prepare and enjoyable for your little kids.
Sensory activities for toddlers are the best way to provide little kids with an interactive learning experience while also promoting development and growth. Such sensory activities help kids explore their environment using their five senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.
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Why Do Toddlers Need Sensory Activities
Toddlers have a natural curiosity about the world around them. They are always discovering, touching, and tasting everything they see. Sensory activities provide a fun opportunity for our little children to continue this exploration in a very safe environment.
These activities can help toddlers develop very important skills and lay the groundwork for their future learning.
Development of Fine and Gross Motor Skills
Activities like hands and finger painting, using sand or playdough, and building with blocks can help your little ones develop their fine motor skills. On the other hand, sensory activities like jumping and climbing can help develop their gross motor skills.
Cognitive Development Stimulation
Plays like sorting objects by shapes, texture, color, or size, tracing patterns in colored sands or shaving foams, and even simply playing with water can all help to stimulate the cognitive development of your toddlers.
Language and Communication Skills Improvement
Activities like singing rhymes, playing with figure puppets, singing songs, and engaging in imaginative or pretend play can all help to develop language and communication skills in your little ones.
Enhance Creative Thinking
Activities like fun sensory bins, homemade play doughs, slimes, and even taking a short walk in nature can help to foster creative thinking in toddlers.
Recommended Toddler Sensory Books
These toddler sensory books offer children an opportunity to explore their senses with fun, interactive illustrations that empower young minds with creative problem-solving skills and develop fine motor skills.
Melissa & Doug Children’s Book – Poke-a-Dot: Who’s in the Ocean (Board Book with Buttons to Pop)Ocean Friends – Touch and Feel Board Book – Sensory Board BookAdorable Animals – Touch and Feel Board Book – Sensory Board BookSee, Touch, Feel: A First Sensory BookMelissa & Doug Children’s Book – Poke-a-Dot: Old MacDonald’s Farm (Board Book with Buttons to Pop) – Farmyard Pop It / Push Pop Book For Toddlers And Kids Ages 3+Backyard Bugs – Touch and Feel Board Book – Sensory Board Book
Recommended Toddler Sensory Toys
These toddler sensory toys and tables create a fun, engaging learning environment for little children. These products feature bright colors, different textures, and fun activities that promote creativity and cognitive development in kids.
TEMI 4-in-1 Sand Water Table, 32PCS Sandbox Table Kids Activity Sensory Play Table Summer Outdoor Toys for Toddler Boys GirlsStep2 Naturally Playful Sand Table, Sand and water table basin, 8-piece accessory set.KidKraft Reversible Wooden Activity Table with Board with 195 Building Bricks – Gray & Natural, Gift for Ages 3+CPSYUB Toddler Toys, Easter Eggs Sensory Early Learning Fine Motor Skills Toys for 1, 2, 3, 4 Year Old Girls Boys, 12 Eggs Montessori Educational Color Shape Recognition Sorter Puzzle Giftsnutty toys 8pk Pop Tubes Sensory Toys (Large) Fine Motor Skills Learning Toddler Toy for Kids Top ADHD Autism Fidget 2023 Best Toddler Travel Toy Gifts Idea Unique Christmas Boy Girl Stocking StuffersMelissa & Doug Primary Lacing Beads – Educational Toy With 30 Wooden Beads and 2 Laces – Beads For Toddlers, Fine Motor Skills Lacing Toys For Toddlers And Kids Ages 3+, 8inx8inx2in, Multi
Sensory Toddler Activities
These fun sensory activities focus on using the five senses – sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing – to develop motor skills, problem-solving skills, and introduce cognitive concepts in your toddlers.
Enhance your little one's fine motor skills by touching two opposite textures with the help of this enjoyable toddler play with pinecones and tissue paper activity.
Cheerios might be one of your toddler's favorite snacks, but did you know that there are tons of sensory activities you can do for your kids using this yummy snack?
There are numerous things your little one can explore within the walls of your home, you don't need to spend a lot! Check out this sensory activity perfect for your toddler's fine motor skills development.
Let kids play with soap suds and blocks in this sensory activity. Allow kids to explore the suds and find the blocks in the soapy mixture.
For a low mess sensory activity, try this ocean in a bag sensory activity. All you'll need is a blue gel to squeeze into a small bag, and then you can add small sensory objects, like beads or small toys that are easy to clean up.
Get your toddler digging with this button excavating sensory play. You'll need corn meal and some buttons as toddlers search for buttons.
No actual play dough required, combine shaving cream with corn starch and some colorful food coloring for this fluffy sensory play.
Make a Color Sorting Sensory Bag with Your Kids: Super Easy & Squishy
Practice basic color sorting with two sets of different colored buttons. This activity helps build color recognition, sensory skills, and fine motor skills.
In this post, we will share some heart activities for kids that we love, especially, this lovely sensory bin that is perfect for Valentine’s Day or for anytime.
With only 2 ingredients that come from the kitchen, this sensory play recipe is super easy to put together, great for toddlers and kids of all ages, and goes with tons of themes.
Combine early literacy with sensory play in this alphabet-themed toddler activity.
For an auditory sensory activity, try this Humpty Dumpty themed activity. There's two ways to do this activity, making it convenient for whichever works best for your family.
Water beads are squishy and fun, but can be messy. To make this activity less messy but no less fun, put the beads in a heavy-duty bag, and let your toddler play away!
Mini Aquarium in a Bottle: Ocean Sensory Play to Learn and Explore
Learn about aquatic animals with a water bottle. Create a mini aquarium, with water, blue food coloring and small sensory toys, and put them into a bottle.
You'll need some small pebble rocks and some plastic construction toys for this basic construction sensory bin. For those learning the alphabet, you can also add some small alphabet rocks, to add a touch of literacy.
These monster themed sensory activities allow them to do just that while also meeting their sensory needs.
Sandpaper has a unique, scratchy texture, making it extra fun for toddlers. Instead of regular paper, have toddlers color on sand paper for new, fun results!
If you have a shredder in your house, chances are you have lots of shredded paper. And, with it being so simple, it's practically free.
For toddlers, you can tape the bag onto a table to make it easier for them to move the sharks around.
We combined two ingredients from our pantry and came up with a wonderful recipe that smells and even tastes good (although it’s not made for eating, it wont hurt if you try a little).
By incorporating sensory activities into your child’s daily routine and study time, you can help your toddler develop their fine and gross motor skills, stimulate cognitive development, improve language and communication skills, and foster creative thinking. So go ahead, get messy, and have fun exploring with your toddlers at home!
Thank you for visiting our Sensory Toddler Activities post!
More Toddler Activities
Baby and Toddler Approved Edible Paint Recipe
Tracing Activities for Toddlers
How to Make a Toddler Activity Box
Dollar Store Sensory Bins by Messy Momma Crafts
Taste Safe Kinetic Sand by Happy Toddler Playtime
Monique,
What a great post! I’m always looking for fun activities for my daughter, especially ones that help her develop her fine motor and sensory skills! All of these games and activities look engaging and easy to put together – which is every mom’s dream! I have bookmarked this for future reference : )