175 Sensory Activity Ideas for Kids (2024)

By Sharla Kostelyk

(This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure policy.)

Sensory activity ideas don’t have to be complicated to be effective. These suggestions can easily be done without a lot of prep work in the home or in the classroom. Sensory exploration is beneficial for all children, but for children with Sensory Processing Disorder, it is a critical piece of the puzzle for better sensory integration, preventing sensory meltdowns, and successfully navigating the world around them.

175 Sensory Activity Ideas for Kids (1)

To make the list less overwhelming and also to help you focus on specific sensory areas, I have divided the ideas by sensory systems, though there will be some overlap.

  • use noise reduction headphones
  • use a sound machine or white noise such as a fan or fountain
  • simplify language when giving verbal instruction
  • play clapping games (you can find great ones on YouTube)
  • read books with rhyming or repetitive patterns
  • snap,clap or stomp
  • play a sound discrimination game (near, far, loud, soft, high, low)
  • blindfold child and call out directions for them to find a treasure
  • audiobooks
  • play a game where you quietly sit and listen to find as many sounds as you can
  • listen to music
  • have your child learn to play an instrument
  • go for a walk and listen to sounds in nature
  • make instruments out of household items and have a marching parade around the house
  • teach your child to anticipate noises that may occur such as the sound a balloon will make when it pops
  • drum patterns on the table with your hands and have your child copy the pattern
  • make a rainfall rattle together or rainfall sensory bottle
  • egg shakers can be held in the palm of the hand and provide a calming sound for some kids
  • use microphones or voice changers
  • play games such as “Simon Says” that involve following directions
  • pop bubble wrap
  • the steady tick of a metronome can be calming
  • add jingle bells, whistles, harmonicas, or plastic eggs filled with rice or popcorn seeds to sensory bins
  • have them close their eyes and guess the sound (ripping paper, grinding coffee beans, popping popcorn)
  • play the telephone game where you whisper something and see if the message changes
  • blow bubbles (lavender bubbles are extra calming)
  • chew bubble gum
  • bubble painting
  • keep a feather in the air across the room
  • drink a thick milkshake or smoothie through a straw
  • whistle
  • learn to play on a recorder
  • play a harmonica
  • party blower
  • suck it up” (pick up small objects by sucking through a straw)
  • drink through a curly straw
  • wear chewelry
  • try crunchy foods (carrot sticks, apples…)
  • try chewy foods (marshmallows, gummy bears…)
  • make an edible necklace with Os cereal and string liquorice
  • suck on hard candies (not safe for young kids)
  • try candy that is fizzy, spicy, tangy, sweet, or sour
  • blow up a balloon
  • blow out candles
  • use a vibrating toothbrush
  • whistle or hum
  • lick cold ice cream
  • drink through a sports bottle
  • blow a pinwheel
  • use a firm toothbrush to brush teeth, gums, roof of mouth
  • use visual schedules
  • I-Spy books or pages
  • sensory bottles
  • sensory bags
  • reducing clutter
  • using toy rotation
  • mazes
  • sensory bins
  • I-Spy bottles or bags
  • making shadow puppets on the wall
  • shape matching games or activities
  • photo scavenger hunt
  • colour mixing activities
  • road trip Bingo
  • colour matching activities
  • glow sticks
  • lava lamp
  • puzzles
  • prism
  • kaleidoscope
  • spraying a target with a water gun
  • exploring with a magnifying glass
  • drawing or painting or crafting
  • light table or light box play
  • find or copy patterns
  • sensory bins
  • shaving cream finger painting
  • trace letters, shapes or numbers in salt
  • playdough
  • kinetic sand
  • cloud dough
  • fidgets
  • sensory bottles or bags
  • jump in a pile of leaves in the Fall
  • sculpt out of clay
  • make slime
  • water beads
  • play in the mud
  • finger paint with pudding
  • bubble bath
  • bathtub paints
  • make tactile sensory cards
  • make a sensory cube
  • sensory balls
  • playdough mats
  • cotton ball throw painting
  • rainbow soap foam
  • fill balloons with different things like rice, water beads, flour, playdough
  • sensory walk
  • use glue to create raised lines
  • sand table or sandbox

175 Sensory Activity Ideas for Kids (2)

  • spin or twirl
  • play Ring Around the Rosie
  • play Duck Duck Goose
  • cartwheel
  • summersault
  • rock
  • climbing wall
  • parachute play
  • trampoline play
  • bike or tricycle riding
  • run in large circles
  • jump rope
  • have a marching parade
  • Chinese skipping
  • ride a scooter
  • dancing
  • teeter totter
  • log rolling
  • dancing
  • spinning chair
  • bounce on an exercise ball or large hopper ball
  • swinging
  • do handstand
  • go through an obstacle course
  • swing in a hammock
  • climbing and sliding at a playground
  • do the Hokey-Pokey
  • jump
  • hang upside down
  • tight hugs
  • push a laundry basket full of books
  • crab walk
  • “wheelbarrow” games
  • pretend to be a snake
  • cotton ball throw painting
  • rolling a ball
  • chewing bubble gum
  • chewelry
  • theraband activities
  • chair sit-ups or wall push-ups
  • bubble wrap body slam painting
  • play Twister
  • hopscotch
  • trampoline games
  • wearing tight fitting clothing
  • yoga stretches
  • tap foot
  • put theraband on chairs for swinging legs
  • Move ’n’ Sit cushion
  • pillow fights
  • stacking books or wood or bricks
  • wearing a weighted vest or shoulder roll

Find sensory activity suggestions for the home and classroom and so much more in Sensory Processing Explained: a Handbook for Parents and Educators.

You can also get these ideas in convenient printable lists which are ideal for using in the home, classroom or in a therapeutic setting.

175 Sensory Activity Ideas for Kids (4)

What Does Behaviour Have to do with Sensory Systems?

175 Sensory Activity Ideas for Kids (2024)

FAQs

What are the 5 sensory play? ›

Understanding the five senses – sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound – helps children make sense of the world around them. By engaging in activities that explore these senses, toddlers can enhance their observation skills, descriptive language, problem-solving abilities, and overall sensory awareness.

What is the five senses game? ›

This free science game for kids lets students explore the concept of the five senses. Players see a brief introduction discussing the five senses and what they allow us to do. After the introduction, students are asked to identify which sense does which task.

What are sensory tactile activities? ›

Touching. Rubbing different textures against the skin. Rolling over different textured surfaces. Handling different textured objects e.g. rough and smooth numbers, letters or shapes.

How do sensory activities help autism? ›

Communication can be a significant challenge for those with autism. Sensory activities offer a non-verbal avenue for expression. By engaging in activities that involve gestures, body movements, and tactile experiences, children and young adults with autism can develop alternative communication methods.

What is messy sensory play? ›

Messy play is the open-ended exploration of materials and their properties. Activities like squishing clay, pouring sand, and sorting stones allow children to repeat and experiment as they like. Children are naturally curious, and messy play engages their senses at a developmental level that is appropriate for them.

What is a sensory diet? ›

A sensory diet is a group of activities that are specifically scheduled into a child's day to assist with attention, arousal and adaptive responses. The activities are chosen for that child's needs based on sensory integration theory.

How do you teach a sensory child? ›

Ensure sensory activities are fun and engaging. Teach the child to recognise their individual sensory needs and to identify the sensory input they require. Encourage them to fulfil their needs independently. Provide predictable structures and routines to support the child's emotional well-being.

Why do kids do sensory play? ›

Sensory play encourages learning through exploration, curiosity, problem solving and creativity. It helps to build nerve connections in the brain and encourages the development of language and motor skills.

What are sensory play toys? ›

Sensory toys are designed to stimulate a child's five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. They might include elements such as bright, contrasting colors, sounds, or different textures. These toys are meant to help children develop their senses in a safe and natural environment using play.

What is another name for sensory play? ›

Messy Play is another word for Sensory Play. As teachers, we have a background in child development. We understand the importance of not only play, but also Sensory Play and its benefits. Sensory Play allows children to engage with their environment and learn through exploration.

What is sensory play for autism? ›

What is sensory play for autism? Sensory play involves games and activities that stimulate the 5 senses: sound, sight, smell, taste and touch.

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