50 Fun Ideas for No Prep Sensory Play

Don’t you just love sensory play?

It’s magical stuff that can get a child in the grottiest of moods smiling.

Stompy angry kids are calmed. Bored whingers utterly absorbed. And even very little ones are happy to give you 10 minutes space to make tea.

And … a big AND … it is seriously NO prep!

Of course sensory play can be fancy and you can prep all sorts of stuff if you have time.

But on those days … like most! … when I’m back footed and winging it simple no prep sensory play is my best friend. Just grab a tub, tray, box, bowl, jar, bag, board, sauce pan, colander … whatever … and add stuff.

Stuff that can be pulled and stretched and scrunched and rubbed and poured and stirred and splodged and shaken and rattled and so so much more …

Sometimes the sensory play morphs way into other imaginative play or “science” or cooking or sticking or even maths but mostly it’s just enough to the textures, smells, sounds and even tastes!

And in case you need inspiration, here’s more than 50 ideas for stuff that you can offer in all sorts of combinations … both indoors and out … for sensory exploration …

50 No Prep Ideas for Sensory Play Activities

1. Sand
2. Rice
3. Jelly / Jello
4. Mud
5. Dry pasta
6. Flour & water …  it might end up as play dough, but it might not
7. Paint
8. Shaving foam
9. Water beads
10. Dish washing bubbles
11. Cooked spaghetti
12. Dry cereal
13. Straw
14. Tissue paper
15. Shiny paper
16. Furry material
17. Pop corn
18. Bubble wrap
19. Sawdust
20. Snow
21. Fake snow
22. “Moon sand”
23. Food colouring
24. Coffee beans
25. Ice cubes
26. Leaves
27. Rocks
28. Flowers
29. Shells
30. Sticks
31. Beads
32. Nuts
33. Sequins
34. Buttons
35. Feathers
36. Marbles
37. Old or plastic jewellery
38. Fir cones
39. Conkers
40. Snails – yes, real ones!
41. Worms – yes, again real ones!
42. Magnets with magnetic & non-magnetic objects
43. Letters
44. Colours
45. Dinosaurs
46. Bear hunt
47. Farm animals
48. Insects
49. Sea side
50. Oceans
51. Pirate treasure
52. Diggers and road works
53. Boats
54. Shredded color paper or “grass”
55. Sensory balloons

I hope you find some ideas in here that you and your child love. Happy sensory playing!

Luci McQuitty Hindmarsh

Luci is the founder of Mums Make Lists (Est. 2011). Over the last decade or so, she has used her experience as a mum to create useful guides to organising family life. During that time, she has found the most joy in creating lists of ideas and inspiration to make it easier for busy parents to plan and host kids’ parties and find great gifts. Read more.