Tons and Bunches: Kip's Picks: Sensory Trays

March 4, 2021

Kip's Picks: Sensory Trays

I haven't done a Kip's Picks post in a long time mainly because he is all about trains right now and there is not a whole lot else happening. But lately we've integrated a favorite activity more frequently so I though I'd share.

Sensory bins are all the rage for little kids. There is texture and mixing, scooping and pinching. It's a lot of fine motor work mixed in with something new and exciting. Kip LOVES this type of activity. A lot of parents use large storage bins and fill them with dried rice or dried beans and a bunch of different spoons and scoops. You can do water or shaving cream. Things can get really messy. The possibilities are endless. Even though we have space for that type of activity now, I much prefer something smaller and easier to clean.

Enter, the sensory TRAY! Same concept, just more like a personal pan pizza than a big extra large pizza. And less messy. A couple of months ago I saw Michael's was selling these themed sensory bins and I loved that idea but didn't want to purchase a bunch of boxes when I felt like we had a lot on hand to make our own.

Here is what you need:

Small trays with a lip so contents remain in the tray.

There is all sorts of styles on Amazon. We got ours in the Target Dollar Spot during back-to-school. You could even use an old shoe box as long as the sensory manipulative isn't wet.

A bunch of tiny junk.

Go around your house and collect bits and bobs. Lego people, construction trucks, all those tiny squishy toys kids are into these days.

Sensory manipulative.

We love kinetic sand. It's so easy to clean-up, comes in all colors, and packs away nicely, and doesn't dry out. You could use play doh, dried rice or beans, shaving cream, slime, real sand, beads, pom poms, mini erasers. Whatever works for scooping, pouring, squishing, packing. Fake snow, real snow, rocks from the driveway, you could even use good old plain water! Go down the aisle at the craft store where they sell vase fillers - these are great for sensory trays (fake flower petals, little gems, fake pearls!). Go wild!

Add the junk to the tray and mix it with the manipulative.

That's it! Make different themes or everything one color but it doesn't need to be complicated. Our one rule is everything stays in the tray. Kip sits at a table so that helps keep things contained as well.

Here are some trays we've made recently:

Ocean/Sea life (blue kinetic sand, glass gems, plastic sea creatures, sea shells)