Why do children play with sand and water in preschool? Sensory play stimulates a child’s senses and facilitate exploration and naturally allow children to use scientific processes while they play, create and learn through investigation and exploration. Sensory play doesn’t have to be just sand or water – it is any activities that stimulate the child’s sense of touch, taste, smell, sight or hearing. The benefits of sensory play extend to motor skills, social skills, language development, cognitive skills as well as problem-solving.
Recommended Supplies for Sensory Play
Here’s a list of some of my favorite sensory bin materials:
- Ice cube trays – all sizes and shapes. Great for one-to-one correspondence, filling, patterning
- Jumbo tweezers – safe and develops hand strength, hand- eye coordination, fine motor skills
- Scoops & Tongs – fun for grabbing small objects, fine motor skill development
- Bear Counters – colorful, useable in sand or water. Sort, count, collect
- Plastic long handled spoons
- Kinetic Sand – hours of fun!
- Play sand – a basic. Add tools and containers.
- Water beads – colorful fun!
- Any kind of Toob Toys
- Pom poms – for a little softness and color
- Pipettes – for water play
- Gold Coins – St. Patrick’s Day or treasure sand
- Measuring Set – incorporate some math
- Sand Sieves – sift sand or strain water
- Bug Counters – add to sand, water, shredded paper
- Mini Porcupine Balls – colorful and wonderful texture
- Colorful Wood Beads – sounds so neat!
- Sponges – put in the water table for children to squeeze and develop hand strength
Sensory Activities for Preschoolers
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Valentine Rice Sensory Bin
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Simple Sensory Bin + Puzzle Play Activity for Preschoolers
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Healthy Teeth Lessons
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Noodle Brain STEAM Station
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Tadpole Sensory Bin
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Button Towers
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Play Dough Factory
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Play Dough Hair Styles
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Nature Play Mud Pies
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Structure Building with Pool Noodles & Shaving Cream
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Y is for Yellow Dandelion Play Dough
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Cutting Herbs Sensory Activity
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Desert Small World Play
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Elephant Digging Tusks Sensory & Math
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Safari Habitat Sensory Bin
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Winter Ice
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The Sound of Drums
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Super Soft Pumpkin Play Dough
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Gardening Sensory Bin
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Pink Bubble Gum Slime
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Ocean Commotion Sand Foam Sensory Experience
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Coral Collages and STEAM Station
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Create an Ocean Creature Sensory Bin
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Dinosaur Sensory Bins
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Gingerbread Man Play Dough
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DIY Sand Play Dough
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Straws & Play Dough
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Sing a Song of Sixpence
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What’s Inside a Pumpkin?
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Starry Night Sensory Play
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Hang It Out To Dry
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Soapy Bubbles Water Play
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Black And White Panda Bear Sensory Bin
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Discover the Desert: Lasso Preschool Activities
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Nature Play Dough
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Dinosaur Egg Sensory Play
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Holiday Wrap Cutting Activity Bin
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Valentine Water Sensory Play
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Winter Snow Bin Sensory Play
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Mini Volcanoes
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