Sensory toys are great for helping little ones learn how to play with others. But if you’ve ever shopped for one, you know that they can be expensive.
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| Sensory play can be beneficial for children with and without special needs. |
| Sensory toys can help children develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and social skills. |
| DIY sensory toys can be made using common household items and sensory-specific materials. |
| Sensory rooms can be created on a budget using DIY sensory toys and equipment. |
| Sensory play can provide a calming effect and help children regulate their emotions. |
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make your own inexpensive sensory toys at home!
Types of Sensory Toys
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Fidget toys | Small handheld toys that can be squeezed, twisted, or stretched to provide tactile stimulation. |
| Sensory balls | Balls with different textures or colors that can be used for throwing, catching, or rolling. |
| Sensory bins | Containers filled with materials such as sand, water, or rice that provide a tactile and visual sensory experience. |
| Musical toys | Toys that play music or make sounds, providing auditory stimulation. |
| Play dough and putty | Materials that can be molded, squeezed, and shaped to provide tactile stimulation. |
Homemade Lava Lamp
A lava lamp is a type of liquid motion lamp. It consists of a transparent, glass container filled with a clear liquid and colored water that has an immiscible liquid suspended in it.
The size and shape can vary, but most lava lamps have a base containing mineral oil or silicone oil with either alcohol or benzene floating on top in the form of small wax droplets or larger bubbles/droplets.
In some models, there are additional layers of colored solutions above the main layer.
Lava lamps were invented by British inventor Edward Craven-Walker in 1963 when he was trying to make an alternative to traditional fluorescent lights for his home’s bathrooms.
He thought it would be cool if you could see something moving inside the bulb itself without having to look directly at it—and thus was born our beloved sensory toy!
Looking for affordable and creative ways to make sensory toys for your kids? Our DIY sensory toy ideas for kids article offers easy-to-follow tutorials that will help you create sensory toys that your children will love.
Diy Water Beads
Water beads are a fun sensory toy to make and play with. The best part is that water beads are easy, cheap, and you can make them any color or size you want. They’re also a great gift idea for kids or adults!
The possibilities are endless when it comes to what you can do with these little guys: put them in the bathtub, use them as decoration, or even plant them in your garden!
Diy Puffy Paint
Puffy paint is a fun and easy sensory toy to make at home. All you need to do is mix water with corn starch, then add food coloring. First, you can use regular plastic containers as molds to make puffy paint shapes or balls.
You could also use paper cups, but be sure they’re sturdy enough not to tear when you press the mixture down into them and let it dry!
When your mixture is ready, place a few drops of dye into each cup or container before adding the water so that it will color each layer of paste more easily.
Then pour in your gooey liquid until it reaches about 1/4 inch from the top of each container (or as far as it will go without spilling over).
Let sit for about 20 minutes before pressing down flat with something heavy like a piece of wood or pottery and remember this step will get messy!
Once all pieces are pressed out flat on wax paper covered trays, let dry overnight (or until completely firm). You’ll know they’re ready when they peel off easily from the wax paper; if they stick at all after some time has passed then just try again another day instead!
Why spend a fortune on sensory toys when you can make them at home? Check out our article on 10 sensory toys you can make at home for inspiration and step-by-step instructions on how to create fun and engaging toys for your kids.
Diy Sensory Bottles
Sensory bottles are one of the most affordable and easy sensory toys to make. They can easily be used for creative play, fine motor skills, or even calming children.
Sensory bottles can help kids learn about the world around them by teaching them about different textures, colors and shapes; it’s a great way for children to explore things independently without getting overwhelmed or frustrated!
You can also use a sensory bottle as an aid for children who have trouble with fine motor skills (e.g., holding onto their pencil). The texture of some objects inside will help improve their grip while they’re writing or coloring!
Homemade Sand, Kinetic Sand And Cloud Dough Recipes
Kinetic sand, cloud dough and homemade sand are all different types of sensory play. We’ll share two recipes for each so you can try them out!
Kinetic Sand Recipe:
- 2 cups of flour (you can use a variety of colors if you want to add that element)
- 1 cup of baby oil or lotion (this is optional but will make the final texture smoother)
Cloud Dough Recipe:
½ cup flour + ½ cup water + food coloring + 3 tablespoons cornstarch = cloud dough! This recipe makes about 1 pound. You can add glitter or suet to create even more fun textures. Homemade Sand (or mortar): T
o make your own sand, mix together equal parts flour and salt until you have a thick mixture with no lumps in it; this will take some time and effort but just be patient!
Now add 1 teaspoon dish soap into the bowl, stir everything together well then roll small balls between your hands until they’re about 2″ wide by 2″ long by ½” deep; let these sit overnight before playing with them so they harden up nicely!
Are you short on time but still want to create engaging sensory toys for your kids? Our easy DIY sensory toys for kids article offers simple and quick tutorials that will help you create fun and sensory-rich toys that your children will enjoy.
Homemade Moon Sand Recipe
Moon sand is a type of sensory material that children can play with, and it feels very similar to sand.
It’s made from water, cornstarch and shaving cream.
We’ve found that mixing the ingredients together in a large bowl works best. The mixture will begin as wet and become more like sand over time as you mix it with your hands or a spoon.
Once you’ve reached your desired consistency, you can store it in an airtight container (a ziploc bag works well) until you’re ready to use it again!
When using moon sand for the first time make sure everyone washes their hands thoroughly before playing so they don’t get sticky fingers and try not to eat any too!
Homemade Playdough Recipes
Of course, you can always just buy playdough at the store. But this is a guide for those who want to make their own!
If you don’t mind the mess and want to save money, homemade playdough is a great way to go. Here are some basic ingredients and instructions for making homemade playdough:
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons cream of tartar (optional)
- 2 tablespoons oil (vegetable, olive or coconut)
- 3 cups water
Cornstarch Playdough Recipe
Cornstarch is a great alternative to flour and makes a great sensory material. It’s easy to make and can be used in a variety of ways.
To make cornstarch playdough, mix 1 cup of cornstarch with 1 1/2 cups warm water until it forms a smooth dough. If you want your playdough stiffer add more cornstarch; if you want it softer add more water.
Cornstarch playdough can be used as an inexpensive sensory material for children or you can use the recipe on our blog post: How To Make Corn Starch Sensory Dough
We have also written an article about how rubber band bracelets are good for kids who have attention difficulties: Rubber Band Bracelets Are A Fun Way To Help Kids Focus
Diy Moon Dough Recipe
Mix the flour, salt and water together until it forms a dough.
Knead in a little bit of food coloring to make the moon dough bright and fun!
Cover your mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight in the fridge so that it has more time to harden up before you play with it.
Once your moon dough has hardened, add in baking soda (a small amount). Not too much – just enough for some bubbles to form on top when you mix everything together again!
Add cornstarch as well – this will help add some shine and keep the moon dough from sticking together when you use it later on or store any leftovers for future sensory play activities!
After all these additions are made, knead them into your mixture thoroughly before putting some oil onto your hands so that they do not stick when handling them later on during play time with younger children who may not yet know how important hygiene is when dealing with certain types of materials like this one!
Looking for inspiration to create unique and fun sensory toys for your kids? Our article on creating sensory fun at home with DIY sensory toy ideas provides a wide range of ideas that you can customize to fit your child’s sensory needs.
Diy Ice Cream Dough Recipe
- Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup cream of tartar
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons glycerin (from the pharmacy) or corn syrup (available in many grocery stores). If you don’t have the right ingredients on hand, it is possible to substitute other materials.
Try using honey, cornstarch and water instead of the cream of tartar, oil and glycerin; this recipe makes a soft dough that doesn’t hold its shape very well but can be used for sensory play nonetheless.
Another option is simply leaving out these ingredients altogether if you’d like to avoid buying them–the resultant dough won’t hold together as well but still works well for sensory play!
Glitter Slime Recipe
Slime is a non-Newtonian fluid. It means that when you poke it, the slime will change its consistency to become more solid and springy. Slime feels silky smooth, squishy and bouncy at the same time.
Slime can be made with glue but there’s another way to make slime without glue! Using glitter instead of glue will transform your slime into glitter slime!
Glitter Slime Recipe Materials:
- 1 cup of water
- 2 cups of contact lens solution (you can find this at any pharmacy) or baby shampoo
- 1 tbsp Borax laundry booster powder or baking soda (Borax is less likely to irritate kids’ skin)
Diy Edible Water Beads Recipe (Tapioca Pearls)
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of tapioca pearls (also known as water beads)
- 1 cup of corn starch/flour mix
- 2 tablespoons of oil, I used coconut oil but you can use whatever you want!
How to make it:
Mix together the tapioca pearls, flour, and coconut oil until well combined. Make sure there are no clumps in the mixture; this will keep them from sticking together in your sensory bin! If they do clump up just mix them around with a spoon or spatula until they’re smooth again.
You can also add food coloring if desired but I find that it doesn’t really change much about the color when they’re dry so I usually just leave them be unless someone specifically requests a different color 🙂
How to store it:
Store your homemade edible water beads in an airtight container(s) like zip lock bags or tupperware containers for long term storage (they will last for months!). If using them frequently then store some extras on hand so that you don’t run out before making more 😉
You could also use glass jars instead which would look pretty cool too 🙂 Just make sure to label each one clearly with what type/color of water bead it is since kids might mistake one kind for another if not careful!!
Playing with sensory toys is an essential part of childhood development, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. Our making sensory playtime affordable with DIY sensory toys article offers budget-friendly ideas and step-by-step instructions to help you create fun and engaging sensory toys at home.
Tips for Creating a Sensory Room
| Tip | Description |
|---|---|
| Consider the child’s sensory needs | Take into account the specific sensory needs of the child, such as sensitivity to light, sound, or touch. |
| Provide a variety of sensory experiences | Include a range of sensory experiences in the room, such as tactile, visual, and auditory. |
| Use calming colors | Choose colors that promote relaxation and calmness, such as blues and greens. |
| Incorporate comfortable seating | Provide seating options that are comfortable and supportive, such as bean bags or floor cushions. |
| Keep the space organized | Use storage solutions to keep the room organized and clutter-free. |
Conclusion
There you have it a whole bunch of sensory play ideas that are easy on your budget, but still tons of fun for your kids!
If you’re looking for more ideas to add to this list, check out our article “9 DIY Sensory Bins For Toddlers & Preschoolers.”
Also remember that these activities don’t have to be limited just to kids. Adults can get in on the fun too by making some homemade toys or trying out some new recipes just be sure they don’t eat too much glitter slime!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for DIY sensory toys and related topics:
DIY Sensory Toys: This article provides a variety of DIY sensory toy ideas that are easy to make and use household items.
30 DIY Sensory Toys and Games: This article provides a comprehensive list of DIY sensory toys and games that can be made at home.
DIY Sensory Rooms on a Budget: This article provides tips and ideas for creating a sensory room on a budget, including DIY sensory toys and equipment.
FAQs
What are sensory toys?
Sensory toys are toys designed to stimulate one or more of the senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell) and help children with sensory processing issues, autism, or other special needs.
Why are sensory toys important?
Sensory toys can help children with special needs develop skills such as fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, language development, and social skills. Sensory play can also provide a calming effect and help children regulate their emotions.
What materials can I use to make DIY sensory toys?
DIY sensory toys can be made using a variety of materials, such as common household items (e.g. cardboard boxes, bottles, beans, rice), craft materials (e.g. felt, pom-poms, pipe cleaners), and sensory-specific materials (e.g. sand, water beads, play dough).
Can DIY sensory toys be used for children without special needs?
Yes, DIY sensory toys can be used by all children to provide a fun and engaging sensory experience that promotes creativity, imagination, and learning.
What are some DIY sensory room ideas?
DIY sensory rooms can include items such as sensory walls, calming lighting, comfortable seating, sensory bins, and DIY sensory toys. It is important to consider the specific sensory needs of the child when creating a sensory room.
Meet Hellen James, the multi-talented writer and nurturing mother who takes young readers on a thrilling journey through her sensory-infused blog. Drawing inspiration from her own experiences as a parent.
