25 Sensory Activities & Ideas For Kids & Toddlers Playing and learning don’t have to be different. Include sensory activities for toddlers in their daily routine and make learning fun! We adults can have a limited outlook on teaching and learning. We think of teaching our kids with flashcards, reading stories, memorizing alphabets, etc. These activities do have a place, but we forget that playing is a form of learning. In this article, we will talk about sensory activities for toddlers –  definition, benefits, and activity ideas. Sensory play has been a naturally occurring form of learning for kids since the beginning of time. Tickle Right uses this technique and many others to foster growth, development and learning amongst preschoolers. What Is Sensory Play? Your child interacts with the world using their five senses, i.e., sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. Sensory play is a play that focuses on the activation and stimulation of these senses. Using these five senses, your child would learn and experience the world around them. Since children usually learn through playing, sensory activities are a form of play.   Benefits Of Sensory Activities For Toddlers There are several benefits of sensory activities for children. They are Sensory activities help in the growth and development of children Toddlers can take vast amounts of information and form a working idea about the world. It’s an active form of play that helps the brain make new connections to deal with the increasing complexity of tasks and ideas. Sensory play helps in language development and makes them better readers. It develops mindfulness skills in kids, helping them deal with their emotions. Children build observation skills, fine and gross motor skills, social skills, abstract thinking, and experimentation. These activities are great for children with ‘sensory issues.’ Sensory issues in kids can look like difficulty in transitioning from one activity to another. Or freaking out about a particular sensation.     25 Sensory Activity Ideas For Your Toddler Or Preschooler Sensory play helps in the right brain development of your child. It stimulates their senses, creativity, and learning. Tickle Right has made a list of sensory activity ideas that you can incorporate into your toddler’s playtime.   1. Create A Sensory Bin A sensory bin is a container filled with different objects of different textures and sensations. You can fill the bin with natural objects like leaves, rocks, and sands. Food items like pasta, rice, and beans. Along with spoons, scoops, and toys buried in the mix. Kids tend to explore with their hands and mouths, so it is advisable to supervise, clean all items, and avoid choking hazards.   2. Playing With Food We understand playing with food can be a messy business, but it’s an excellent way for kids to do sensory learning. Studies show that kids who play with their food are more open to eating new foods. If you are worried about food play, you can differentiate between playtime and mealtime as different.   3. Play Dough You can buy playdough at your local store. Playdoughs are great for playing because of their soft and squishing texture. Children can enjoy hours of rolling, slicing, and chopping the play dough. If you wish to, you can even make playdough at home, adding your own colors and scents.   4. Sandbox Sandboxes are simple but extremely fun for your little one to play with. You can consider investing in a sandbox and some sand toys like shovels or cups to get them started. Once kids start playing, their imagination will take off, and they will have good fun.   5. Plant A Garden Gardening is something that you can do with your child. It can be something as small as planting a few seeds in a cup. This activity is a delight to the senses because of actions like digging in the dirt, weeding, watering plants, or smelling flowers and herbs.   6. Jumping Jumping will stimulate your child’s sense of movement. It is also a fun activity for them that channels their enormous amount of energy. You can include many jumping activities in your kid’s playing time, such as jump ropes, obstacle course, small exercise trampolines, and sitting on an exercise ball.   7. Finger Painting You can combine art and sensory play with finger painting. It can also be a helpful tool for kids to learn about color mixing. They will also have a blast being messy and making art. Kids will also develop fine motor skills, coordination, and creativity skills through finger painting. 8. Bounce On A Ball It can be a fun sensory activity plus exercise for your kind. If the ball is large, you can help your kid to push down the ball enough so they can bounce. If the ball is smaller, your child would be able to bounce themselves. Make sure the ball is in the right shape and size so they can straddle it comfortably.   9. Knee Rocking Horse Your toddler is still small enough to be able to bounce on a ball, or you might be worried they might fall over. In that case, you can rock them on your knees. Lay down on your back and support your kid on your knees to rock them back and forth. Otherwise, you can use rocking chairs, gliders, or rocking horses instead.   10. Swings Swinging is a classic playground activity that all kids love to play. You can include it more by adding tire swings in your backyard. You can also lay down your toddler in the middle of a blanket and swing them back and forth with the help of another person. This would add new sensations to your kid’s experience.   11. Push And Pull Toys Pushing and pulling activities stimulate the proprioceptive sense of children. It can have a calming effect on children. You can include this activity in your kid’s playtime by giving them a push toy or a toy shopping cart. You can even load