Your Handy Reference for Sensory Play & What Toys to Buy
If you’ve ever spent any time with toddlers at all, you know the sight. They are pouring sand, squishing play-dough or dumping a bucket of water over and over again in an endless loop. You watch in amazement, wondering why they can’t be bothered to do anything but this “mindless” play.
You might even say, “oh, come on, enough already!” What you may not know is that this “messy fun” is a critical component of early childhood development, and for many toddlers (and especially those who appear “overstimulated,” “always on the go” or even “clingy” or “withdrawn”) carefully chosen sensory play is the key to calming their nervous system and developing focus. This is your handy reference for the “why” and the “how” with our favorite toy recommendations.
What is Sensory Play & Why is it so Important?
Sensory play is defined as any activity that uses any of the child’s senses: touch, sight, sound, smell, taste, plus two more subtle but essential ones: proprioception (body awareness from muscles/joints) and vestibular (balance and spatial orientation).
While all learning and development come through a child’s senses, toddlers have a special job: experiencing the world around them in an attempt to make sense of it. They are little scientists, and their primary tool is raw sensory input. Sensory play:
Builds Neural Pathways: Literally wires the brain, strengthening the neural connections needed for more complex learning to occur.
Self-Regulating Effect: The proper input will calm a child who is overstimulated (think deep pressure) or gently wake one who is under-alert (think crunchy textures).
Motor Skills: Scooping, pouring, squeezing, pouring and balancing supports development of both fine and gross motor control.
Language Development: Feeling the difference between sticky, cold, grainy or smooth, and then learning how to describe it.
Problem Solving & Cognitive Development: Mixing sand with water. How high can I stack these wobbly blocks?
Reading Your Child’s Sensory Needs
It’s not an exact science but before you start purchasing toys, take a moment to watch your child and determine if they are a “seeker” or an “avoider” in each sensory system. This should help you determine what types of sensory play they need more of to feel regulated and alert, and which ones to approach slowly or not at all.
The Seeker: touching everything, head butting into furniture, loves loud noises, chews clothing and food. They will probably require more intense and structured sensory input at regular intervals to feel regulated.
The Avoider: covers ears at common sounds, hates getting their hands messy, is very picky about food textures, startles easily. They may do best with softer, more predictable sensory input that they can control (turn on/turn off).
Most toddlers will be both or fall somewhere in between! The key is to offer a “sensory diet” of activities to help your child reach a regulated, alert but calm state.
Recommended Toy Categories for Regulation & Focus
1. For Proprioception (Calming, Organizing Input)
Weighted Toys: A weighted lap pad (1-2 lbs) or weighted stuffed animal to give deep pressure while snuggling and reading, or a blanket for the “sandwich hug” at bedtime.
Push/Pull Toys: A heavy wagon for filling with blocks and then pulling behind them, or a push cart with resistance to push to give excellent proprioceptive input to joints and muscles.
Climbing Toys: A Pikler triangle for safe and intense body work that is both fun and highly organizing, or a simple, sturdy couch to climb over and under.
2. For Tactile (Touch)
Sensory Bins: The holy grail. A shallow container (low enough to dump things out of easily) and fill with: kinetic sand, water beads (supervised), dried rice/beans, cooked spaghetti, or cloud dough. Add cups, funnels, toy animals.
Texture Toys: Sensory balls with a variety of nubs, textured fabric squares (velvet, burlap, faux fur), and water mats that create a squishy, moving surface under their hands.
Squeeze & Squish: Play-dough or theraputty (in a container to keep it from spreading everywhere), water-filled squishy toys, foam bath toys to provide satisfying resistance.
3. For Vestibular (Movement & Balance)
Controlled Swinging: A doorway mounted swing or saucer-style swing for rhythmic, linear movement that is incredibly calming.
Rocking & Bouncing: A rocking horse, or a small indoor trampoline with a handle for them to control the speed of the bouncing.
Balance Challenges: A balance board, or a simple line of tape on the floor to walk along to develop coordination and focus.
4. For Auditory & Visual Calm (Sight & Sound)
Calm-Down Bottles: DIY or store bought sensory bottles that you fill with glue, glitter and water. The simple act of turning it over and watching the contents swirl and “reset” can help in the middle of a tantrum.
Soft, Responsive Lights: Projectors that create slow moving stars or color changing lava lamps can provide an ambient, soothing visual environment.
Simple Sound Makers: Rainmakers, ocean drums, chime toys, anything that provides a gentle, controllable auditory input.
Tips for Setting Up for Success & Safety
Follow the Child’s Lead: Never force your child’s hands into a texture they are resistant to. Play with the toys yourself and model how fun it is, and they will eventually be curious and join you.
Contain the Chaos: Use a splat mat, do activities on a highchair tray or outside. Making it easy to clean up makes this a positive experience for both of you.
Supervise, Supervise, Supervise: With any toy or material with small parts or water. Water beads are an amazing sensory tool, but they are a choking hazard and require the supervision of a toddlerparent who is hyper-aware.
Make it a Routine: Incorporate sensory play into your daily rhythm – after an especially stimulating outing, or before a transition like naptime or bed time.
Keep it Simple: The best sensory tools are often in your kitchen. Shaving cream on a tray, ice cubes to play with in water, a bowl of jello to dig their hands into.
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