Introduction 

Introducing your child to the world of sensory activities is like opening a door to a magical realm of exploration and learning. These activities engage their senses, from touch and sight to smell and sound, in a way that's not just educational but incredibly fun too. Whether they're squishing playdough, going on nature scavenger hunts, or making a colorful mess with Dabble’s Finger Paints, each activity sparks their curiosity and stimulates their development. So, let's embark on this exciting journey together, where playtime becomes a pathway to discovery, creativity, and growth.

Sensory activities are important for children's development as they help them explore their environment, enhance their senses, and build cognitive and motor skills. 

Sensory activities for kids- 

  1. Playdough Fun: Playing with playdough is a great way to engage tactile senses. Children can squeeze, mold, and shape the dough, which also helps with fine motor skills. Add scents or textures to make it even more interesting.

Credits - Ranjita (Dabble mom)

To know how to make Homemade Play dough with Dabble Finger paints and other ingredients at home click HERE -

  1. Sensory Bins: Create sensory bins using materials like rice, beans, sand, or water. Hide small toys, letters, or numbers in the bin for kids to find using their hands. This activity helps with tactile and visual sensory exploration.

Make colourful rice/pasta using Dabble's Toxin-free Finger Paints and let them dry. Let you lil one , divide them based on colour with their fingers 


Credits - Surbhi (Dabble mom)

  1. Texture Boards: Make texture boards with different materials like sandpaper, felt, fabric, straw, feathers, pasta etc. Children can touch and feel the different textures, which stimulates their tactile senses.

  1. Nature Scavenger Hunt: Go on a nature scavenger hunt to explore the outdoors. Encourage kids to touch leaves, rocks, and tree bark to experience different textures. You can also listen for birds, smell flowers, and identify colors in nature.

  1. Messy Play: Engage in messy play activities like finger painting, pudding play, or shaving cream art with Dabble's toxin free and child safe Finger Paints. These activities are not only fun but also stimulate the sense of touch and creativity.

Credits - Swati (Dabble Mom)


  1. Sensory Storytime: Read books that engage multiple senses. Look for books with textured pages, scratch-and-sniff sections, or interactive features that allow kids to touch and feel as they read.

  1. Sensory Play with Food: Let children explore different foods' textures and tastes. Offer a variety of foods like crunchy vegetables, soft fruits, and smooth yogurt for them to touch, taste, and smell. You can also make Art with food which will be absolutely visually pleasing and tempting to eat 

Credits - Mathangi (Dabble Mom)

  1. Music and Rhythm: Play musical instruments or create homemade shakers and drums. Music and rhythm activities help develop auditory and kinaesthetic senses.

Credits - Karen (Chief Dabbler)

  1. Scents Exploration: Introduce different scents using scented playdough, scented markers, or jars of spices. Blindfold the child and let them guess the scents or describe how they make them feel.
  1. Water Play: Water play can include activities like splashing in puddles, pouring water between containers, or playing in a water table with Dabble Colours. Water provides a soothing and tactile sensory experience.You can use use sensory water beads also as one of the sensory play activities 

Credits - Ankita (Dabble mom)

  1. Painting with Ice : This sensory play for is not only for toddlers or preschoolers , but is perfect for all age groups . Just Pour Dabble’s toxin free paints with water in the ice molds and freeze them overnight. Present frozen paint to child and let them use the colourful ice cubes as brushes on paper. Allow them to touch the ice or paint their hands. This multi-sensory activity, stimulates the senses, boosts imaginative play, manipulation of material, early S.T.E.M concepts etc. 

Credits - Shweta (Dabble mom)


Key benefits of these development-friendly Sensory activities for kids:

  1. Stimulates Sensory Development: Sensory play engages the five senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell), helping children to develop and refine their sensory perception. This is crucial for building the brain's neural connections and sensory integration.
  1. Enhances Cognitive Skills: Sensory activities promote problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and creativity. Children learn to make observations, draw conclusions, and experiment with cause-and-effect relationships.
  1. Improves Fine and Gross Motor Skills: Many sensory activities involve manipulating objects, pouring, scooping, and grasping, which help children develop fine motor skills. Activities like running, jumping, and climbing in sensory play areas promote gross motor skills.
  1. Encourages Exploration and Curiosity: Sensory experiences ignite curiosity and encourage children to explore their surroundings. This natural curiosity is vital for a child's early learning and development.
  1. Supports Language Development: Sensory play often leads to conversations and discussions about the textures, colors, smells, and other sensory aspects of the materials being used. This helps children build their vocabulary and communication skills.
  1. Fosters Emotional Regulation: Engaging in sensory play can be soothing and calming for children. It provides an opportunity for them to express emotions, reduce stress, and regulate their feelings.
  1. Encourages Independence: Sensory play often allows children to explore and experiment independently. This independence builds their confidence and self-esteem.
  1. Promotes Sensory Integration: Sensory integration is the ability to process and organize sensory information from the environment. Sensory play helps children develop better sensory integration, which can lead to improved attention and focus.
  1. Prepares for Future Learning: The skills developed through sensory play lay the foundation for future academic learning. Children who have strong sensory foundations often have an easier time adapting to formal learning environments.
  1. Fun and Enjoyment: Perhaps most importantly, sensory play is fun and enjoyable for children. It provides them with opportunities for entertainment and relaxation while learning and growing.

Overall, sensory play is an essential component of early childhood development, offering a wide range of benefits that help children build foundational skills for future success in various aspects of their lives.

Remember to always supervise children during sensory activities, especially if small objects are involved. Tailor the activities to the child's age and sensory preferences, and have fun exploring the world through their senses and don’t forget to choose Toxin-free art supplies for your lil one 😉