Sensory bags for the kids!

I decided to make sensory bags for my kids, with little Alex in mind in particular as I’d like to introduce him to more types of sensory play.

A sensory bag is basically made up of stuff you put in a bag that won’t burst the bag (read: no sharp objects) and yet offers some sensory play for the child. So basically anything goes as long as it doesn’t break the bag (e.g. gel, liquid soap, shaving cream, embellishments, buttons etc.).

Little Alex has played with his leftover food (yes, I let him play with only the leftovers – after all, it’s all gonna be thrown away so I might as well let him have a go at it) and he loves to crush cauliflower – somehow he thinks that it isn’t food because he never tries to mouth the florets which I give him for finger food. He always crushes the florets and has this look of glee when the florets are in bits and pieces in his palms. Babies.

Since sensory bags can offer safe sensory play for babies, I decided why not?

So I got down to making them for my kids.

Here’s the math themed sensory bag for my girl. This was too small a baggie and I have since transferred the stuff into a bigger bag so that we can play I Spy with her. Too small a bag means that all the items are squashed together and it’s difficult to play the game.

Items that went in my math themed sensory bag:

• gel sticker numbers
• heart-shaped beads
• some sequins
• glitter
• liquid handsoap
• food colouring

And here’s the all things bright and sparkly bag for the baby boy:

Items that went in this bag:

• liquid handsoap
• lots of glitter
• lots of different shaped sequins and embellishments

Remember to tape up the sensory bags to prevent leaking and supervise your children at all times as little teeth and sharp fingernails could pierce the bags.

I added colouring to one of the bags the next day and my girl realised to her delight that she could practise her handwriting! 🙂

Simply use your fingertips to ‘write’ on the sensory bag! Here she practised her Chinese strokes but she also happily practised writing alphabets. So wonderful to find another use for my sensory bags since she’s not so into squishing the bags!

If you have a preschooler who’s learning to write, or if you’ve a little baby and you want to introduce safe sensory play, give this a try!

I’m gonna try to make a shaving cream sensory bag as well as a water beads sensory bag too… when I get my hands on the materials… 🙂

Do share your sensory bags on my Facebook page if you make some! 

*edited on 3/8/2010:

Please try to use freezer bags as they are thicker and have a double zip instead of a single one. Mine kept leaking after awhile as I was using normal storage bags.

Other sensory activities:

• Beans for sensory play
• Farm sensory bin
• Ocean themed sensory bin
• Coloured salt sensory bin
• Penguin small world play
• Ice alphabet letters play
• Fall scented cloud dough
• Exploring velcro (with velcro craft sticks – open-ended fun!)
• Home-made playdoh & playdoh mats printables list
• Christmas playdoh
• Contact paper process art
• Shaving foam with water beads sensory play

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