If you haven’t already discovered the magic of a sensory table, you’re in for a treat! Imagine a space where your kids can dive into a world of textures, sounds, and sights—sparking curiosity and imagination. If this is your first time hearing the term “sensory table” and you’ve got a kiddo who is ready to explore, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to create the perfect sensory experience at home… endless hours of fun!

What is a Sensory Table?

If you’re new here, let me tell you about one of my favorite ways to entertain kids! A sensory table is a table (check out my favorite tables here), with materials that engage your child’s senses—touch, sight, smell, and sometimes even taste! If you don’t have a sensory table, you can also grab a large bin to contain the materials and use that, instead!

These tables are perfect for open-ended play and lots of creativity, promoting fine motor skills, and giving your child a hands-on way to learn and explore. Think of it as a mini play zone that’s all about discovery.

Sensory Table for Toddlers and Preschoolers

If you’re a mom with a curious kiddo, a sensory table is the ultimate playtime tool. Here’s why your kiddo will love it (and you will too!):

• Boosts Creativity: Toddlers love to explore new textures, shapes, and colors.
• Supports Development: Helps improve fine motor skills and cognitive abilities.
• Entertains for Hours: Keep them happily engaged while you read your favorite book and sip a cup of cocoa… or more likely, take a couple minutes to clean the kitchen!

We love our sensory table and are constantly creating new themed sensory experiences. I have gotten a few requests to share some of the sensory table supplies that we use often. I included some of our favorites, as well as sensory filler ideas, and recipes! Enjoy!

Sensory Table Must-Haves

Ready to set up your own DIY sensory table? Whether you’re working with a fancy setup or just using a simple bin, these must-have items will transform any sensory table into a fun-filled adventure.

How to Set Up Your Sensory Table 

Wanna know the best part about a sensory table? You can customize it based on your child’s interests and the materials you have on hand in 3 simple steps! 

Is your child into animals? Fill the table with shredded paper “grass” and plastic animals. Want to make a construction zone? Use sand and toy trucks. The possibilities are endless! 

1. Choose your container: Any bin or old baby bath works!
2. Pick your filler: Opt for materials you already have at home.
3. Add fun tools and toys: Keep it simple with household items or get creative with themed toys.

All you really need is a sturdy bin or a sensory table (I have a DIY and an Ikea table linked here) with raised edges to contain the mess. Fill ‘er up with some fun fillers, toys, and tools! And don’t forget to grab some sturdy chairs—you could use a variety of chairs for your table, but here are ours. Now you’re ready to go!

Sensory Table Tools and Toys

Adding tools and toys to the sensory experience is what makes it extra exciting. Each time you set up your sensory bin, mix up the tools and toys to create a different exploratory experience.

Here are a few of our favorite tools to use:

Wooden Sensory Tools

• Wooden Scoops These are the wooden scoops we have, they come in a 10 pack for around $10
• Water Scoop This gorgeous water scoop has a deeper base and is so much fun for scooping toys or the sensory filler out of the table!
• Wooden Tongs Similar to the tweezers, but sometimes easier for smaller hands.
• Wooden Bowls Bowls are a must have for sorting, ours are actually from Ikea, but here are some similar ones I found on Amazon.
• Mini Shovel/Rake We found ours in the dollar section at target, but I linked a similar version found on Amazon.

Exploratory Sensory Tools

• Tweezers These tweezers are sure to work those hand muscles!
• Whisks Great for dry or wet ingredients!
• Scissor Scoops We are obsessed with these scissor scoops! Whether scooping up items or making balls of kinetic sand, these ones are an absolute must! Not to mention they also work those scissor fine motor skills!
• Measuring Cups Add these in for scoops or added math skills!
• Liquid Droppers My girls love using these with anything liquid!
• Paint Brushes I know, strange, but having paint brushes on hand is an absolute must when digging for bones or playing scientist. These ones from Kid Made Modern are our absolute favorite! They come in a variety of sizes and the bristles don’t shed! The quality is amazing and you’re going to use them with so many activities!

Our Favorite Sensory Toys

• Kinetic Sand Molds Small sand molds are a must have with kinetic sand!
• Stamp Cookie Cutters These are the best with kinetic sand and play dough! The way the push out makes it easy for the shape to come out!
• Cookie Cutters This is our favorite cookie cutter pack! They have alphabet, numbers and holidays!
• Toys Some of our favorite go to toys with our sensory are the various bulk bags and animals from Safari Ltd Use code: purposefultoys for 20% off your order!
• Bones Our current favorite toys for bones are these Half Toys (pictured below). The bones come apart like a puzzle and you have to put them back together! The body of the organism snaps back together using magnets.

Sensory Filler Ideas

When you set up your sensory table, remember, the magic is all in the sensory fillers! Whether it’s something squishy, crunchy, or sparkly, the right fillers can transform a simple bin into an exciting world of exploration.

These are some of our favorite fillers that will take your sensory table to the next level:

Simple Sensory Fillers (Read—Easy to clean up)

• Water. The simplest and possibly the best!
• Water Beads These beads are so much fun and they are reusable! We also like using the clear water beads because they act as camouflage in the water until you put your hand in and can feel the gel like texture!
• Rice We dyed this rice using a little squeeze of paint.
• Pom poms
• Paper shreds
• Oatmeal
• Black Beans
• Ice
• Corn Kernels
• Water and Dish Soap
• Toilet Paper Snow Yup, we used toilet paper shreds to make this one!
• Pasta noodles. You can cook and color the pasta noodles, or dye dry pasta noodles.

Textured Sensory Fillers (Read—Slightly messier, but so much fun)

• Kinetic Sand
• Play Dirt This dirt is different than kinetic sand and so soft! (pictured above)
• Play Dough our favorite at home recipe is linked. We also have a chocolate play dough recipe and a pumpkin spice recipe on the blog!
• Ice Cream Salt Shown in the picture below. We used a small amount of liquid water color to dye our salt, but if you have a child in the mouthing stage make sure to use food coloring. I recommend using the gel food coloring for more vibrant colors.
• Salt Simply use the salt in your pantry with a few drops of food coloring.
• Feathers
• Strawberry Sand This is a recipe I created and it’s definitely a fun one!
• Nesquick Sand Super soft DIY dirt recipe on the blog.
• Salt Dough Fossils We make a variety of things using this salt dough recipe and throw it in with various sensory fillers.
• Oobleck simply mix cornstarch and water for a fun sensory experience!
• Ice Cream Dough This recipe is super soft and smells amazing! Simply mix cornstarch and conditioner!
• Chocolate Mud

The best part about a sensory table? You can customize it based on your child’s interests and the materials you have on hand! Want to make a construction zone? Use sand and toy trucks. Is your child into animals? Fill the table with shredded paper “grass” and plastic animals. The possibilities are endless!

Sensory Table Safety Tips

While sensory tables are tons of fun, safety first! Here are a few tips:

• Supervise play: Always keep an eye on little ones to prevent choking hazards.
• Age-appropriate fillers: For toddlers, make sure the fillers are safe if accidentally ingested.
• Clean up regularly: Keep materials fresh and the table sanitized.

Get Ready for Some Sensory Fun!

A sensory table is more than just a fun activity—it’s a fantastic way to help your child learn and grow through play. With the right materials and a little imagination, you’ll be amazed at the hours of engagement and excitement it can provide. So go ahead, gather your supplies, and get ready to dive into the wonderful world of sensory play!

What are some of your favorite sensory tools and filler ideas?! Drop them in the comments below! Make sure to tag me in your play @purposefultoys on instagram! Have fun playing!