The size of the container really depends on how many people will be playing with the sensory box. For a classroom or group of children, a big tub that stands or mini plastic pool would be great for a sensory box. Small Tupperware and plastic tubs are suitable for one or two people. [4] X Research source
Some dry textures you can add to the sensory box include dry pasta, rice, popcorn kernels, nuts, flour, cotton balls, pom poms, acorns, pebbles, marbles, beads, buttons, soil, vegetable or fruit peels, leaves, and/or seashells. [6] X Research source Some wet textures you can add to the sensory box include water, ice cubes, snow, water beads, slime, lotion, shaving cream, cooked oatmeal, soap foam, oobleck, cooked pasta, jello, pudding, and/or whipped cream.
Teabags Scented oils Lotion Light perfumes Cinnamon Pepper flakes Herbs Vinegar Lavender Baby powder
Plastic eggs with materials inside Paper for crumbling Mini instruments (drums, cymbals, flute, etc. ) Bells (desk bells, cowbells, jingle bells, handbells, etc. ) Rubber bands Brushes Mini pots and pans Squeaky toys such as rubber ducks
Cooked pasta (e. g spaghetti, elbows, pasta bows, etc. ) Dry cereal (e. g Rice Krispies, Cheerios, Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms, Cornflakes, etc. ) Dry or cooked oatmeal Marshmallows in different sizes, colors, and flavors Jello in different colors Whipped cream Yogurt Fresh or frozen pieces of vegetables or fruits (this may be a choking hazard for some, so keep the pieces small) Ice cubes (this may be a choking hazard for some, so keep the cubes small) Pudding in different flavors and colors Edible play-dough Breadcrumbs
Small dishes, plastic or paper plates, dish tubs, small cardboard boxes, Tupperware containers, and foil roasting pans are great choices if you have one person playing with the sensory box. [12] X Research source
Themed sensory boxes also make it easier to select items and materials for your container. If you have a hard time finding the right items for your sensory box, a certain theme can make it a little easier. [14] X Research source For more ideas on selecting a theme for your sensory box, scroll down to part three of this article.
Be creative and feel free to use what you have on hand. Most fillers and bases can be found around your house or can be found at your local Dollar Store. [16] X Research source
Extra tools and instruments can increase a child’s motor skills because children will be scooping, pouring, and moving objects in a sensory box. [18] X Research source
Dollar Store shower curtains and large sheets are excellent mats to place underneath a sensory box. [20] X Research source Provide simple sensory box rules for a large group of children. Demonstrate to children that the objects in a sensory box shouldn’t be thrown around and shouldn’t be tossed on the floor. [21] X Research source
Note that some objects in a sensory box might spoil, melt, and rot over time. Some items can only be used once. This includes some cooked foods, ice, snow, bubble foam, and other similar items. [24] X Research source
Christmas sensory box: Use items that are colored green, red, yellow, and blue. Add objects that are Christmas-themed such as jingle bells, gift bows, sparkly pom-poms, and paper stars. Aromas of peppermint, holly leaves, evergreens, and cranberries can be added in for the smell. The base or filling of the sensory box could be colored a Christmas theme. [25] X Research source [26] X Research source Hanukkah sensory box: Use items that are colored different shades of blue and yellow. Add objects that are Hannukkah-themed such as toy dreidels, Hebrew letters, plastic candles, and a mini toy menorah. The base or filling could be colored pieces of yarn, rice, dry pasta, or marbles. [27] X Research source Valentines sensory box: Use items that are colored pink, red, white, and purple. Add objects that are Valentines-themed such as heart-shaped cookie cutters, gift bows, felt hearts, pom poms, and heart buttons. The base or filling could be dyed or colored red and pink such as rice, buttons, beads, dried chickpeas, shredded paper, slime, and play-dough. [28] X Research source Halloween sensory box: Use items that are colored orange, black, gray, dark green, or dark purple. Add objects that are Halloween-themed such as plastic spiders, mini pumpkins, cloth vampires, googly eyes, and toy snakes. The base or filling could be a related to Halloween and have a themed color such as candy corn pieces, dried black beans, orange slime, dyed dry rice, or slimy spaghetti. [29] X Research source St. Patrick’s Day sensory box: Use items that are colored different shades of green. Add objects that are St. Patrick’s-themed such as gold coins, paper clover leaves, mini green top hats, rainbow necklaces, and cloth rainbows. The base or filling could be green or gold beads, green confetti, white and green rocks, or green slime. [30] X Research source Thanksgiving sensory box: Use items that are colored brown, red, yellow, and orange. Add objects that are Thanksgiving-themed such as plastic toy food, cloth tepees, wooden turkeys, and autumn leaves. The base or filling could be popcorn kernels, dried beans, pinecones, green moss, or colored feathers. [31] X Research source
Galaxy or space themed sensory box: Use a black base or filler to resemble outer space such as dried black beans or black marbles. Add space-themed items like mini model planets, toy astronauts, aluminum foil stars, moon-shaped cookie cutters, and other similar objects. [32] X Research source [33] X Research source Ocean-themed sensory box: Use a blue base or filler to resemble the ocean such as water beads, hair gel, moonsand, or jello. Add ocean-themed items like seashells, toy ocean animals, pebbles, and fake plants. [34] X Research source [35] X Research source Farm sensory box: Use a base or filler that resembles farm life such as hay, popcorn kernels, birdseeds, or dried beans. Add farm-themed items like mini tractors, plastic farm animals, a toy barn house, and popsicle fences. [36] X Research source Construction zone sensory box: Use a black or white base or filler to resemble the zone such as dried black beans, pebbles, sand or rocks. Add items like mini dump trucks, road signs, plastic road cones, and toilet paper rolls for tunnels. Garden sensory box: Use soil or dirt to resemble the garden. Add garden-themed items like fake flowers, mini flower pots, shovels, and watering cans. Spray perfume or scented oils for a sweet flower-like smell. [37] X Research source Beach sensory box: Use sand to resemble the beach. Add beach-themed items like seashells, shovels, toy animals, and pebbles. Have one side of the sensory box with sand and the other side resembling the ocean using hair gel, jello, moonsand, water beads, or other similar items.
Fall or autumn sensory box: Use colors that are orange, brown, yellow, and red. Find a fall-themed base or filler like popcorn kernels, hay, birdseeds, or oats. Add items that are related to fall like pinecones, autumn leaves, sticks, and acorns. [38] X Research source Winter sensory box: Use colors that are white, gray, dark green, and red. Find a winter-themed base or filler like snow, shaved ice, white cotton balls, ping pong balls, white moonsand, shaving cream, or dry rice. Add items that are related to winter like paper, snowflakes, snowmen cookie cutters, mini toy igloos, and plastic penguins. Spring sensory box: Use colors that are green, red, yellow, pink, purple, and blue. Find a spring-themed base or filler like soil, moss, dirt, dried black beans, or birdseed. Add items that are related to spring like flowers, plastic bugs, green leaves, feathers, and rocks. [39] X Research source Summer sensory box: Use colors that are yellow, blue, and green. Find a summer-themed base or filler like soil, water, hair gel, bubble foam, or ice cubes. Add items that are related to summer like plants, toy animals, and paper suns. [40] X Research source
Yellow sensory box: Use a yellow base or filler such as hay, yellow confetti, dry pasta, or popcorn kernels. Add items that are yellow like rubber ducks, bananas, buttons, flowers, sponges, lemons, and blocks. [41] X Research source Red sensory box: Use a red base or filler such as dyed dry rice or pasta, buttons, strawberry jello, strips of paper, water beads, or feathers. Add items that are red like apples, toy ladybugs, a mini firetruck, and paper hearts. Blue sensory box: Use a blue base or filler such as water beads, dyed rice or pasta, strips of tissue paper, or pebbles. Add items that are blue like blue blocks, popsicle sticks, cut straws, and, blueberries. [42] X Research source Orange sensory box: Use an orange base or filler such as confetti, tissue paper, dry pasta, sand or hair gel. Add items that are orange like buttons, orange slices, mini road cones, and mini pumpkins. [43] X Research source Green sensory box: Use a green base or filler such as moss, green leaves, or slime. Add items that are green like apples, pom poms, and plastic dinosaurs. Purple sensory box: Use a purple base or filler like lavender play-dough, purple moonsand, buttons, or beads. Add items that are purple like plastic jewelry, pom poms, lavender beans, or confetti. [44] X Research source Rainbow sensory box: Use a rainbow base or filler like dyed pasta, oats, rice, pom-poms, cut straws, bubble foam or shaving cream. Add items that are all different colors such as plastic toys, craft materials, and other similar tools. [45] X Research source
Insect sensory box: Use a base or filler that resembles the outside world such as soil, dirt, green water beads, brown play-dough, or moss. Add plastic bugs, magnifying glasses, rocks, flowers, and different tools for further exploration. [46] X Research source Dinosaur sensory box: Use a base or filler for digging such as sand, dirt, small rocks, or soil. Add stones, plastic dinosaurs, toy fossils, brushes, and leaves for a dinosaur-themed look. [47] X Research source Winter animal sensory box: Use a white base or filler to resemble snow such as ripped tissue paper, clear water beads, shaved ice, snow, or cotton balls. Add toy winter animals, styrofoam blocks to resemble icebergs, pebbles, and mini igloos. Bird sensory box: Use birdseed as your base or filler for the sensory box. Add mini toy birds, yarn, moss, and sticks to go along with the theme. [48] X Research source Sea creatures sensory box: Use blue hair gel, water beads, dyed rice, colored spaghetti, or shaving cream to resemble the ocean. Add toy sea creatures, seashells, and pebbles. [49] X Research source
Flower sensory box: Gather spring flowers, flower petals soil, small rocks, a watering can, and shovels. Allow your child to dig and stick flowers to the soil. Add a bit of water for a better sensory experience. Acorn and pinecone sensory box: Gather acorns, pinecones, measuring cups, measuring spoons, and tongs. Allow your child to pick up acorns and pinecones and to scoop them up. Leaves sensory box: Gather leaves in all shapes and sizes, scissors, paint, and paint brushes. Let your child paint on the leaves or cut the leaves into pieces with the scissors. [50] X Research source Mud sensory box: Mud can be made by combining soil and water, or they can be scooped up after a rainy day. Add shovels, measuring cups, funnels, and toys for further fun. [51] X Research source
You can also throw in a few objects to the sensory box that are non-magnetic. This could provide an opportunity to learn what’s magnetic and what’s not. [53] X Research source
Be cautious about the types of food you use for an edible sensory box. Many foods with small pieces can be a choking hazard for children under the age of three.
For example, you might ask your child “What does the shaving cream feel like? What color is it?” This encourages children to speak about their observations and sensory experience. [57] X Research source
Be descriptive! This can increase your child’s language skills. For, example, you might say “I spy a little blue duck wearing a pink bow. " Use words that describe the object you are spying. Encourage your child to do the same.
Never add actual scissors and knives that are sharp to the sensory box. Children can seriously hurt themselves while playing and experimenting.
Tools like rolling pins and potato mashers can encourage squishing and rolling.
Most dry objects that are small such as dry rice, pasta, or popcorn kernels can be shaken if they’re added into containers or cups. Squishy items like play-dough, slime, and putty can be pat gently.
