Our favorite sensory materials that can be played with again and again.

10 sensory materials that can be stored and used again and again - save money while still enjoying incredible sensory play!

Sensory Play with Materials that Last

We love sensory play. We engage in some sort of sensory play every single day. Most of our favorite sensory materials are homemade recipes using common household items. As much as we love oobleck, paint, shaving cream, cooked pasta and many other sensory materials, I prefer to use sensory materials that last. Even though most of the recipes for play that we enjoy are made from inexpensive materials, the cost still adds up. One of my goals as a parent is to teach my boys to be good stewards of what they have. We all know children learn best by example, so I do my best to set a good example for them and choose sensory materials that last.

We still enjoy exploring other materials, but we keep these 10 sensory recipes on hand to enjoy on a regular basis.

1. Cloud Dough

Cloud dough is made using 1 part cooking oil and 8 parts flour. Any kind of oil can be used. Our favorites include coconut oil and olive oil. Baby oil can also be used with older children who are not likely to taste the sensory material. Cloud dough can be stored for many months. We have had the same bin of cloud dough in our sensory table since last October. We add to it occasionally as some cloud dough gets spilled or dumped during play. We store it in an airtight bin when not in use.

Ideas for playing with cloud dough:

2. Rice

We bought a giant bag of rice from Costco, and while the initial cost was close to $20, the bag has lasted for over a year. We love to dye rice and add scent and use it in bins along with props for scooping and dumping. We store rice in ziploc bags when not in use. I have never had a single batch of rice go bad.

How to make rainbow rice for art and sensory play

Ideas for playing with rice:

3. Pasta

Like rice, we enjoy adding color and/or scent to dried pasta. It's especially fun to offer young children different types of pasta, because the different sizes and textures are fun to explore. We store dried pasta in ziploc bags when not in use, and it lasts forever. We typically use it up for an art project before too long.

Ideas for playing with pasta:

How to make gorgeous rainbow pasta for art and sensory play - This method doesn't require vinegar or alcohol and is so simple, a toddler can do it.

4. Silly Putty/Slime

We make our own silly putty and slime with just two ingredients, and the putty lasts for several months when stored in an air tight container. The longest we kept a batch was five months. When we pulled it out to play it was stringy and didn't have the same consistency, so we threw it out. We store homemade silly putty in ziploc bags or containers when not in use.

Rainbow slime recipe in beautifully vibrant colors

Recipes and Activities for silly putty/slime:

5. Baking Soda Dough

Baking soda dough is made by combining baking soda and a small amount of water, just enough to hold it together without dissolving it. We love adding different colors and accessories to change up this simple recipe for play. It can be stored in an airtight container for many months as long as it is dry when stored. To play with the dough again, simply add a small amount of water.

Building castles with FROZEN baking soda dough - a two ingredient chilly recipe for PLAY

Ideas for playing with baking soda dough:

6. Playdough

Playdough is J-Bug's (4) favorite sensory play! Not a day goes by when he doesn't pull out a container of playdough. We make all of our own playdough and enjoy experimenting with recipes. How long homemade playdough lasts really depends on your climate. We have kept basic homemade playdough for over a year. We store playdough in small containers with lids when not in use.

Playdough Recipes:

Ideas for playing with playdough:

7. Homemade Puffy Paint

We make many different types of homemade paint, but my personal favorite is homemade puffy paint. It takes a bit of effort to mix and transfer to squeezy bottles, but a batch lasts for many months. We have stored puffy paint for four months. It might last even longer, but we have used every batch up before going past four months. We store puffy paint in squeezy bottles in the refrigerator when not in use.

Ideas for using homemade puffy paint:

8. Water Beads

Water beads are another favorite around here, although we haven't played with them in quite some time since I have twin toddlers running around. Once Tank and Peanut are a bit older and stop putting tasting everything we will play with water beads on a regular basis again. We have stored water beads for up to four months. The best way to store water beads is in an open container full of water.

Sensory play with water beads - how to hydrate water beads and ways to play

Ideas for playing with water beads:

9. Dyed Epsom Salts

Epsom salts are a frugal and fun sensory material. When dry they will last for months and months. For added sensory stimulation we love to dye them in a rainbow of colors.

Simple and inexpensive sensory material for kids

10. Craft Sand

Craft sand can be used for art and sensory play. We bought a big stash from Discount Supply a few years ago, and we still have more than half of it. It can be dumped into a bin for sensory play. It can be sprinkled on art projects like glitter. It can be poured into containers for sand art and to explore color theory.

Ideas for playing with craft sand:

For more sensory play ideas follow me on Pinterest.

Homemade Paint Recipes ~ Recipes for Play

The ultimate list of homemade paint recipes - 45 awesome ideas!

The ultimate list of recipes for play. 100+ recipes for doughs, slimes, paint and sensory materials kids will LOVE!

1 comment:

SarahJuly 29, 2013 at 3:36 PM
Loved seeing all the different sensory materials that you have used. It was especially helpful to see how long each one can last. Hoping to implement more sensory center activities in my Kinder class next year. Many blessings!

Sarah
Miss A's Kindergarten