Welcome to our collection of sensory and creative play ideas for little ones! Whether you’re looking for mess-free sensory activities, outdoor adventures, or rainy day fun at home, this section is packed with ideas that spark imagination and encourage learning through play. Perfect for toddlers, preschoolers and curious kids who love to explore, create and get a little bit messy!
Ready to dive in? Scroll through the ideas below and see what inspires you today. Whether it’s a quick sensory setup or a full-on themed play session, you’ll find loads of inspiration to keep little hands busy and curious minds engaged.
Ice cream Mud Kitchen set up
We had snow last night and I knew Arlo would want to play outdoors and so I rummaged around the house trying to think about what we could do –…
How to dye chickpeas for messy play.
I often use rice and chick peas for indoor play activities. They provide the sensory fun element of play but as dry ingredients the clean up process isn’t as daunting…
How to dye spaghetti pasta for sensory tuff tray play
Are you searching for a great way to introduce much fun and different textures into your child’s playtime? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the world of…
Painting outdoors with toddlers
Arlo absolutely loves painting, and playing with colours. He hasn’t stopped talking about the snow painting activity we did and every morning he looks out of the window checking for…
Rainbow Snow Activity
I’ve never seen Arlo have quite as much fun as we did today. We’ve been lucky enough to have lots of snow recently and last night it was coming down…
Holi Powder colour run party… in snow!
If you’ve been following our adventures for a while you will know we love colour – holi powder is one of our favourite things to play with. Last year we…
Ice skating messy play tray
This is another really simple ice tray play and one which requires very little set up – inspired by our trip to Warwick Castle where we saw a real life…
January brings the snow messy tray play
Kicking the first Monday in January off with an icy themed tray play. A really low prep activity using resources we already have and adding a twist. You will need:…
Crafting with Nature: Printing on a Tuff Tray
After the success of a previous nature themed tuff tray , which involved using found leaves from a nature walk as our canvas I decided to repeat the idea. Nature…
A snow dough tinker tray
Continuing on with our winter themed activities I have made a batch of snow dough, Thai is slightly different to our usual play dough recipe and has a texture which…
A: These are hands-on activities that encourage young children to explore, imagine and learn through touch, movement and creativity. They often involve things like messy play, textures, colours and role play.
A: Most of the activities on this page are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers, but many can be easily adapted for older children who still love open-ended, imaginative play.
A: Not at all! Most of these play ideas use everyday items from around the house. You’ll find budget-friendly, low-prep activities using things like rice, water, cardboard boxes, and recycled bits.
These play ideas are perfect for filling quiet afternoons, rainy mornings or just those “I’m bored” moments. Whether your child loves digging into sensory trays or prefers calm, creative play, there’s something here for every mood and energy level.
We’ve tested all of these ideas in real life — often with minimal prep and maximum mess! As a parent and teacher, I believe that play is the most powerful way to encourage language, curiosity and confidence. So grab a tray, some rice, and a few scoops, and let the fun begin!
Looking for hands-on projects you can do together? Check out our Crafts section for Cricut tutorials, seasonal makes and rainy-day inspiration.
