Leaf Sensory Bins

Colorful fall leaves are added to a clear plastic bag along with glitter, paint, and oil to make a fun sensory experience for fall from kids craft room.

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://kidscraftroom.com/leaf-sensory-bags/

Sand Dough

Sand is mixed with flour, oil, salt and water to make a unique sensory substance for kids to play with in a sensory bin.  Engineer mommy shares the recipe.

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://engineermommy.com/2015/sand-play-dough-recipe/

Jelly Sensory Play

Want an easy and silly sensory bin the kids can eat?  Emma owl lets the kids play in jelly.  They'll love the sticky, sweet, squishy feel.

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.emmaowl.com/baby-sensory-play-with-jelly/

Foam Dough

Shaving cream is the secret to making this foam dough which has a unique consistency kids will love to play with.  Everyday dishes shares the recipe.

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://everydaydishes.com/creative-crafts/foam-dough-recipe/

Water Sand

Sand takes on an additional sensory element by adding baking soda and water with paging fun moms. 

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://pagingfunmums.com/2014/04/13/make-magic-aqua-sand/

Moon Sand Recipe

Learn how to make moon sand using just corn starch, shaving cream and food coloring.  Kids will have as much fun mixing it as they will playing with it.  Make it love it shares the details.

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2014/02/make-your-own-moon-sand-crumbly-yet-moldable-and-fun.html

Oobleck

The sensory substance that's fun to say is made out of just corn starch and water with learn play imagine.

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.learnplayimagine.com/2015/02/oobleck-recipes.html

Bird and little bird share a recipe too.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.birdandlittlebird.com/blog/2011/09/kitchen-table-science-oobleck.html

Homemade Color Rocks

Give kids a new sensory experience using rock salt, food coloring and glue from kids play box.  Kids can mold it into pretty looking crystals.

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.kidsplaybox.com/play-recipe-homemade-rocks-gems/

Pumpkin Sensory Bags

Mix clear colored hair gel and food coloring to make these fun jack o'lantern sensory bags.  Fantastic fun and learning adds in triangle eyes, nose and mouth for kids to try and place and move.  She then tapes the bag shut so none of the contents leak out.

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/jack-o-lantern-squish-bag-for-babies-and-toddlers.html

Paint Writing Bags

One great way for kids to practice their writing skills is to fill a plastic ziploc bag with paint.  Kids will love the sensory squishy feeling of writing with a q-tip.  Get the details at let's explore.

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://lets-explore.net/blog/2009/10/paint-bag-writing/

Polar Sensory Bin

Large chunks of ice and arctic animal make for a fun winter themed sensory bin from gifts of curiousity

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.giftofcuriosity.com/polar-animals-arctic-ice-sensory-play/

Tea Sensory Play

A safe and colorful way to have kids paint and squish, fantastic fun and learning suggests letting little ones play with tea and water.  She gives them a water sprayer and lets them experience all of the colors and scents of the tea inside the bags.  When done they'll have some art since the paper will collect all of the strained tea.

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/exploring-the-sensespainting-with-tea-bags.html

Rainbow Bubbles and Soap Sensory Bin

Shaving cream and food coloring make for a fun rainbow sensory bin with unicorn hat party.

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://unicornhatparty.com/post/67006066210/diy-kids-sensory-rainbow-bubbles

Alphabet Sensory Bags

Abcderians will love studying the alphabet even more with this alphabet sensory bag from growing a jeweled rose.  Along with plastic letters she adds clear hair gel to a well sealed ziploc bag.

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2012/07/fun-with-sensory-bags.html 

Florescent Sensory Paste

Sensory play is more than just about touch with this florescent paint mixture from growing a jeweled rose.  She adds water and corn starch to give this sensory paste a visually engaging experience as well.

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2013/03/glowing-recipes.html

Make Your Own Playdoh

4herras has a simple recipe for making playdoh using just foaming shaving cream and corn starch.  You could also add food coloring to make different colors.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://4herreras.blogspot.com/2012/03/fluffy-stuff.html

Playdoh Cupcakes

Sometimes its fun to make something real with something pretend.  Here's a great cupcake recipe using playdoh and colorful odds and ends to decorate.  Start by rolling and kneading the dough, shape it into a cupcake liner, sprinkle and decorate and have a fun pretend birthday. 

Shaving Cream Bath Paint

Simply add food coloring to shaving cream and let the kids paint in the bath.  They'll have fun squishing the foam and combining the colors to learn about primary and secondary combinations. 

Have kids will craft makes them in a muffin tin.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.havekidswillcraft.com/homemade-bath-paints/

Cloud Paintings

Shaving cream is great fun for kids it's fluffy and can often smell intriguing.  One way to have kids have fun with shaving cream is to have them use it with paint brushes or just their own fingers and hands and paint clouds onto blue construction paper.

Sensory Cards for Babies

Babies love to touch and feel (often with their mouths).  One way to help give them more objects to play with but keep them safe is to glue the objects onto card board squares or even paint chip color cards from the local paint shop.  There are so many options:

- strips of lace
- a dried out sponge
- bubble packaging
- felt
- feathers
- sticky tape
- cotton balls
- velcro - both sides
- sandpaper
- crumpled alumnim foil