My kids would smear ketchup and mustard everywhere if I let them. Have leftover jars? (Or perhaps your child just didn’t like it?) Let them paint with it! 2. True, you can’t save a lot of it forever (food products spoil after all), but the experience is worth it. There are really easy items you can use to make art with your kids. My kids first finger painting experience was with taste safe materials because come on, they are going to taste that stuff. Sensory play doesn’t have to be limited to just squishing things with your hands, you can create art at the same time! Paint With Your Food: Edible Art Activities There are a lot of options out there for you to try, but I highly recommend the following: Kids love slime, and slime you can eat is even better. I’ve done the peanut butter version and know it works well, but there are so many other edible play dohs out there! If you want to do this (and you should), check out this post: 15 Edible Play Doh Recipes. (Get more details and the printable recipe here: Edible Marshmallow Play Dough) 7. Marshmallow play dough is one of the fastest play doughs you can make, and it tastes really good! This version also teaches your child some marshmallow science and a bit about how play doughs come together. You can also make an allergy-friendly version here: Sunbutter Playdough.) 6. (Get more details and the printable recipe here: Peanut Butter Playdough.

I still remember when my mom made this for us and we got to decorate it with candy. Mix 1 cup peanut butter with 2.5 cups of powdered sugar. (You can get more details and a printable version of the recipe here: Ice Cream Play Dough) 5. It’s just like the dirt, but the bright colors are perfect for playing ice cream shop! Mix 1 can white frosting and 1.25 cups of flour, then add in any food coloring you would like. Mix 1 can of chocolate frosting and 1.25 cups flour. Mix 1 part water to 2 parts cornstarch to create an amazing Non-Newtonian fluid! (And check out this post to see our oobleck in action and get my tips to make it the best yet.)Īdd in some cocoa powder or hot chocolate mix to create your own muddy puddles! 3. (Food coloring is a fun addition.) Scale up as needed! (This is also called cloud dough.) 2.

Mix 1/2 cup of flour with 2 tablespoons of canola oil. You can embrace the mess and still be taste safe. I have found the sensory table activities toddlers love best are often the messiest. Tapioca beads offer the same fun, but you can eat them too!Įasy sensory bin fillers are awesome, but sometimes you want to dig a little deeper into the fun. (Learn how easy it is to dye rice: Rainbow Rice and More! 7. Colored Rainbow Rice adds a beautiful twist. Plain white rice can be a winter wonderland. You don’t want your child eating a lot of these, but if one gets tasted it’s okay. Sometimes I’m a cool mom and add in Froot Loops. These are all great for pouring and playing with. Noodlesĭry or cooked, these provide great exploration. (This works quite well for construction truck play!) 3. Just simple, dry, plain oats offer up a new feeling. You can crush it, use cubes, add food coloring. The kids can scoop and pour, transfer and measure. I love sensory bins for just this reason, I put it together and then I’m done. You can set it up, then back off and let them go. 😉 And this sort of edible sensory play is great for kids. This is a fancier way of saying a container with some stuff dumped in it. When I think of a sensory table for toddlers, the first thing I think about is a sensory bin. But if it gets in your baby’s mouth or your toddler sneaks a lick, that’s okay.

That doesn’t mean that it will taste good, or that you necessarily want your child to eat a lot of it. Put in the Extra Effort: Taste Safe STEMĮverything on this list is taste safe.Paint With Your Food: Edible Art Activities.Edible Sensory Activities That Get Messy.

Stem toys for infants