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Sensory Path

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Outdoor

18 months-4 years

Walk the sensory path.  Take off your shoes and embark on a barefoot adventure. This activity allows your child to explore and process new textures and is also a great challenge for developing confidence. 

Materials

  • Basins, buckets, or large kitchen containers 

    Sensory Ideas 

    • Cold or warm water 
    • Cotton wool 
    • Gloop (1 cup cold water + 2 cups of cornflour)
    • Jello 
    • Ice 
    • Rice 
    • Sand 
    • Shaving foam 
    • Soil (wet or dry) 
    • Spaghetti (cooked) 

    Set-up

    This activity can get messy! We recommend setting it  outdoors.

    1. To create your sensory path, you will need around 5 to 8 containers depending on the different contents you have available. 
    2. Ensure the containers are low-sided and wide enough for your child to stand in with both feet. 
    3. Line the containers up in single file and fill each one with different sensory contents (e.g. rice, sand, gloop…). Be creative with your sensory contents. 
    4. Have baby wipes or a towel ready to clean your child’s feet when the activity is over. 

    Time to Explore

    1. Walk barefoot from one end of the sensory path to the other, stepping in each container along the way. 
    2. Take some time to stand in each container and feel the different textures. Ask your child to wiggle their toes and describe how the content feels. For example, is it hot, cold, soft, hard, or squidgy? Do you like or dislike the feeling? 
    3. This may be the first time your child has experienced new textures with their feet, and therefore may feel apprehensive to fully step in each container. Help your child by participating in the activity and allow your child to skip a container and try again later.

    Increase the fun

    For older children, assist them to complete the sensory path blindfolded. Keep the sensory contents a secret and ask them to guess what they are standing in. 

    At Learning Jungle, we believe all children are capable, confident and full of potential. Co-learning empowers your child to take initiative. Encouraging child participation and engaging in open-ended, thought-provoking conversation throughout play is important for healthy child development.

    Conversations with your child

    • Try putting one foot in first.
    • Can you wiggle your toes? 
    • How does it feel? 
    • Do you like how it feels on your feet? 
    • Try to walk all the way to the end.
    • Which one was your favorite?

    We would love to meet you

    We currently have 51 locations in 5 countries. Our child care facilities offer tours throughout the year.
    We invite you to visit a location near you. 

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