Seeing all the toys the therapists bring always makes me curious on appropriate play and toys for the girls. So, about once a week I go perusing websites that have sensory play based toys. Usually the equipment is crazy expensive, but sometimes you see some items within reasonable reach. I really go primarily for the ideas. Many common Sensory play items can be recreated. Some basic ideas I’ve come up with….

Tactile play is easy. Set out four bowls. Place four different textures in each. Rice, rotini pasta, sugar/salt, and (this can be messy) jelly. Four varying textures to explore. Rice or beans and rotini pasta are really great for opening the senses.

Get brushes of varying textures/bristle strength, and let your child explore those – but this is something to take slow.

Fabric has wonderful varieties of textures. Satin, wool, felt, cotton…all varying. Make a bin full of different fabrics and let your child explore each one.

Remember feet are as important. Let your child walk barefoot over different textures. Get washtubs and fill them with different outdoor textures…sand, pebbles (smooth is probably better here), mud, a patch of grass, a concrete block, smooth sanded wood. Let their feet get the sensations that their hands do.

Visit some sensory play sites, get some ideas there…you never know what ideas might come! I’ll be posting more ideas as I get them as well. For things from physical therapy to more sensory play, to oral motor play.

Some sensory play sites:
http://www.flaghouse.com/default.asp?Category=Sensory%20Solutions
http://www.beyondplay.com/index.htm
http://www.integrationscatalog.com/index.jsp