Baby-Safe Sensory Bags that are Simple to Make and Fun! (2024)

These baby-friendly sensory bags are baby, toddler & preschooler approved! 4 different ways to make simple sensory bags for all kids.

Sensory bags are one of my favorite baby-friendly activities. They provide so much opportunity for exploration and can keep a baby occupied for quite a while! They are great to use for babies from tummy time all the way through toddler-hood. Kids learn so much from hands-on experiential play, and sensory activities for babies are among the best!

Baby-Safe Sensory Bags that are Simple to Make and Fun! (1)

Using Sensory Bags with Kids

Young babies will love to explore the way they feel, especially if made of simple colors such as black, white, red and blue. As they get older, toddlers will love to find what is hidden inside the sensory bags, and will enjoy the bright colors of the rainbow. There is so muchopportunity for creativity as a parent or educator when using these baby-friendly sensory bags.

They are great tools for learning thealphabet,colorsor forthematic units. We have created a set of printables that can be used as tracing cards underneath the sensory bag.

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This is EXCELLENT for pre-handwriting skills and can be used with toddlers well before working on handwriting with a pen or pencil. Just tell us where to send yourpassword for exclusive content!

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What’s insensory bags?

There are SO many different ways to make sensory bags, but I love to keep items like baby oil, shaving cream and clear hair gel on hand to whip up a simple sensory bag. Additionally, many of your messy play ideas for babies and toddlers can simply be put into a bag and sealed for a new and mess-free experience.

4 Sensory Bags for Babies

I chose to make four very simple bags that all of my kids would like to explore. I am going to start makingtreasure basketsfor themthat can be changed weekly, this week’s treasure basket will be filled with their new sensory bags.

Get our FREE mini pamphlet with sensory play ideas, recipes and more below!

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Gather any other little (non-sharp) items found around the housethat would be interesting for the kids. Small animals like these from Safari LTD, or even small toys are always fun!

I prefer to use the quart-size freezer bags because they are the sturdy and are a good size for manipulating with little hands. As you will also see, I like to use duct tape all around the sides of the bag so that they don’t pop open and make a mess everywhere (this is what makes them baby-friendly and a perfect activity for 1 year olds)!

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1. Clear Hair Gel Sensory Bag: I filled the first bag with clear hair gel, some small foam flowers and some agates that my family had collected from our favorite beach where we camped when I was little. The gel is my favorite filler because it makes the bag so squishy and is see-through, this would be a great option for an alphabet or number bag for toddlers.

RELATED: 60+ ACTIVITIES YOUR ONE-YEAR OLD CAN DO TOO

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2. Hair Gel, Soap and Food Coloring: I also experimented with a mixture of hair gel, soap and food coloring. This sensory bagwas a hit with M (4) because of the bubbles. I filled it with some pink and purple plastic jewels. Because of the color it is difficult to view the jewels, so this has become our I-Spy bag, we have to really feel around to find the various shapes.

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3. Colored Water and Oil: This sensory bag is filled with colored water and oil, I think if I had used less water this would have had a better ‘lava lamp’ effect which would have been a bit more fun to look at. This bag is filled with little plastic insects and bugs, perfect for the Spring and our caterpillar exploration we will be working on.

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4. Shaving Cream and Glitter: The sensory bag is full of shaving cream, glitter and confetti. This is a fun one as well and is also good for searching for the ‘treasures’ as the confetti get a bit hidden in the shaving cream, plus is super squishy and fluffy!

RELATED: SENSORY ACTIVITIES FOR 1 YEAR OLDS

I love that these baby-friendly sensory bags are such a hit with ALLkids! Its not easy to find something that are both baby, toddler AND preschooler approved!

Have multiple ages you are trying to occupy?

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Baby-Safe Sensory Bags that are Simple to Make and Fun! (2024)

FAQs

Baby-Safe Sensory Bags that are Simple to Make and Fun!? ›

Grab a ziplock bag, hair gel, some red food coloring and watermelon seeds (or black beans) and swirl it all together. Use green tape to seal the edges and then toss it in the fridge to keep it cold. Instead of playing with real food, they can now push at these seeds until the sun goes down.

How do you make homemade sensory bags for babies? ›

Here's how: Fill a resealable plastic bag with tactile materials like hair gel, pumpkin seeds, shaving cream, or marbles. Reinforce the seal with strong tape, then use painter's or washi tape to secure the edges of the bag to the floor or a table where your baby can play.

What liquid to put in a sensory bag? ›

You can use canola oil, vegetable oil or baby oil. It really doesn't matter. Next stir several drops of food coloring into a half cup of water. Pour the water and food coloring into the bag.

What are sensory bags for babies? ›

A sensory bag is a bag full of everyday objects and materials that your baby can explore. Babies explore all the time and in many different ways. It's how they learn. For example, babies often put things in their mouths.

How to make sensory toys for babies at home? ›

- Put oil in the bottle such as baby oil and put glitter or toys in it. The objects will move more slowly in oil. - Use hair gel and mix with 6 parts warm water and fine glitter if you wish then pour into the bottle. Add plastic toys such as lego bricks.

What can I put in water for sensory play? ›

Provide one part water for two parts cornstarch. I love to make TONS and the children get so much joy out of mixing up a huge batch of this goopy, drippy mixture. Feel free to add a few drops of coloring, but I really like to keep things simple and natural and typically go without the coloring.

What to use instead of hair gel for sensory bag? ›

About the question what fluid goes in sensory bags, there are some options. You can certainly use liquid soup or hair gel or even gel detergent. I prefer however to use tap water for two good reasons.

How to make a pom pom sensory bag? ›

Fill your plastic bag with hair gel or hand sanitiser, leave a little space for the gel to move around when squeezed Add in small crafty bits such as pompoms, sequins or beads. Seal the bag tightly and use strong tape to secure all the edges. Bring your sensory bag with you to show the person who you will be meeting!

What is a sensory activity for babies? ›

Sensory play focuses on activities that engage your child's senses, helping them develop language skills and motor skills. It includes hands-on activities that stimulate touch, sight, smell, sound, and taste, as well as movement or balance.

How to make baby sensory bottles? ›

Water sensory bottle: water vs ice

Fill two clear plastic bottles with water and freeze one of them. These sensory bottles are an early lesson in opposites and the properties of water. Your baby will be fascinated by the cold temperature of the frozen bottle and the movement of the water in the other.

Do babies need baby sensory? ›

Baby sensory classes are designed to help your young baby's social and physical skills, before they go to pre-school. Baby sensory classes will help your little one meet other children but also begin to understand the world around them; they are also a great opportunity for you to meet other parents in your area.

What do you put in a baby sensory basket? ›

You will enjoy choosing items of varying tactile qualities to incorporate in your Treasure Basket – a dried gourd, large feather, whisk, measuring spoons, rubber tube, bottle brush, fir cone, lemons and limes, sponge, leather glove, seashell, bunch of keys, piece of fleece, nail brush, wool pom-poms, wooden spoon… – ...

How do you make toys safe for babies? ›

Avoid toys made from thin plastic that can break easily. Also avoid giving toys with metal parts to toddlers and babies. Small toys and toys with small parts. To prevent choking in kids 3 or younger, make sure that toys and parts cannot fit inside an empty toilet paper tube.

How do you make homemade sensory tubes? ›

How to make a themed sensory bottle with glitter
  1. First, squeeze corn syrup into an empty water bottle. ...
  2. Add warm water until it's about three-quarters full.
  3. Add a few drops of food coloring and sprinkle in some glitter.
  4. Put the lid on the water bottle and shake to mix the ingredients.

How do you make a sensory bag with cornstarch? ›

Sensory Bags
  1. 8 cups of water.
  2. 2 cups of cornstarch.
  3. 4 gallon sized freezer bags.
  4. 4 gel or liquid food coloring jars.
Oct 3, 2013

How do you make sensory foam for babies? ›

Making soap foam is really easy, simply pour one cup of water into a food processor and then add a squirt of dish soap. If you want to make coloured soap foam add a drop or two of food colouring at this stage. TIP: You need about one squirt of soap foam per cup of water, but this isn't exact.

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