301-577-4333 (Lanham, MD)

How to Make Your Own Sensory Toys

Sensory toys are surprisingly simple to make at home, and here are some tips to get you started.

If you are looking for a fun activity to do with your child at home and you need a way to save money, consider making your own sensory toys. A sensory toy can be anything that offers additional sensory input. They are ideal for helping children with sensory processing disorders by giving them sensory stimulation or an outlet for restless energy. If you remember the popularity of fidget toys like fidget spinners a few years ago, then it is the same idea. And sensory toys are surprisingly simple to make at home, and here are some tips to get you started.

Colorful Slimes

The reason why slime has become so popular among children recently is because it is a great form of messy play. It provides a great amount of tactile sensory input. It is easy to find numerous recipes for slime online that use simple ingredients at home. And you can customize the slime to best fit your child. For example, you can make one out of edible or non-toxic materials, like cornstarch and water, and if your child has an allergy to corn or other foods then you can use a different material, like glue or fiber powder. Slime is a great way to explore different textures, from liquidy, squishing or stretchy depending on what your child likes or is sensitive to.

Stress Ball

You are probably familiar with the squishy type of stress ball that’s made of either a flexible foam or a bean bag, and they’re easy to make at home. A common DIY version is to put some sand in a balloon, but you can use just about any container and material. If you have some spare dry rice, popcorn kernels or beans then you can put them in a sock. If you would like to add a visual as well as tactile element then you can make a sensory bag. All you need is a sturdy plastic freezer bag, some tape, and various small trinkets like beads or colorful pom poms. Put the things inside and use the tape to seal the edges. Just remember to supervise young children who play with it because the small parts could be a choking hazard.

The Connections Therapy Center

The Connections Therapy Center serves families of children and adolescents with disabilities and special needs. We are a team of experts in the fields of pediatric speech, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and behavioral sciences. As a team, we offer intensive hands-on therapy for children and adolescents, as well as informative and useful resources for families. If you are interested in learning more about what we can do to help your family, visit us online or give us a call at (301) 577-4333. Want to get more information on how to help your child thrive? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 4th, 2020 at 9:13 am . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Connections Therapy Center

MD Location

  • 4451 Parliament Place, Suite A
    Lanham, MD 20706
  • 301-577-4333
  • 301-618-0025

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    Connections Therapy Center
    4451 Parliament Place, Suite A Lanham, Maryland 20706
    Phone: 301-577-4333