Baby Sensory bags are so fun! They are a great way to help your baby explore new textures without a huge mess. There are tons of ways to mix up your sensory bags for your little one. All you need are a ziploc bag (preferably a gallon size) a main substances and a few large sensory pieces. Here are some ideas for each:
Main substance:
- Gel (you can find some at the dollar store for cheap)
- Rice
- Lentils
- Jello
- Popcorn kernels
- Lotion (again find this for cheap at the dollar store)
- water beads
- confetti
- glitter (if you’re brave)
Larger sensory pieces – ideally include 1-5 of these
- pom poms
- small action figures
- small marbles
- buttons
- gems
- rubber bouncy ball
- sea shells
- small plastic bugs/animals
- Ice cubes
- beads
*quick safety note: you should only use a sensory bag when baby is being supervised since most of the objects in the bag can be choking hazards if they get out of the bag*
How to put a sensory bag together
First you will need a ziploc bag and a few items from the list, or anything else you think of that your baby might enjoy feeling around for. Fill your bag about 1/4 to 1/3 full with your main substance, then take some large sensory pieces. You can add just one type of large pieces, or you can do multiple different kinds. You don’t want to overfill the bag, that will make it harder for your baby to feel around for. Squeeze all the air out of the bag as you close it. Next, reinforce the closure with duct tape. Measure out tape to the length of the ziploc opening, and fold the tape over lengthwise. You may also want to repeat on the other sides to make sure your bag stay closed, especially if your baby likes to be tough on their toys.
Once you have done that, you can give it to your baby that way, but if your baby is prone to moving toys out of reach, you can tape it down to the floor. You can also tape your bag up on a window for some fun vertical play!
