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I know that sensory play is kinda scary…but what if I could show you how to setup mess free (or close to it) sensory play for your child?
I have 3 tips to make sensory play pretty mess free or at least easy to clean!
Create a mess free sensory play station
This first way to create a mess free sensory play station is to grab a shower curtain liner (this one is machine washable) and lay it down on the floor. Put your sensory bucket and child on top of the liner. This way if they get their sensory play out of the bucket than it is still contained. You can just fold up the liner, shake outside and throw in the wash (if it is machine washable).
The second way is to use small sensory play tubs and you can even get them with a lid! These are my favorite because they are not too deep and you can store them without cleaning by just popping the lid on!
They are deep enough to play in and they have a lid which means they are easy to store!! My kids love them. I give each child their own bin and they share toys. Once we are done, I have them pick out their toys and place the lid and put it away!
Use mess free (or close) sensory fillers
One of the easiest fillers to use is rice. You can get this colored rice already made or you can make it yourself. It is super easy to make. Dump your rice into a bowl or a zipper bag. Then pour in some paint (you can use acrylic or washable). Then mix! Once it is mixed you can put it out on parchment or wax paper to dry but it will only take a few minutes. Dump in your sensory bin and go!! Rice is great because it can be easily vacuumed if a mess is made. I have a great video here on how to make some painted rice.
Another easy and not very messy filler is cloud dough or sand. If you have a younger child who is still putting things in their mouth you can start by baking some flour on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes or so until the flour reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Then you just mix oil and food coloring together and then add to the flour. Add and mix until the dough or sand is how you want it. This is a super easy filler that can only make so much of a mess. If you use a liner talked about above you should only have to sweep or vacuum a small amount if any!
Use mess free toys in your sensory play
We use a lot of different toys in our sensory bins. One great toy is small animals. These are great because kids can use them to do so much imaginative play. Also to clean them, just throw them in the dishwasher!!!
Another great idea is to use these Sensory mats and cards. Cut out and laminate the cards and hide them in the sensory bin. Laminate the mats so they don’t get messed up. Your child can find the different cards and match them to the ones on the mats.
