Sensory Play

Sensory play is much more than water and sand. At Creative Play, we offer a variety of sensory play equipment to help a child develop their senses, besides these two traditional items on the list!

For instance, there’s our fantastic Sand Hut Major designed to assist with key sense development during imaginative games.

The Sandhut Major can also be closed, to allow an ideal performance stage children can build their confidence through performing a sand play.

With so many features geared towards helping kids be creative, whilst improving social skills at school or just having some great fun all together; this sensory item makes sure everyone has something special to enjoy, from toddlers or older kids.

Other equipment we have that shows sensory play is more than sand and water, are play boards.

These can be added to playgrounds and sensory gardens. Play boards improve children’s gross motor skills and fine motor skills, as they play and explore the various sounds and rhythms of the board.

We also have a painting station that is a great addition to our sensory play collection. The painting station fosters creativity, cooperation and social skills development amongst children.

Our specialists also supply great sensory garden equipment that’ll make a great addition to your child’s sensory play time, helping children to learn about their environment and surroundings.

Sensory Activities

Our outdoor sensory play equipment, is grouped in the following four categories:

• Water Play
• Sand Play
• Planters & Growers
• Music & Sensory Play boards

Let’s look at just a couple of the fun sensory play items in each category, that we supply:

Water Play

Water Wall – Early Years

The innovative Water Wall can be used in any environment and encourages children to experiment with the flow of water. The product also helps improve key development skills such as socialising, communicating and hand-eye coordination, all whilst they are having fun!

Water Play Maxi

Part of our Early Years specific play range, it encourages children to experiment with the flow and movement of water, whilst learning to work together and improve upon their social and communication skills.

Additional extras can be added to this product too, in order to maximise the play experience and development of key skills.

Sand Play

By offering different textures, sand play promotes the touch sense.

Timber Sandbox

Children love playing with sand.

The Timber Sandbox is a popular choice for many toddlers attending nurseries and schools and provides endless hours of fun for children.

The Timber Sandbox also comes with a robust sliding lid to keep the sand covered when not in use.

• Planters & Growers
• Compost Wormery

Why not transform kitchen and garden waste, into nutrient-rich compost and natural fertiliser with our innovative Compost Wormery.

With a 200L capacity (approx.), add your waste (and worms) through the two hinged roof hatches at the top of the timber structure and watch what happens inside, via the four perspex viewing windows.

Digging Planter Allotment

Our timber Digging Planter Allotment offers the perfect area to take learning outside. This type of sensory activity helps children learn and understand about seeds and plants, providing a great environment for engaging with nature, wildlife and the outdoor world.

Music & Sensory Play boards

Weaving Panel

The Weaving Panel is a simple and fun activity that will help develop coordination and creativity skills in children as part of Key Stage development. These can be used as stand alone items or combined to form a pod.

Double Bubble Viewing Board

A great piece for encouraging exploration and discovery, our Double Bubble Viewing Board is also fun and features two clear viewing bubbles, ideal for aiding imaginative play.

SEND

Sensory play can be particularly important for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Sensory toys and equipment are a fantastic way for children of all needs to engage with the world around them, and for SEND learners, it can be a healthy way to promote emotional regulation.

Summary

Sensory play is a type of play that helps children to use and develop their senses. This could be through using different materials, such as sand, water or clay, or by playing with toys that stimulate their senses.

It is a great way to help young children develop key skills that they need for their future education. It helps with physical development, imaginative play, socialising and communication skills.

We know that children need to be fully engaged in their play, and sensory equipment does just that.

A wide open space with plenty of toys and equipment for exploration, is what a sensory area should provide. This will enable children to learn how to work together, problem solve and communicate through play, where there are no limitations on what they experiment with or try out.

Sensory stimulation helps kids to explore the world around them through their senses, which is vital for their development. It can help with physical development, intellectual development, emotional development, and social development.

There are countless other fantastic sensory play ideas available from us here at Creative Play, such as adding either of the following to one of our sandboxes

• Moon sand
• Damp sand

Safety

No matter what age of the child participating in sensory play activities, it is extremely important that adults always supervise play and be on hand to provide medical advice and assistance if required.

To find out more about our sensory play equipment, contact our experts via phone or email for guidance and information, today.

Read our latest blog about Sensory Play…The 5 Key Benefits Of Sensory Play

Why not view our Imaginative Play and Outdoor sports equipment for more options for your playground.

How we helped Prospect House Primary School in Manchester

At Prospect House Primary School in Manchester, many pupils (including wheelchair users and children with SEN) were unable to participate fully in traditional play. The playground offered high-energy physical play, but there were no quieter, sensory-rich spaces.

We designed and installed a fully accessible, sensory-rich play zone: including a wheelchair-accessible play tower, a sensory tunnel, tactile surfaces, and sensory seating.

Now, all children at the school, including those with disabilities or mobility needs, can access and enjoy inclusive, meaningful play, improving participation and social interaction.

From Our Happy Client

The impact in the classroom is massive. They are now more engaged in class after playing, their behaviour better regulated. Creative Play were almost as invested as we were in creating the playground. Everyone wanted to do the best for our children

Millie, Deputy Head

Sensory play FAQs

What Is Sensory Play EYFS?

Sensory play for Early Years Foundational Stage children is designed as a way to provide younger kids with opportunities to explore the world around them through their senses. This type of sensory fun is important as it helps them learn and develop key skills needed for later life.

One of the main benefits of sensory play is that it helps young kids to develop their vocabulary. This is because they are able to learn new words by associating different feelings with new things.

Initially, this type of learning was made available in special needs education, but it has since been introduced to mainstream education and nurseries, as a way to help develop key skills and concepts.

What Are Good Sensory Play Activities?

In order to teach sensory play, let’s start with a little science.

When you put something in your mouth, your tongue helps you sense what it is because it can sense the taste and texture. Your nose tells you if something is food or not because it can smell what’s in the air, and your eyes tell you what colour something is and how it looks.

All of the above are examples of how our body uses sensory to learn about the world around us.

There are many different types of fun sensory activities available and it can be as simple as providing materials such as play dough or shaving cream for children to explore. But to gain the maximum benefit from various sensory experiences, you should consider our range of sensory play equipment.

Whether it’s messy play, active play, or unique sensory activities, all the benefits of our fun sensory activities promote:

• Sensory development
• Sensory processing
• Language development
• Brain development
• Problem solving skills

What Are the Benefits of Sensory Play Equipment for Child Development?

Sensory play equipment supports children’s development by engaging their senses, improving motor skills, enhancing cognitive growth, and encouraging communication. It provides a rich, hands-on learning environment that strengthens both early development and long-term learning.

How to Choose Safe and Durable Playground Surfacing?

Choose playground surfacing that meets safety standards for fall protection, is durable enough for long-term outdoor use, and suits the needs of your space and budget. Prioritise materials that are impact-absorbing, tested to recognised safety standards, accessible for all users, and easy to maintain.

What Are the Key Considerations for Inclusive Playground Design?

Inclusive playground design ensures children of all physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities, can play, interact, and explore safely together. This includes accessible pathways, sensory-rich zones, appropriate surfacing, and equipment that supports a wide range of needs.