Stimulate the five senses with a tactile mat! An easy-to-make DIY sensory mat
A sensory mat is said to stimulate the five senses through the sensory nerves in children’s soles and promote brain development.
It’s also known as a sensory mat or a sensorimotor mat.
Because kids can enjoy touching a variety of materials indoors, it’s perfect not only for babies during their tummy time or crawling stage, but also for toddlers who’ve just started walking!
In this article, we’ll share plenty of ideas on how to make these sensory mats and fun, unique ways to play with them.
You can easily make a sensory mat using everyday materials or items from the dollar store!
Kids can enjoy them with their feet of course, but also by touching with their hands, lying down, and engaging their whole bodies!
Use the ideas introduced here as inspiration, mix and match your favorites, and create your very own original sensory mat to play with!
Stimulate the senses with a texture mat! Easy-to-make DIY sensory mats (1–10)
Sensory Mat Made with 100-Yen Store Materials!
A sensory mat is an item you can enjoy by touching it with your hands or feet! Prepare interlocking floor mats and attach items that offer interesting textures or sounds—like kitchen sponges, CD discs, squeaky pet toys, or mops—to each piece.
Then simply connect the mats so children can walk or crawl over them, and you’re done! It’s great because you can easily make it with everyday items.
If you assemble the pieces like a dice cube, it transforms into a toy for exploring touch with hands! Try using different combinations to suit your child.
A sensory bag made with chewy potato starch and food coloring
Here’s how to make a sensory bag with a fun, squishy texture using potato starch and food coloring.
First, put 70 g of potato starch, 50 g of salt, and 170 cc of water into a heatproof container and mix well, then microwave for 2 minutes.
After heating, mix again, add food coloring, and mix once more.
When it has cooled slightly, transfer it to a resealable bag, press out the air, and seal it.
If you’re worried about leaks, use duct tape to reinforce the seal.
Your sensory bag is ready! You’ll probably see lumps of potato starch, but it’s actually fun to pop them with your fingers, so feel free to leave them as they are.
Puyopuyo balls and hard gel
Let’s make a sensory bag using water beads and hair gel.
First, soak the water beads in water until they return to their full size.
Put the beads into a sealable bag, then add the hair gel.
Seal the bag, fold the top inward, and secure it with duct tape or vinyl tape—and you’re done! You can buy water beads at 100-yen shops, and they come in various colors like blue, green, and yellow.
Try making one in your favorite colors.
Unlike sensory bags made with liquid starch or water, this one has a slightly firmer feel, so kids can enjoy exploring it for longer.
Making ice cream with decoration balls
Here’s an idea for a sensory bag that can also be used as an educational toy using decorative pom-poms.
First, put decorative pom-poms and liquid starch (or laundry starch/glue) into a sealable bag, squeeze out the air, and close it.
Tape the bag onto a piece of thick cardstock.
Make sure to leave the top part of the bag untaped.
Then slide a sheet of construction paper with several ice cream cones drawn on it between the sensory bag and the cardstock—and you’re done! Move the pom-poms around to make ice cream scoops.
If you match the cone colors with the pom-pom colors, kids can also use it as a learning toy by moving pom-poms onto cones of the same color.
The Goldfish That Ran Away Made with Laundry Starch and Beads
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvzfGjTRnnK/“The Runaway Goldfish” is one of the picture books popular with children.
In the book, the goldfish hides among various objects, and readers can have fun searching for it.
This is a sensory bag inspired by that theme.
Inside the glittery heart-shaped pieces, two red goldfish are floating.
It’s very simple to make: just put liquid laundry starch (or school glue) and the pieces into a bag and seal it, so anyone can make it.
If you add lots of sparkly pieces and design it so the goldfish appear when you press and move things around, it won’t just be a tactile activity—kids will also enjoy the added fun of searching for the goldfish.
Pom-pom mat made with yarn
This is a pom-pom mat made with yarn.
It’s a great idea that lets you enjoy the soft feel of yarn while keeping warm! First, prepare two empty toilet paper rolls, glue them together, and wrap yarn around them over and over.
Tie the middle with another piece of yarn, slide it off the rolls, and cut through the two looped sides with scissors.
Trim the excess yarn to shape it into a round pom-pom.
Make several of these and tie them onto a non-slip mat, and you’re done! If you want to create mats with different textures, why not try this as one idea?
Play by moving the googly eye stickers
Here’s a sensory bag idea using googly-eye stickers you can find at 100-yen shops.
Put some hair gel into a sealable bag, then add the googly-eye stickers.
Squeeze out the air and seal the bag, then tape the bag onto a piece of construction paper.
Gather the gel and the eyes in the center, and secure only the left, right, and bottom edges.
Next, draw just the body of a monster on another piece of construction paper and place it between the sensory bag and the paper.
Have the children move the googly eyes around with their fingers to complete the monster! It’s a fun, game-like activity.