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!
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Stimulate the senses with a texture mat! Easy-to-make DIY sensory mats (1–10)
Footprint art with paint
Let’s enjoy sole-of-the-foot art by stepping in paint and spreading it with your feet! For preparation, put paint into a large plastic bag, squeeze out the air, and tape it to the floor with duct tape.
Then let the children freely play with the paint from on top of the bag.
As they step and spread it around, the paints will mix together, and they can enjoy watching the colors change.
It’s a great way to use the strength of the soles and toes, which we don’t usually pay attention to—so give it a try with everyone! Of course, using hands is fine too!
Sensory bags made with seasonal flowers
Spring, summer, autumn, and winter—let’s make sensory bags using various flowers that bloom in each season! First, prepare a sealable bag and put in your favorite flowers.
Next, add liquid laundry starch (or school glue slime base) and water, squeeze out the air, and seal the bag.
To prevent leaks, fold the sealed edge inward and secure it with OPP tape.
It’s simple, and your sensory bag is done! Touch it or step on it to enjoy the textures and the movement of the flowers.
Using real flowers also releases color, turning it into a little color-water play activity.
Zones of various senses
Here’s an idea for a sensory mat made by attaching sponges and decorative balls to block mats.
First, create a path with the blocks, then attach various materials with different textures to each individual block.
By using materials with different feels, children can sense and enjoy the contrast.
They can stand and walk on it, or you can let a baby crawl over it.
If you don’t have space to make a path, you can arrange the blocks into a square or other compact shape instead.
Stimulate the senses with texture mats! Easy-to-make DIY sensory mats (11–20)
water mat
Here’s a fun water mat idea for summer! Put sponges, felt balls, and other items into a vacuum storage bag, pour in some water, and seal it while pressing out the air.
Reinforce the seal with tape to prevent leaks.
Then just stick the bag to the floor! You can enjoy the squishy feel by stepping or tapping on it, and it’s fun to watch the items inside sway and move.
If you add summer-themed pieces, it might even feel like you’re at the seaside.
Hide-and-seek with a sensory bag
Here’s an idea for a sensory bag you can use to play hide-and-seek! First, prepare a clear, sealable bag and add some body soap.
Tint the body soap with your favorite paint, then seal the bag.
Next, draw pictures of animals or other creatures on construction paper and place the drawings behind the bag—that’s it! Move the body soap around from the outside of the bag to search for the pictures behind it.
Try different themes: if you color it blue, go with sea creatures; if green, try animals—there are lots of variations you can make.
Prickly mat made of artificial turf
Artificial turf, when laid out in a yard or on a balcony, makes it less likely to get hurt while playing and the green color can be a bit soothing, too.
In this idea, we’ll use that artificial turf to make a sensory mat! That said, we’re not making the entire mat out of artificial turf—it’s more like incorporating it as one of several textures.
Use something like interlocking foam tiles as the base and attach the turf on top.
Unlike real grass, some children may dislike the prickly sensation.
However, experiencing that uncomfortable texture is also an important part of sensory learning.
Please give it a try and feel the prickliness!
Sensory mat made from scrap materials
If you have waste materials at home like cardboard, bubble wrap, or plastic bottles, why not make a sensory mat and play with it? Create a path out of cardboard and stick bubble wrap and plastic bottles onto it.
Have the kids walk along it, stepping on the materials instead of avoiding them.
They’ll be thrilled by textures they don’t usually feel! Try using different kinds of recycled materials to enjoy a variety of sensations.
You can use the materials as they are, but painting them or drawing pictures on them can turn your sensory mat into something even more wonderful!