The Power of Play: How Sensory Activities Support Early Years Development

Play is at the heart of everything we do in the early years, and sensory activities are one of the most powerful ways young children learn. At Pippa’s House Nursery, we see every day how sensory play sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and supports development across all areas of learning.

From squishy textures to exciting sounds and vibrant colours, sensory experiences allow children to explore the world using their senses. Making learning meaningful, enjoyable, and developmentally appropriate.

What Are Sensory Activities?

Sensory activities are experiences that stimulate a child’s senses: touch, sight, sound, smell, and sometimes taste. These activities help children make sense of the world around them while developing important cognitive, physical, and emotional skills.

Sensory play is a core part of the EYFS curriculum, supporting learning through hands-on exploration rather than formal instruction. It encourages children to lead their own learning, investigate freely, and build understanding through experience.

Learning Through Play: Sensory Experiences in Our Nurseries

We carefully plan sensory activities to reflect children’s interests and developmental stages. 

Some recent favourites include:

Tough Trays

Our tough trays are filled with a variety of materials; natural objects, loose parts, water, textures, and themed resources. These open-ended set-ups allow children to explore at their own pace, supporting imagination, problem-solving, and independent thinking.

Tough trays link closely to the EYFS curriculum by encouraging understanding the world, expressive arts and design, and communication and language.

Foam Play

Foam play is always a hit. Children squeeze, scoop, swirl, and explore the texture of bubbles using their hands and tools. This supports fine motor development, hand–eye coordination, and sensory regulation, while also encouraging descriptive language like soft, fluffy, wet, and light.

Mud Kitchens

Mud kitchens are a sensory staple and a perfect example of learning through play. Children mix mud, water, leaves, and stones to create imaginative “recipes,” developing creativity, early maths skills, and social communication.

Mud kitchen play supports the EYFS curriculum through physical development, personal, social and emotional development, and expressive arts and design.

Shredded Paper Play

Shredded paper provides a wonderful tactile experience. Children enjoy scooping, throwing, hiding objects, and exploring sound and movement. This type of sensory play helps children regulate emotions, develop coordination, and engage in imaginative play.

Cornflour Colour Mixing

Cornflour mixed with water and food colouring creates a fascinating sensory material that behaves like both a solid and a liquid. Children love squeezing, pouring, and mixing colours, which supports early science learning, problem-solving, and creativity.

This activity strongly links to the EYFS curriculum area of understanding the world, as children explore cause and effect and material properties.

Sensory Baskets

Sensory baskets filled with textured objects, natural materials, and everyday items invite children to investigate independently. These are especially beneficial for babies and younger toddlers, supporting early exploration, focus, and confidence.

How Sensory Activities Support Development

Sensory activities help children to:

• build fine and gross motor skills

• develop language through exploration and conversation

• regulate emotions and manage sensory input

• improve concentration and problem-solving

• gain confidence and independence

Because sensory play is open-ended, it adapts naturally to each child’s individual needs, a key principle of the EYFS curriculum.

Sensory Play at the Heart of Early Learning

At Pippa’s House, we believe children learn best when they are actively engaged, curious, and having fun. Sensory activities provide the perfect foundation for this, offering rich learning opportunities through play every single day.

By embedding sensory play into our curriculum, we support children to grow, explore, and thrive. Building skills that will support them throughout their early years and beyond.