- Age:6 mo+
- Time:10 min
- Difficulty:Easy
- Mess level:Low
- Supervision:Yes
Sensorimotor Development and the Importance of Sensory Stimulation
We talked a lot about sensorimotor development and its importance in Sensorimotor development and activities for Children so we won’t go into many details here. But we strongly recommend that you read linked article to learn more about sensory, and sensorimotor development for Children.
In short, Sensorimotor development is a process of learning about our surroundings and the world around us using all our senses. To be able to learn, we must use those senses. And we can’t use them if there are no stimuli from our surroundings.
Let’s take for an example most used sense by human beings - sight. If you spend most of your time in the dark room, you won’t be exposed to different illuminations, brightness or colors. And if you spend all your life in that dark room, you won’t even know that they exist!
But what if you then exit that dark room, everything will be fine, right? Well… Not exactly. Research has found that there is something we call sensitive periods for learning different skills. Skills learned in that window come easily; later, they take much more effort.
Language is the classic example: in the early years a first language is absorbed spontaneously, while learning it much later in childhood (as rare cases of extreme deprivation have shown) becomes enormously harder.
With more varied stimuli and more varied experiences, children get more opportunities to learn, especially in the sensitive periods when they learn best.
Safety first
The sensory bag is for squeezing, not chewing: babies and toddlers who still explore with their mouth shouldn't get it in their hands freely - tape it to the floor or a table for them and let them poke and press it there. Check the seams before every use; if the bag leaks or a small part escapes, play time is over. Children under 3 should always be supervised while playing.
Tips for Using a Sensory Bag
Sensory Bag is an activity that provides a lot of sensory stimulation but doesn’t require any advanced skills to make. The beauty is - it’s all about experimentation! You can put anything inside: different shapes, little toys, letters, numbers, buttons or anything you like.
As a liquid substance, shower gel or shampoo is the best because its thickness is perfect for playing with the bag. Oh, and it smells nice. One final note - we recommend you avoid objects with sharp edges because they can easily pierce your bag and that can leave some mess.
Double-bag it and tape it down
For extra peace of mind, slide the filled bag inside a second freezer bag before you tape it shut - two layers make leaks almost impossible. Then tape the whole thing to the floor or a table so a baby can press and poke it without picking it up and mouthing the seams.
For toddlers, just squeezing and touching the bag provides them with the full spectrum of sensorimotor stimulation. The more colors you have the better. Touch, smell, and visual input will result in the development of those senses.
For preschoolers, you can spice it up and make a game from it. For example, you can put blue or red buttons in your bag, draw red and blue circle on the bag and ask your child to move all the red buttons in the red circle and blue buttons in the blue circle. You can use letters and numbers to make it even better learning activity, possibilities are endless, just try to find the one that best suits your child needs and abilities.
For preschoolers, the sensory bag doubles as a color-sorting game.
Materials Needed for a Sensory Bag
- Shower Gel
- Freezer Bag
- Glitter Shapes
- Scissors
- Duct tape
- (Extra) Glitter
A freezer bag, shampoo, buttons and tape are all a sensory bag takes.
How to Make a Sensory Bag
Watch the video at the top of the article to see a complete guide, or continue reading the description below.
- Take one Freezer Bag, open it and put your Glitter shapes in the bag. Note that it is best to use oval shapes, or shapes without sharp edges because they can more easily pierce the bag while playing with it and that could make some mess.
- Add glitter if you decided to use it.
- Now pour in your Shower Gel into the bag. How much Gel you will need depends on the size of your bag, but we recommend you fill the bag from 20% to 40% of its full size.
- Now you need to seal your Bag. It will be easier if the bag has a zipper but it’s not required. You can use Duct tape and even Scotch tape. Wrap it around the bag so it's sealed tightly. If the bag is too big, you can cut it or wrap it as we did in the video.
- And you’re done! Now it’s play time.
Squeeze and slide: play time with the finished sensory bag.
Why does thick shower gel work better than water inside a sensory bag?
Make your prediction, then tap an answer to check!
Benefits of a Sensory Bag
- Interesting texture ensures rich tactile stimuli
- Visual and scent stimulation
- Motor development through squeezing and manipulating small objects
- Develops attention and concentration
Key takeaways
- A sensory bag is a sealed, see-through bag filled with a thick liquid (shower gel or shampoo) plus small objects, giving mess-free touch, sight, and smell stimulation.
- It's ideal from around 6 months: babies squeeze and press it, while preschoolers can use it for colour-sorting and letter games.
- Thick gel works because of its viscosity - objects drift slowly, so they're easy to watch and push.
- Keep it safe and leak-free: avoid sharp objects, double-bag and tape it well, tape it down for mouthing babies, and supervise play.
- It builds fine motor skills, attention, and cause-and-effect understanding while staying completely mess-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sensory bag?
A sensory bag is a sealed, see-through plastic bag filled with a thick liquid such as shower gel or shampoo, plus small objects like buttons, glitter, or letters. Children squeeze, press, and slide the contents around, getting rich touch and visual stimulation with zero mess.
What age is a sensory bag good for?
From around 6 months, once a baby can press and poke at things. Younger babies enjoy the squishy texture and moving colours; preschoolers can use it for colour-sorting or spelling games. Tape it down and supervise babies who still explore with their mouths.
What liquid should I put in a sensory bag?
Thick shower gel or shampoo works best - its viscosity makes the objects move slowly and satisfyingly, and it smells nice. Clear hair gel also works well. Avoid thin, runny liquids like water, which move too fast to track and feel less interesting to squeeze.
How do I stop a sensory bag from leaking?
Squeeze out excess air, then seal the opening with strong tape (duct or packing tape). For extra security, slide the whole thing inside a second freezer bag and tape that too. Avoid sharp-edged objects that could pierce the plastic, and check the seams before each use.
Are sensory bags safe for babies?
Yes, when made and used carefully. Because everything is sealed inside, it's mess-free, but a baby who mouths things shouldn't hold it freely - tape it to the floor or table so they can press it in place. Check for leaks before every use and always supervise.
What skills does a sensory bag develop?
It develops fine motor skills through squeezing and pushing, hand-eye coordination, and attention and concentration. Turned into a sorting or letter game, it also supports early colour recognition, counting, and literacy - all through mess-free, hands-on play.
Looking for more sensorimotor activities? We recommend you to check How to make Homemade Sensory Bottle, How to make Sensory Play Colors and How to make Homemade Playdough and let the fun to continue. And for extra color learning, check out the Rainbow colored rice activity for more sensory playtime.
