If you've every wondered what makes a good toddlers toy, your first thoughts may be fun, safe to play with or even educational, but a truly great toy goes far deeper...
Enter the multifaceted Sensory Toy.
These playtime attention grabbers are specially made to keep your little one engaged while mentally and physically developing their minds...all while having fun! Sensory toys work by honing in on the strongest senses - sight, touch and sound.
Usually, sensory toys are cleverly designed with unique colours, creative patterns and different elements to create interest, encourage inquisitiveness and curiosity as well as giving them gratification.
Here are a few of our favourite sensory toys for your little one:
Dynamic Sand
Bring sand play indoors with the Gowi Toys Indoor Play Sand. Easy to shape and mould, dynamic sand helps kids discover, explore and develop imagination, creativity and artistic expression through sensory play.
Ideal for use at home or in the classroom, dynamic sand is perfect for group play as well as individual play. Dynamic sand is also a wonderful sensory toy that will aid in childhood development. This sand comes in a range of colours including Natural, Green, Pink and Red.
Make the fun last even longer with a set of big or small 3D sand moulds. These can be used to shape the dynamic sand into fun shapes including a pony, a crocodile, a lion and a cat!
Tender Leaf Toys Rainmaker
Listen to the sound of the rain with these tumbling beads! This Rainmaker from Tender Leaf Toys is an interesting way for children to learn about the weather and encourages them to explore making sounds.
Made from sustainable rubberwood and painted using water-based paints, this will also make a lovely rattle for your little one which helps to strengthen sensory and gross motor skills.
Tender Leaf Toys Peacock Colours
See the world in different colours, or mix the colours to create as many colour combinations as you like! This wonderful Peacock Colours toy from Tender Leaf Toys has 5 tail feathers with coloured acrylic windows that can be opened and closed like a real peacock.
Made from sustainable rubberwood and painted using water-based paints, this is a great toy for children to learn about colours and colour mixing. It can also help stimulate visual interest and is great for engaging in sensory play.
Tiger Tribe Bath Rocket
Bath time is a real blast when you’re the captain of your own Bath Rocket! Simply dunk the rocket underwater to fill it up, counting down from ten as the water level rises. Then 3-2-1 it’s lift off time! As your little one simulates the rocket launch, water rushes out, cascading from the spinning jets and creating a supersonic dome shape.
A wonderful way to introduce sensory play into bath time, Bath Rocket encourages kids to get their hair wet and enjoy the feel of water pouring over their heads. For a bit of extra fun, watch the little astronauts through the rocket window as they bob and float ‘in space’, moving as the water level rises and falls.