One of my most traumatic childhood memories was a Halloween party in elementary school. We went to a haunted house in the library, got blindfolded, and said to reach into a bucket to feel brains and eyeballs. (It was actually cooked and chilled spaghetti noodles and grapes.)
The result might have been a little too terrifying for second graders, but it feels like that Food can be a great sensory toy is true. Noodles and rice, both cooked and uncooked, have a unique texture. There are many great examples of how people are using it Food as a sensory toydepending on how messy you want them to get.
Natural items like stones and seashells are also great additions to sensory bags because of their varying weights, textures, and colors. Essential oils that kids can smell without spilling can also provide calming elements.
The point is, almost any item lying around the house goes way beyond practical use. One of the most inspiring things I’ve experienced as a parent is to say, “Hey, this is a bunch of crap“find something interesting to do with it” and then inevitably watch them use things in ways your imagination could never have dreamed of.
