What are sensory toys?

Sensory toys are toys that stimulate the senses and help children explore through feeling, moving and discovering.

At Little Botanic Label, you'll find sensory toys that not only stimulate the senses but also bring peace. Toys that grow with your child and fit the bill for a conscious, sustainable lifestyle.

Through various durable materials, textures, and weights, your child learns to feel, move, and explore. Sensory toys are therefore also called sensorimotor toys : toys that combine sensory stimuli and movement, contributing to motor and cognitive development.

Why are sensory toys so good for kids?

Sensory-motor toys belong in every play area with young children. They're fantastic toys for their development.

  • It stimulates fine and gross motor skills ;
  • It helps in processing stimuli
  • Encourages independent play and playful learning .

Sensory toys aren't just enjoyable for the senses, they're often very versatile. For example, sensory bean bags are not only enjoyable to touch, but also great for rattling, stacking, or learning to throw. Sensory toys often fall into the category of open-ended toys .

peuter speelt met open einde speelgoed

What age are sensory toys suitable for?

Sensory toys are suitable for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and well into elementary school. The way a child plays with sensory toys naturally changes with age and development.

For a baby, sensory play is primarily about feeling and exploring. For a toddler, this increasingly involves movement, balance, and repetition. This way, sensory toys remain challenging without constantly having to buy new ones.

Curious about our sensory toys?

Check out our sensory toys

Which sensory motor toys are suitable for babies?

Sensory-motor toys for babies are simple toys they can feel, grab, and move. For example, bean bags feel wonderful but also make a sound when picked up or shaken. This stimulates all of your baby's senses.

These kinds of sensory baby toys help babies get to know their bodies better and connect the dots between what they feel and what they do. Soft, safe, and simple toys often work best. Choose natural, battery-free baby toys .

Sensory toys for 2 year olds

Around the age of two, your child's play visibly changes. They play more consciously. They grab, throw, stack, and repeat this over and over again. Sensory toys are a perfect fit for this, as they encourage exploration with the whole body and just the hands.

Sensory toys are great for 2-year-old toddlers if they're sturdy, pleasant to the touch, and can be used in a variety of ways. Think of touching, sorting, carrying, throwing, or balancing. The sensory balloon is therefore very popular with 2-year-olds. They can feel it, but also roll and throw it. They can also play very actively with it.

Sensory toys for 0-9 years

This sensory motor toy is loved by children aged 0 - 9 years and will remain fun for years.

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spelen met sensomotorisch speelgoed

Do sensory toys also provide peace?

Absolutely. At Little Botanic Label, we believe that toys don't need to be battery-powered to last forever.

We think these toys are too stimulating. Toys that only stimulate the senses bring peace to your child's mind. Because when you feel the soft, delicate materials, you leave your mind and sink into your body.

Playing with sensory toys helps your child relax after a busy day at daycare or school.

What are the best sensory toys for young children?

For young children, especially those under 3, it's important to pay attention to safety. Sensory toys without small, loose parts are a conscious choice.

Materials like play rice or kinetic sand can be sensory-rich, but are less suitable for young children due to their small parts. Sensory toys like a balloon ball or sensory bean bags stimulate the senses without small parts. This makes them safe and versatile.

How do sensory toys help develop fine motor skills?

Fine motor skills involve small movements with the hands: grasping, releasing, feeling, pinching, and moving. In young children, this develops primarily through doing.

Sensory toys naturally encourage this. Your child discovers through play what something feels like, how firmly it needs to be gripped, and what happens when you move, stack, or drop it. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to do it.

Sensory bean bags illustrate this beautifully. Picking them up, feeling them, and moving them develops hand muscles and hand-eye coordination. The different textures and weights ensure that your child moves slightly differently each time.

Our top 5 sensory toys

Sensory motor toys come in many different forms, but these 5 toys are very popular in our home.

View the bestsellers

Sensory toys: less stimuli, more play

Sensory play revolves around materials that encourage touch, movement, and discovery. Toys that evolve with your child's development. From baby to toddler, and often for years to come.

Whether you're looking for sensory-motor toys for your baby, sensory toys for a 2-year-old, or toys to help you relax after a busy day, open-ended sensory toys lay a strong foundation for free play.

View all our sensory toys here

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