30 Must-Buy Sensory Toys for Toddlers - Balls, Activity Cubes and More

Sensory toys are such an important part of our children’s childhood, especially in their younger years. Babies and toddlers love touching everything and the items within this list will help encourage that need and develop their senses. There’s toys for every age here so if you’re looking for a sensory toy, you’ve come to the right place.

Rainbow Color Sorting Sensory Bin

Squishy Sensory Fidget Spiky Ball

Providing stress relief and some anxiety release, these toys not only help with stress related conditions but are great for sensory play. Made from rubber with surrounding spikes, your toddler will enjoy feeling their way around this stress ball and learning about the different textures.

$13.51

Huile Kids Musical Toy Xylophone Piano

Make some sweet soundin’ music with your toddler using this xylophone piano. They can use the hammer to bash away at the keys, all while learning about colors, numbers and letters. It can also improve their hand eye coordination and fine motor skills with the ball drop slide track.

Prices Vary

Melissa & Doug Twisting Inchworm Multi-Sensory Rattle Baby Toy

A great sensory toy for babies and toddlers, the twisting inchworm from Melissa and Doug will provide hours of entertainment. It has so many sensory elements such a rattling tail, ridged antenna and plenty of bumps. Each segment turns, making a clicking sound adding an extra sensory experience for your little ones.

Prices Vary

Manhattan Toy My Pal Elly Wooden Pull-Along

Help develop your toddler’s understanding of shapes with this pull along elephant. It might even help them with their walking, depending how steady they are on their feet. Made from sturdy wood with rolling rubber wheels, Elly is sure to withstand anything your toddler has in store for it.

Prices Vary

Aqua Doodle Mat

The thought of letting a toddler loose with some coloring pens sends shivers down some parent’s spines. Fear not, the Aqua Doodle mat is the solution. Your child can create wonderful colorful pictures just by using water which is a lot easier to clean up than pen on your nice white walls!

Prices Vary

Hohner Kids Easy Grip Maracas

Kids love to make noise so why not encourage that need with these colorful maracas? Suitable from 3+, this sensory toy is bright and colorful, so it’ll grab the attention of your child straight away. And when they realize how much noise they can make with them, they’ll be sold.

$14.04

Early Education Colorful Wooden Tangram Jigsaw Puzzles

Remember the video game Tetris? Now you can introduce this awesome game to your toddlers but without having to use a computer screen. These wooden blocks fit together in a number of different geometric patterns and your child has to use their logical thinking to work out how.

Prices Vary

Musical Caterpillar Twist and Rattle Baby Teether Toy Worm

This cute sensory toy will suit both babies and toddlers. Babies will love it for the rattles and bright colors while your toddler will love twisting the different sections. It also plays 6 different tunes which will capture the attention of whoever is playing with it.

Prices Vary

Skoolzy Peg Board Set

You can use this toy in so many different ways. As well as being a sensory toy, this peg board can be used in an educational way, too. Teach your toddler about colors, counting and sorting, all while tuning their fine motor skills as they stack the pegs one on top of the other.

$18.97

Toyzoo Learning Bead Maze Wooden Educational Toy

With 5 sides, each with a different activity, this sturdy wooden cube is an excellent toy for toddlers. They can learn their numbers, play music on a xylophone and use their fine motor skills to work out how to lace beads or get the wooden beads through the maze.

Prices Vary

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Bug Jug Fill and Spill Soft Baby Toy

Great for developing their hand eye coordination, this toddler toy also has many sensory elements too. Fill up the see-through jug with the multi textured toys and then tip them out, ready to start over. The cute critters crinkle, rattle and squeak which will appeal to any small child.

Prices Vary

Infantino Big Top Discovery Cube Development Toy

The perfect sensory toy for you to give as a present to a new baby, this discovery cube is great for helping them to discover the world around them. It has 6 sides, each with a different activity on and there’s a pop-up mirror inside the lid so the baby can see themselves.

$12.54

Huile Musical Activity Cube

Your toddler won’t know where to start with this fun and colorful activity cube. It’s got so many educational activities for them, they’ll never got bored. Make music by beating the drum and listen to the different phrases, developing hand eye coordination and language.

$36.99

Born2Calm Fidget Toys

If your child suffers from any sort of anxiety, these small sensory toys can be a great reliever. They’re compact enough for you to slip into your bag or their pocket so they’ll always be there when they need some distraction or relief from a difficult situation.

$11.97

Melissa & Doug K's Kids Take-Along Shape Sorter

As parents, we know how stressful it can be trying to keep children occupied in a situation where they have to wait around. This sensory shape sorter toy is the perfect solution. Slot the shapes into their correct holes, then zip up the padded case and away you go.

$15.77

Hosim Soft Baby Animal Tails Cloth Book

Develop their senses with this adorable padded book. Your toddler will learn how different textures feel all while getting used to reading and books. They’ll learn about scaly, sparkly, bumpy and furry, amongst others, and this sensory toy will be an instant hit.

$7.98

Lakeshore Mold & Play Sensory Sand Set

Let them discover the wonders of sand without the mess. This sensory sand looks and feels like regular sand but it’s completely dry and instantly sticks together. A plastic tray will keep it all contained which minimalizes the mess, and the tools included are great for building sandcastles.

Prices Vary

Kids Drum Set Beats Flash Light Toy

All kids love to make noise and they’ll be able to bang away to their hearts’ content with this sensory toy. It has three drum pads and two cymbals, all which light up and make a sound when you hit them. It also has a microphone so your toddler can sing along to their beats.

$39.99

EverEarth Garden Activity Cube

Shape sorting, bead counting and animals sliding, this hardwood activity cube has everything your toddler needs to develop their sensory stimulation. It’s design means it’s not likely to tip over while your child will play it and as far as sensory toys go, it ticks all the boxes.

$130.07

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Sis Toy

This Laugh and Learn puppy will become your child’s new best friend. It has 75+ songs, phrases, tunes and sounds as well as speaking 100 first words about shapes, the alphabet, and more. This adorable puppy has a light up hand, foot, ear and heart which will respond to your child’s touch.

$26.99

BOLEY Dump Truck Toy for Toddlers

Sometimes the simplest toys are the best toys. This sturdy little truck will withstand outdoor or indoor play and the bright colors will instantly grab your child’s attention. They can fill up the back with sensor items, like sand, and drive it around, maybe making a sandcastle with it.

Prices Vary

Step2 Duck Pond Water Table

Add this water table to their garden toy collection and they’ll have hours of fun playing with it in the sun. Send the ducks down the slide, watching them splash into the water. Or you could make the ducks swim by turning the centre spinner and see how the water swirls and spins.

Prices Vary

KAWO Musical Drum Toy Baby Beats

Ignite a passion for making cool music in your toddler with this musical drum toy for toddlers. Great for sensory development, when you bang on this drum it’ll make a laughing sound and light up. It could also be used to help your child learn their numbers and colors.

Prices Vary

Gund Baby Tinkle Crinkle Rattle Toy

Suitable for newborn’s, this colorful caterpillar is super bright so it’ll encourage your baby to take notice of it. It rattles and crinkles with every touch, strengthening their sensory development and making them want to interact with it more. Perfect for your new baby or a gift for a friend’s gorgeous new arrival.

Prices Vary

Skip Hop Bandana Buddies Soft Activity Toy

The clip on top of this cute elephant sensory toy means you can attach it to their car seat, stroller or even cot. It’s super soft and has a lot of different textures and fabrics, it also makes multiple sounds like rattles and chiming. Perfect for encouraging sensory development.

$15.99

Classic Wooden Toy Truck With Animals

The chunky build of the animals and the trailer make this truck perfect for toddlers and their small hands. Made from sturdy wood, it will be able to withstand their spirited playtimes. Watch them load the animals onto the trailer and push them around, making up adventures and play worlds.

Prices Vary

Manhattan Baby Beads Wood Rattle, Teether, and Clutching Toy

Perfect for babies and toddlers alike, these tactile beads make a great sensory toy. Multi colored non-toxic wooden beads are strung together on elastic, meaning your child can twist and turn them into any shape they like which will improve their gross motor skills.

Prices Vary

Skip Hop Bandana Buddies Soft Activity Toy

This adorable raccoon plush is a perfect sensory toy for your baby. Super soft, it has a lot of different textures and fabrics for your child to discover. There’s a bandana teether worn around the raccoon’s neck which you can take off and put around your child’s wrist for when they’re teething.

Prices Vary

Earlyears Pound ‘N Play Ball Ramp Toy

One of those classic sensory toys, this toy will develop your toddler’s hand eye coordination and motor skills. Pop one of the colorful balls into the holes and use the hammer to whack it, pushing it through the hole and down the ramp. There’s also a mirror which your child can look at their reflection in.

Prices Vary

Manhattan Toy Multi-Sensory Soft Activity Shape Set

Designed to provide tactile stimulation, this set of three sensory toys comes in three different shapes. A pyramid, sphere and cube; each toy has hidden sounds such as chime and rattle, teaching your child cause and effect. They’re soft and squashy too so they’re suitable for babies as well as toddlers.

$20.94

31 Diy Sensory Toys and Activities for Toddlers

Peek-a-boo Sensory Board

Toddlers learn the most about the world around them through sensory play. With that in mind, your little one will absolutely love playing with this DIY peek-a-boo sensory board made with the tops of baby wipe containers.

Bubble Wrap Road

Bubble wrap is one of those things that seemingly no toddler can resist. So why not delight your child by making her a bubble wrap road? Not only is it tons of fun, but it’s also a great opportunity for sensory play.

Toddler-safe Play Sand

Let your little one get a feel for sand at the beach with this fun DIY activity that encourages sensory play and development. And not to worry, this sand and beach small world is perfectly safe for toddlers to play with.

Giant Mermaid Fabric Sensory Board

Sensory toy boards work phenomenally well for helping kids to develop their gross motor skills. Here’s a DIY tutorial to make a giant mermaid fabric sensory board that your little one will love to play with.

Wash The Muddy Farm Animals Sensory Play

Little ones just love playing with toy animals and getting them muddy. Luckily, letting them wash off their muddy farm animals in a container filled with water also helps to encourage sensory development and creative play.

Toddler-Safe Finger Paint

Unleash your toddler’s inner artist while also steering him towards fun activities that encourage sensory play by playing with these neon edible finger paints together.

Duck Pond Sensory Play

Do your kids love ducks? Then you should definitely spend some time playing with them with this duck pond sensory play activity. It’s so much fun for little ones and it’s a great way to help them work on their motor skills.

Diy Sensory Blocks

Parents can always see how much their little ones love to touch and explore the world around them once they've been exposed to sensory toys for toddlers. Encourage more sensory play at home by making these cute DIY sensory blocks with this easy to follow tutorial.

Rainstick Musical Sensory Bottle

This see through rainstick is a totally unique DIY craft project that you can do with your kids. Not only is it an extremely cool homemade musical instrument, but it has the added benefit of encouraging sensory play as well.

Rainbow Fine Motor Sensory Bin

Bright colors and exploratory sensory play–what’s not to love for toddlers with this DIY rainbow sensory bin that helps little ones to develop their fine motor skills.

A Very Sticky Toddler Sensory Art Activity

Sometimes in life, it really is the simple things that can keep kids occupied for hours. A great example of that is this DIY sensory toy for toddlers made of sticky contact paper. It’s extremely easy to set up and will keep your kids busy for hours.

Diy Sensory Boards

There are tons of developmental benefits that are provided by sensory boards, which explains why there are so many ways to build your own from scratch. This sensory board for babies and toddlers is one of the better DIY options we’ve seen because it's extremely versatile and can be fitted with numerous options.

Star Box Sensory Play

Your toddler will be amazed and delighted once she sees all of the bright lights and colors in this DIY star box. The box is great for encouraging sensory play and best of all, it’s quick and easy to put together.

Easter Egg Sensory Play

This is a perfect DIY craft activity that you can do with your kids the next time Easter rolls around. This egg hunt is a brilliant mess-free way to keep them engaged with sensory play.

Bubble Bin Sensory Play

It’s incredible how many hours of entertainment your toddler will be able to get out of nothing more than two whisks and a bin full of water and bubbles. This water activity game is a great idea for sensory play time.

Slow Motion Calm Down Sensory Bottle

This just might be the most mesmerizing sensory bottle that we have ever seen. Your little one won’t be able to stop looking at this slow motion calm down sensory bottle. As an added bonus, the bottle size fits perfectly into small hands–perfect for toddlers!

Rainbow Cooked Pasta Sensory Play

Making rainbow pasta with your little one is an incredibly fun activity that you can do together that provides her with a wide range of benefits. It’s great for everything from sensory play to color identification skills.

Sensory Steps

Your toddler will be delighted to try out how each of these sensory steps will feel different on his bare feet. This is a great DIY activity that is super quick and easy to put together, while also helping to train their balance and coordination.

Frozen Dinosaur Eggs Sensory Play

These DIY frozen dinosaur eggs just might be the coolest sensory play activity that you’ll ever see. Your kids will be thrilled to hunt down these eggs and find out what’s inside of each of them!

Silly Soapy Sensory Jars for Toddlers

If you’ve been trying to come up with more activities for your toddler to try that helps to encourage sensory play, then you need to check out these soapy sensory jars. The color and glitter used will surely captivate your little one’s attention.

Wet Paper Sensory Activity

Sensory activities are so important for toddler and child brain development. That’s great because there are tons of DIY sensory games you can make from home, like this brilliant wet paper activity that also helps develop fine motor skills.

Yogurt Silly Putty

Completely edible, this yoghurt silly putty is a great alternative to usual slime or silly putty. Made from just yoghurt and corn starch, make this for your children and let them loose with it. It will provide a great sensory experience and is pretty easy to clean up too.

Diy Touch and Feel Sensory Sticks

This DIY tutorial shows you how to make touch and feel sticks which would be perfect for young babies and toddlers. Attach materials of your choice to popsicle sticks and watch your child explore the different textures and see how they react to each one.

Diy Shaving Cream Color Mixing Sensory Bags

Here is a messy activity…in which your child will remain mess free! It’s a win win situation for parents. Squirt some colored paint into a zip-loc bag, add some shaving foam and seal the bag (very tightly). Let your kid go wild, squishing it all together and making some cool patterns.

Diy Peek-a-Boo Sensory Board

Make this DIY peek-a-boo sensory board, attach it to a wall in your house, and your kid will have fun looking inside each door and feeling what’s inside. You could use old towels, sandpaper, flooring samples, anything you can get your hands on which has an interesting texture will be perfect.

Diy Drinking Straw Sensory Tub

A great use for those loose straws you have lying around, this tutorial is for a sensory bin filled with cut up straws. It can be used in so many different ways, sorting by color, fitting them together to make tall towers and counting while they build.

Diy Spring and Bugs Sensory Bin

Perfect for when winter has finally thawed, this themed sensory bin is centered around bugs and the season of spring. Place some dyed green rice into the bin for the grass and fill it with plastic bugs and butterflies, maybe even some flowers, and let your child discover and explore.

Diy Scooping Rice Sensory Bin

This is such a simple yet brilliant idea to keep your toddler amused while providing a sensory experience. Set up a large container with some smaller tubs and scoops inside. Pour in some loose rice and that’s it! Your toddler will have so much fun scooping and sorting the rice.

Googly Eye Sensory Bag

Great for young babies, this DIY sensory bag will provide tactile stimulation and amusement for your child. Fill a zip-loc bag with shower gel, add some googly eyes and seal it up as securely as you can. Watch as your child squishes and squashes the gel around and tries to pick up the eyes.

Diy Cool Whip Edible Toddler Sensory Activities

Using Cool Whip instead of shaving foam gives this sensory play the same texture but is safe for your children to eat. Freezing cubes of the Cool Whip adds an extra element to the play: the cold feel of the ice cubes and then watching it melt too.

Rainbow Color Sorting Sensory Bin

Grab a huge bag of cereal and empty it into a container. Add some cups and tongs/large pincers and that’s all you need to do to make this DIY rainbow color sorting sensory bin. As well as being a sensory experience, you can also teach your kids how to recognize and sort colors.

(You may also like: 37 STEM Toys for Your Little Toddler Genius)