Simple Summer Sensory Play Ideas for Toddlers and Preschoolers

(No Fancy Setup Required)

As summer kicks off and routines start to shift, you might find yourself looking for easy, meaningful ways to fill your days with your toddler or preschooler. Cue: sensory play.

Not the complicated, Pinterest-style kind that requires 14 craft supplies and a tarp—but the real kind. The kind that taps into your child’s natural curiosity, supports their development, and gives you both a reason to get outside.

Because here’s the truth: sensory play doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to happen.

What Is Sensory Play?

Sensory play is any activity that activates your child’s senses—and there are seven (yes, 7!!) of them! (Touch, sight, sound, taste, smell, plus vestibular and proprioceptive—two systems that help with movement and body awareness.)

Sensory input is how children’s brains grow and learn. The sights, sounds, textures, and movements they experience actually help build new neural pathways. So when you give your child a chance to engage in sensory-rich play, you're not just entertaining them—you're supporting their nervous system, regulation, attention, and overall development.

Our Favorite Free + Easy Outdoor Sensory Play Ideas

You don’t need a backyard makeover to support your child’s sensory needs this summer. These ideas are low-prep, screen-free, and toddler-approved:

1. WATER PLAY

Use a hose, a container of water, a kiddie pool—anything goes! Water play stimulates the tactile system (touch) and, when kids are jumping, splashing, or pouring, it builds the vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive (body awareness) systems too.

2. BUBBLES

Simple but magical. Watching bubbles stimulates the visual system; chasing and popping them activates the tactile system. Plus, it’s a great way to practice breath control if you let your child blow their own.

3. SAND

Whether it’s a sandbox, a beach day, or even a big bowl of kinetic sand, sand play works the tactile system and strengthens fine motor skills through digging, scooping, and building.

4. MUD + DIRT

Messy? Sure. Worth it? Absolutely. Playing in dirt can help kids with tactile sensitivities warm up to new textures, and it offers grounding, full-body sensory input that supports regulation.

5. GRASS ROLLING

Sometimes the simplest things are the most beneficial. Rolling, crawling, or laying in the grass supports the vestibular system and gives calming, full-body input.

6. ICE PLAY

Freeze toys or nature treasures (like leaves or flowers) in water and let your child “excavate” them with warm water or tools. It’s a mix of tactile, visual, and proprioceptive input—and it’s a hit on hot days.

Why This Matters

Sensory play isn’t about making a mess or checking a parenting box. It’s about helping your child feel more regulated, more focused, and more confident in their body.

And the best part? It doesn’t require a perfect setup. These ideas are flexible, free, and easy to repeat all summer long.

Want Another Simple Summer Win?

If you’re looking to build independence alongside sensory skills, I created a free resource just for you:

👉 The Summer Life Skills Checklist

It’s filled with simple, practical ways to help your toddler or preschooler build independence this summer – because these types of skills are WAY more important than teaching things like letters and math skills at this age!

You can print it, stick it on the fridge, and choose a new skill to focus on every few days.

Because your child doesn’t need constant entertainment or complicated plans. They just need rhythm, connection, and a little space to grow.

Download the FREE Summer Life Skills Checklist HERE!

Let’s make this summer simple, sensory, and supportive. You got this!