In a world where children are surrounded by screens and schedules, sensory preschool activities help children to actually fall back on their natural senses and explore the world through these. At Teeny Beans, we understand that the child’s sensitive period of learning is the early years, where you can actually help shaping their minds. That is why sensory activities are right at the heart of our curriculum.

But what is the preschool activity? These are nothing but hands-on activities that stimulate the senses of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Activities from squishing playdough to sorting coloured beads, these all are learning activities for children without any textbook in sight. A hands-on and bookless learning activity which is ideal for very young children. 

When a child is finger painting, playing with clay, cutting and tearing papers for crafts, or playing with water or pulses, they have a blast. And while they are enjoying themselves, unbeknownst to them, they develop themselves as they teach themselves something new.

 

The Pioneers of Sensory Education

The roots of sensory education can be traced back to the works of educational thinkers and visionaries. Maria Montessori is one such visionary who created her sensorial Montessori sensory kit to teach children by refining their various senses. 

Montessori was not alone in this stand. Many other educationists like Jean Piaget, Friedrich Froebel and Rudolf Steiner, also recognised its importance. Their studies have led to  the modern day sensory play activities for preschoolers around the globe.

Why Sensory Materials Matter in Preschool?

When children explore the world through their senses, they grasp the way the world works. That is why sensorial materials in the Montessori Kit, such as sound boxes, knobbed cylinders, pink towers, brown stairs, all are intentionally designed in a particular way, to highlight one sense at time.

Here’s how some of these classic tools work:

• Sound Boxes: These help children develop their sense of hearing. They match pairs of cylinders based on the sound they produce, increasing their awareness of different sounds so that they can distinguish between them. They refine the sense of hearing and promote careful listening.
  
  
• Knobbed Cylinders: Knobbed cylinders teach to distinguish differences in height, width, and depth, sharpening their visual perception and fine motor muscle development, strengthening their hand muscles. They engage the visual senses and strengthen their pincer grip.
  
  
• Pink Tower: These help children understand size and order by stacking cubes from the largest to the smallest. It sharpens their sense of sight and coordination (gross motor skills) as they carry their cubes to stack.
  
  
• Brown Stairs: The brown stairs introduce the concept of height and width. With the help of this material, children start to understand and visualise the concepts of thick-thin, big-small, and heavy-light. They engage the senses of touch and sight.
  
  
• Colour Tablets: Colour Tablets help children identify colours, teaching them about visual discrimination. They sharpen the visual sense and support early artistic appreciation.
  
  
• Thermic Tablets: Thermic Tablets teach children to differentiate between temperatures by touch, enhancing their sensitivity to heat and cold. They refine the tactile sense.
  
  

These Montessori sensory kit tools are used to isolate specific sensory input helping children focus, classify and refine their perceptions.

Sensory Preschool Activities at Teeny Beans

Top Sensory Preschool Activities to Try

 Need ideas for home or classroom use? Here are some of the favourite sensory preschool activities that we use at Teeny Beans, with details on the senses they engage and what they teach:

1. Rainbow Rice Bin 

• Sense that is engaged:  Touch and sight 
• How to do the activity: Fill a bin with colored rice and hide small toys or letters. Let children dig and explore. They will learn about the shapes, sizes and colours from here.

2. Sound Matching Jars 

• Sense that is engaged: Hearing 
• How to do the activity: Fill opaque containers with items like rice, beans, and bells. Have children shake and match identical sounds.

3. Smell Safari

• Sense that is engaged: Smell
• How to do the activity: Create smell stations with items like lemon peel, cinnamon, or mint leaves. Let children guess the scent.

4. Ice Painting 

• Sense that is engaged:  Touch and sight
• How to do the activity: Freeze colored water into cubes with craft sticks. Let children paint on paper as the ice melts.

5. Montessori Texture Walk

• Sense that is engaged: Touch and balance 
• How to do the activity: Lay out fabric pieces, bubble wrap, sandpaper, and felt. Let kids walk, touch, and describe the textures. 
  
  

These sensory play activities for preschoolers are designed not just for fun, but to spark deeper learning across multiple domains. And the magic lies in their simplicity. Children don’t need screens—they need textures, sounds, smells, and movement.

Why Sensory Play is Non-Negotiable

Still wondering why sensory preschool activities are a must? 

Research has shown that sensory-rich play improves a child’s memory, enhances their vocabulary, and strengthens their neural connections. It supports early literacy and numeracy in powerful ways. 

A child who sorts pom-poms by size is preparing for math classification as the learning pre math skills of small or big. After gathering, they will understand more or less. A child who plays with scented playdough is expanding language skills by describing smells. 

For children who have sensory neurodiverse needs, these activities offer a structured way to engage their senses in an environment they can control.

Sensorial Activities’ Impact

The sensory activities in the Montessori sensory kit are not just a trend. It is a proven collection of classroom tools still utilised. At Teeny Beans, we've tailored these classics for today's learners, ensuring our sensory activity for preschoolers is suitable for their age.

From pink towers to sensory trails and texture bins, our educational spaces are designed to stimulate the senses. Every interaction counts. 

Ultimately, sensory activities for preschoolers are more than just a trend, they are vital for brain development. At Teeny Beans, whether it’s a thoughtfully crafted sensory experience for preschoolers or an impromptu play session, their senses are kept engaged, and learning is active. 

Want to know how to set up a preschool without the burden of franchise fees? Share your details, and we’ll guide you step by step in building a sensory-rich learning space.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do sensory preschool activities support young children?

Sensory preschool activities help in promoting the development of the senses and create multi-sensory learning experiences. They use special materials that are used for sensory learning. 

2. What are sensorial activities in a Montessori classroom?

Sensorial activities in Montessori classrooms involve special tools like the Pink Tower, Knobbed Cylinders, and Thermic Tablets that had been specifically designed by Dr Montessori, for sensory learning. Each Montessori sensory kit item helps children refine their senses in a particular way.

3. How do sensory play activities for preschoolers help with their motor skill development?

Sensory play activities like finger painting, spooning rice, or using Montessori knobbed cylinders increase

• Fine motor skills by strengthening hand muscles and improving hand-eye coordination. 
• Gross motor skills also develop through activities like texture walks and stacking blocks, walking in a line, which require balancing and coordinating body movement.

4. Can sensory activity for preschoolers help neurodiverse children?

Yes, sensory play activities help neurodiverse children by providing a calming, structured outlet for the neurodiverse children. These experiences help them regulate sensory input and provide opportunities for social interaction in a safe, engaging way.

5. What are some easy sensory play activities for preschoolers at home?

Some fun and simple sensory preschool activities are having sensory bins, doing finger painting, playing with sound matching jars, making smelling jars, and having a pom pom sorting. These activities are engaging, low-cost activities, and require no elaborate setup.