Looking for creative ways to keep little hands busy and minds curious? Play Trays are perfect for sensory fun, hands-on learning, and just plain messy excitement. Here are four fantastic ideas to transform your play tray into a world of imagination and delight.
🍪 Cookie Making
Turn your play tray into a mini bakery! Nothing beats the joy of making, and tasting, your own cookies.
Ingredients:
- 225g butter (soft)
- 200g caster sugar
- 200g light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 375g plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarb
- ½ tsp salt
- 200g choc chips
Steps:
- Wash hands!
- Mix butter and sugars until smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
- Stir in flour, bicarb, and salt.
- Fold in choc chips.
- Lightly flour your Play Tray and roll dough finger-thick.
- Cut fun shapes with cutters, place on a lined tray, and bake at 180°C for 10–12 mins.
- Cool and enjoy the delicious results!
🌸 Petal Potion
Turn your tray into a magical garden potion that smells and shimmers.
Steps:
- Fill your Play Tray with cold water - just enough to cover the bottom.
- Sprinkle in a few handfuls of flour -sift if possible for smooth water.
- Mix with your hands until the water turns milky white.
- Add paper flowers, real petals, or blooms from an old bouquet.
- For extra sparkle, sprinkle in a little edible glitter and watch the magic happen!
🌊 Under the Sea Adventure
Dive into a sensory ocean experience right at home.
Steps:
- Add 1kg of plain rice to a bag with blue food colouring. Leave for an hour to dry.
- Mix up cereals in one section of your tray to create edible “sand”- different textures add extra sensory fun.
- Pour the dried rice into another section for your sea.
- Add sea-themed toys (fish, shells, boats) and let your little one explore an underwater world!
🎨 Puffy Painting
Bring painting to life with fluffy, colourful foam!
Steps:
- Split shaving foam into bowls.
- Add a few drops of food colouring to each bowl.
- Stir with a paintbrush until colours are vibrant. Add more colouring for darker shades.
- Spread the foam on paper and let your mini artists create puffy, squishy masterpieces!
With just a few household items, your Play Tray can become a bakery, a magical garden, a mini ocean, or an art studio. These activities aren’t just fun - they also encourage creativity, fine motor skills, and sensory exploration.
So grab your tray, roll up your sleeves, and let the adventure begin!
