Outdoor sensory play is a fun, engaging way to keep children entertained. Investigating a sand tray, splashing in a water play area, or even navigating stepping stones or balance beams - all of it presents an opportunity to mix play with strength, coordination, inquisitiveness, and other outcomes.

Sensory play also has a role in regulation. The different sounds, texture and movements can help children to process their environment in new ways, or even provide opportunities for emotional self-regulation. In this piece we’ll explore some of the best outdoor sensory play areas, along with their benefits beyond play.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why outdoor sensory play matters

• Sensory play zones and ideas

• Inclusive designs

• Safety and management

• Activity templates

Why Outdoor Sensory Play Matters

According to UNICEF, “children have better physical, mental and emotional health, and even improved learning, when they play outdoors”. Outdoor sensory play can develop physical skills like strength, coordination, and balance - all important aspects of gross motor development - especially when compared to indoor play involving screens.

It also presents opportunities for sensory exploration and regulation. Different textures, sounds and movement are possible outdoors, whether naturally occurring (weather, temperature) or part of built play zones (water trays, sensory gardens and so on). 

Structured outdoor play gives targeted opportunities to develop these areas, while unstructured play builds confidence in an environment where this development can happen behind-the-scenes.

Sensory Play Zones and Ideas

There are lots of options when considering how to structure an outdoor sensory play area. In this section we explore some popular favourites and the benefits you they offer, to give you inspiration.

Tactile Stations

Touch is the first sense most children want to use when they get outdoors, and these stations give them fantastic opportunities to do so:

• Mud kitchens give a range of sensory experiences, from crumbly soil to wet mud, with plenty of scope for additional play by incorporating other toys, water, and similar

• Sand tables and water tables offer similar opportunities around a different base material. Feeling the contrast between wet and dry sand, moving sand around with tools - all are fun and engaging ways to play

• Water play areas are the perfect warm-weather sensory play. Pouring, splashing, exploring temperature contrasts, and much more

Auditory Play

The outdoors is full of sounds that are filtered out by going inside. These activities help children to tune into what’s there and experiment with sound of their own:

• DIY musical instruments such as drums made from plastic pots, shakers made from bottles filled with beans and the like can be played loudly and freely outside for maximum enjoyment

• Wind chimes are relaxing and beholden to the whims of the wind, making them good for attentive exploration and emotional regulation 

• Listening walks are a way to transform any existing space by emphasising listening as a way to discover new sounds that may otherwise have been missed. This is a great way to focus the mind and encourage regulation

Movement and Proprioception

Children want to move, and these activities are designed to channel their energy with purpose:

• Balance beams or balance toys of different widths and heights present a fun way to explore that also caters to different levels of ability and challenge

• Stepping stones, whether natural or manufactured, offer similar benefits to the above but with different physical movements required to navigate them

• Tire-roll paths are a fun way to explore pushing and rolling - great for proprioceptive input

Visual and Nature Exploration

These activities help children to explore and engage with the colour, shape and texture found in abundance in the great outdoors:

• Sensory gardens offer visuals, smells, textures and plenty of other opportunities for multi-sensory engagement. Certain plants can be included for their relaxing properties too - ideal for emotional regulation

• Colour-coded scavenger hunts are a more active, engaged way of exploring an outdoor space while also developing core skills

• Leaf or flower sorting is a relaxing way to practice classification and colour recognition while developing fine motor skills in an outdoor environment

Inclusive Design Considerations

There are some things to consider when designing an inclusive outdoor sensory play area:

• Is the space accessible, with wheelchair-friendly surfaces, clear pathways, and raised stations that can be comfortably reached?

• Are there quiet zones where children can remove themselves from lively situations and regulate themselves when needed?

• Are there seats and rest areas for children who get fatigued quickly or require grounding when stimulated?

Safety and Management

Once the space is ready, there are ongoing considerations to ensure its safe usage. These allow children to gain the most enjoyment and benefits from the area:

• Supervision: are suitable ratios used between adult supervisors and children using the area? Are there clear sight lines between supervisors and all areas of the space? Are staff and parents briefed on how stations should be used and individual children’s requirements?

• Weather: do children have sun protection in sunny conditions? Are appropriate clothes worn? What is the wet/muddy play protocol in inclement weather?

• Sanitising: is a daily routine in place to ensure stations are kept clean and hygienic? Do all materials used lend themselves to this type of upkeep?

Activity Templates

Structuring outdoor play is as important as providing the opportunity. A reliable way of facilitating engagement with the space is to create a “daily menu” of outdoor play - this is a repeatable, clearly understandable framework that helps staff and children alike. 

For example:

• Morning: tactile activities to ground and settle children, and promote focus

• Midday: active movement activities to promote proprioception and burn energy

• Afternoon: quieter activities with a sensory focus to help children wind down before hometime

• The best structures are flexible, allowing for changes should weather, group needs, or other factors require them. But having a baseline to work from helps with consistency.

Outdoor Sensory Play: Simple, Powerful and AccessibleActivity Templates

Outdoor sensory play is a simple and powerful way to develop important skills, encourage self-regulation and, most importantly, let children have fun. While creating or maintaining an outdoor sensory play area can feel daunting, there are simple guiding factors that help to get an effective, engaging space up and running quickly. Our range of sensory products is a good starting place, and you can speak to our team for ideas or to discuss bespoke sensory solutions - we’d love to hear from you.