Children can learn so much with just their feet!
This simple sensory activity for your kid’s feet is created by using items that you have around your home.
This unique sensory walking path will look different for each person because it utilizes whatever supplies you have on-hand and whatever items you think your kids will most enjoy.
Sensory experiences are an important part of child development, but many sensory activities only utilize the hands.
Our feet are just as sensitive as our hands and this activity allows children the experience of learning, exploring, and feeling with their feet.
You can do this indoors or out, so decide if you want to create an indoor or outdoor walking path because that will dictate which type of items you collect.
Then collect items from around your home that you think your kids would enjoy walking on.
I recommend collecting a variety of different sensory items. Here is a list of a few examples (with affiliate links for your convenience). Be creative and use what you have.
- a textured pillow
- a Lego base plate
- a heating pad
- some wet newspaper
- some dried beans
- some bubble wrap
- some dried cereal or rice
- a wooden beam or board
- various paint colors
- some cooked spaghetti noodles
Honestly, the possibilities are endless!
Once you’ve collected and prepared all of your sensory walking path items, make a plan for which items to place at which point in your walking path.
For safety concerns, I wouldn’t suggest putting the wet newspaper before the heating pad, or a soapy tub before the bubble wrap.
Additional safety items we learned along the way:
- Anything in a cookie sheet is slippery; a cardboard box may be better.
- Rice or any dry food item sticks to feet, especially when wet.
- Have a towel or baby wipes ready to wipe feet off in between sensory stations as needed.
Just space out the different items to provide a well-rounded and safe sensory experience.
It may take a bit of trial-and-error, but that’s all part of learning together.
Before you have your kids begin following their sensory walking path, I recommend emphasizing that it is a “walking” path and to take their time and make discoveries at each sensory station.
Have them wiggle their toes, stomp their feet, and jump up-and-down.
Some kiddos may need you to hold their hand as they walk through the path to help with balance.
The wet newspaper and rice sensory stations were a huge hit with my kiddos!
You can also add in an artwork component to this activity!
After your kids have walked through their sensory walking path a few times, simply place some paint and paper at the end of the path.
I suggest putting the paint in something (just know that paint in a tray is very slippery) and tape the paper down.
Then invite your kids to walk through the path once more, but at the end have them walk through the paint and then onto the paper for some fun feet painting.
Side note: their feet will stick to the paper, so they will need some help after their painting is complete.
Just make sure to have a towel or hose ready to wash off the paint.
Then display their feet painting as a reminder of all the fun they had with their sensory walking path and feeling with their feet!
Also, depending on the materials you use; you may have some mess to clean up afterward.
But cleaning up together can be fun!
What are some of the items that you’d put in your sensory walking path?
Simple Sensory Walking Path for Feeling with Your Feet on handsonaswegrow.com
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