1. Closed storage units

Okay okay. I know Montessori moms love the open and accessible shelving units for kids to have play items accessible and visual. And of course they’re great for toy rotations. But I find they just aren’t practical. Not all of your child’s toys need to be out and available and if we’re talking aesthetics, not all of them are pretty toys. So have a mix of open and closed shelving so that toys are at the ready but also there are some drawers to tuck away items not in use. We love our Aspect Modular shelves from Crate and Barrel. You can make a custom configuration that suits your room.

2. Peg Board Organizers

The Skadis pegboard from IKEA has been a lifesaver for us. I can easily store and display small parts and accessories for sensory play. We have our resin letters from @busylittles, we have our emotions pieces from @thesensoryexperience, and our resin pieces from @busylittles all stored neatly in these little containers. Plus we have our wool balls from @wonderyearsshop and our memory games from @bannortoys. Everything is sorted yet accessible so that we can pull them out at a moments notice.

This is a great way to store the sensory fillers that you’re going to use pretty regularly. Wool balls, kinetic sand, grapat and mandala toys, buttons, washi tape, and more. We also use the mesh wire bins to hold our GoodnightFox flashcards — the sets that we pull out most are Letter Sounds, Letters, High Frequency Words, and Emotions.

Resin Letters & Gems by Busy Littles

Emotions pieces by The Sensory Experience

Wool balls by The Wonder Years Shop

Dinosaur Bones by Creating Adventures Co

Rainbow Wooden Crayons by Oak & Co

Rainbow Chickpeas by Curious Wren

Alphabet Clips, Nuts & Bolts Erasers, Letter Erasers from Target Dollar Spot

Grapat & Mandala pieces from Amazon

Silicon Silly String from Amazon

Acrylic Characters by GoodnightFox

Flashcards by GoodnightFox

Playsilks by Sarah’s Silks

Peg Occupations Dolls by TinyMountainMovers

Resin pieces from Little October House

3. Sterilite Storage Bins & Containers

Most of our storage is in our closet. We store by theme in our Sterilite 15qt bins and our 4qt bins. We put toys, printables, flashcards, materials / fillers in these bins by theme. And our favorite hack is using our GoodnightFox flashcards at the front of each bin so that we can remember what the theme of each bin is.

4. BULK Food STORAGE containers FOR FILLERS

These work great for larger items and then for fillers and smaller materials, we use these free containers from the bulk foods section at WholeFoods. It’s so great because they’re free and come in two sizes so that we can easily store multiple colors of rice, chick peas, and other fillers. And they work great for keeping snacks and cereal from going stale!

5. Photo Storage Bins for small parts

Creating organized, themed storage solutions for small sensory play items is a game-changer in toy organization and playroom storage. I discovered an amazing hack using clear plastic photo storage boxes for this purpose. These 4x6 boxes are perfect for keeping tiny parts together and sorted by theme, allowing for quick and easy access to specific sensory play items.

What makes these storage boxes even more incredible is how 16 of them neatly fit into a portable case. This feature is a lifesaver for on-the-go activities, as you can easily keep them in your car for spontaneous play sessions. Whether it's a long road trip or a quick visit to a friend's house, having these boxes at hand ensures endless fun without worrying about missing pieces.

You can snag these on Amazon or wait for them to go on sale at Michaels!

6. Candy Jar clear containers

I found these in the target dollar spot one day and absolutely couldn’t resist. I have so many legos and I wanted to organize them all by color and essentially turn them into decor for the room instead of loose parts to hide and shove somewhere. You can store these containers on a shelf or use command strips to fix them to the wall. You can even use them for other things like sensory fillers (I use them to store chickpeas) but you can also store fillers like sand, corn, peas, beans, foam and more!

If you have room on your walls and you’re looking for a creative storage solution, you can easily use command strips to stick these to your walls damage free while making it easy for kiddos to reach in and grab what they’re looking for. Since I have so many rainbow colored legos, it was a no brainer to use these as both decor and storage.

Sensory stress balls are a simple, low-prep sensory activity that supports calm, focus, and fine motor development in young children. Made with everyday household materials, these squishy balls are especially helpful for toddlers who benefit from tactile input during quiet play, emotional regulation moments, or calming corner routines.

This easy DIY project is budget-friendly, customizable, and fits naturally into a sensory-rich home or homeschool environment.

Homemade stress balls sensory activity for toddlers at home

Toddler squeezing DIY stress ball for fine motor development

Sensory stress balls used in a calming corner for toddlers

What Are Sensory Stress Balls?

Sensory stress balls are soft, squeezable objects filled with different materials that provide tactile feedback through touch and pressure. For toddlers and preschoolers, this type of sensory input can be grounding and calming, especially during moments of frustration, overstimulation, or transition.

Unlike store-bought versions, DIY stress balls allow you to control the texture, firmness, and size to match your child’s developmental stage and sensory preferences.

Simple DIY stress ball activity using household materials

Close up of homemade sensory stress balls with different textures

Easy calming sensory play activity for toddlers indoors

Why Sensory Stress Balls Are Helpful for Toddlers

Sensory play is a foundational way young children learn about the world. Stress balls support several key areas of development:

Emotional Regulation

Squeezing and manipulating a stress ball gives children a physical outlet for big feelings. This repetitive motion can help them slow down and reset, making stress balls a useful tool in calming corners or quiet play spaces.

Fine Motor Development

The act of squeezing strengthens hand and finger muscles, which are important for later skills like writing, cutting, and self-help tasks.

Sensory Exploration

Different fillers create different tactile experiences. Comparing textures helps children build sensory awareness and descriptive language.

Focus and Attention

Tactile input can help some children remain engaged during storytime, transitions, or seated activities.

Recommended Ages and Safety Notes

This activity is best for toddlers ages 18 months and up with close supervision.

Younger toddlers benefit from softer fillers and adult-made stress balls.
Preschool-age children can help pour and explore textures with guidance.
Always double-layer balloons and supervise play to prevent breakage.

Materials Needed

You likely already have everything you need at home:

Balloons (regular size, preferably latex)
A funnel or a plastic bottle with the top cut off
Sensory fillers such as:
- Salt
- Flour
- Rice (including sushi rice)
- Oatmeal
Optional: markers or stickers for labeling or decorating

Using different fillers allows you to create a full set of stress balls with varied textures and weights.

Fine motor sensory play with homemade stress balls

DIY sensory toy for toddlers using balloons and rice

How to Make Sensory Stress Balls

Set up your workspace with a tray or towel to catch spills.
Stretch a balloon over the funnel or bottle opening.
Slowly pour in the chosen filler. Thicker fillers may need gentle tapping or a spoon to help them through.
Remove the balloon and tie it securely.
For durability, place the filled balloon inside a second balloon and tie again.
Repeat with different fillers to create a variety of sensory experiences.

Sensory Play and Learning Extensions

Once your stress balls are made, there are many ways to extend the activity:

Compare textures by touch and talk about how each ball feels.
Line them up from softest to firmest.
Use descriptive language such as soft, squishy, heavy, grainy, or smooth.
Add stress balls to a sensory tray alongside other tactile materials.
Include them in a calming corner with books, soft seating, and quiet activities.

Stress balls also pair well with sensory bins and fillers found here.

Using Stress Balls in a Calming Corner

Calming corners give children a safe, supportive place to regulate emotions. Stress balls work especially well in these spaces because they are portable, quiet, and intuitive to use.

If you’re building or refreshing a calming corner at home, you may also find this helpful.

For children who benefit from emotional language and mindfulness tools, affirmations and calm-focused activities can complement sensory tools.

Free Resources to Extend Sensory Play

If you’re looking to build a collection of easy, intentional activities for toddlers, you can explore the GoodnightFox free printable library. It includes sensory play ideas, dramatic play kits, and learning tools designed for early childhood.

Free printable library

Final Thoughts

DIY sensory stress balls are a practical, low-cost way to support emotional regulation, fine motor development, and sensory exploration at home. With just a few materials, you can create a versatile calming tool that fits naturally into daily routines, play trays, or calming spaces.

This project is simple to make, easy to adapt, and a meaningful addition to any sensory-rich learning environment.

1. Closed storage units

2. Peg Board Organizers

3. Sterilite Storage Bins & Containers

4. BULK Food STORAGE containers FOR FILLERS

5. Photo Storage Bins for small parts

6. Candy Jar clear containers

More great tips and tricks