How to organize your sensory play in 3 easy and affordable steps

If you’re like me, you’ve accumulated a lot of sensory play materials over the years and you struggle to keep up with storing and organizing all of it. Well, I finally got the time to get it all organized and here are some of my favorite tips and tricks to keep your playroom tidy while enjoying lots of fun (and sometimes messy) sensory play. In this room, I store over 200 sensory play activities along side a multitude of other toys and books.

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.

More great tips and tricks

For even more great storage solutions follow some of my favorite accounts:

• Follow Teaching by the Mountains for tips like this Maple & Lark zipper pouch organizer

• Follow The Home Edit for great tips like arranging your books by rainbow color

Video Block

Double-click here to add a video by URL or embed code. Learn more

Alphabet lego kit

If you’re in the alphabet learning stages or even just the early building phases, this Lego Alphabet Kit is an absolute must have. And with the holiday season coming up, your kiddos are sure to love unwrapping this one. This set comes in both standard lego sizes for ages 5-8 and duplo size (2 times the size bricks) for your littler ones 1-4 who still like to mouth small objects. You can pair these up with base plates and build at your Flisat table, or you can take them on the go with the on-the-go kit. We took this set with us on the long flight to Pittsburgh and it kept Sofie in her chair, entertained for 30min.

Enjoy building and learning at the same time with this awesome kit!

Calm and Soothe: The Magic of Sensory Bottles for Kids

As a mom of a toddler, I understand the daily challenges of helping kids navigate through overwhelming feelings. In my journey, I've found sensory bottles to be a game-changer. Not only do they provide a calming effect, but they also offer a myriad of developmental benefits for little ones. In this post, I'll share the wonders of sensory bottles, how they assist kids with sensory issues, and provide a step-by-step guide on creating your own sensory bottles at home.

Here’s what you’ll need to create them yourself.

1. Clear white plastic bottles

2. Colorful legos

3. Colorful teething beads

4. Plastic sprinkles

5. Baby Oil

Understanding the Magic of Sensory Bottles

Sensory bottles, also known as calm-down or discovery bottles, are transparent containers filled with materials that engage the senses. The mesmerizing effect of watching colorful items float and swirl inside the bottle can effectively capture a child's attention, bringing a sense of tranquility and focus. These magical bottles are particularly beneficial for children with sensory processing challenges as they provide a safe and controlled sensory experience, promoting self-regulation and emotional well-being.

Benefits of Sensory Bottles for Kids with Sensory Issues

1. Calming Effect: Sensory bottles serve as a visual sensory tool helping children to self-soothe and regulate overwhelming emotions. The gentle movement and intriguing colors can provide a sense of relaxation during anxious moments.
2. Sensory Exploration: By creating and exploring sensory bottles, children engage in tactile, visual, and auditory experiences that can aid in sensory integration, assisting them in processing sensory information more effectively.
3. Encourages Focus and Attention: The captivating nature of sensory bottles captivates children's attention, making them an excellent tool for promoting concentration and minimizing distractions, especially for kids with attention difficulties.

Incorporating Other Calming Techniques

In addition to sensory bottles, various calming techniques can be incorporated to create a supportive environment for kids with sensory sensitivities. These techniques include deep pressure activities, sensory-friendly play spaces, and breathing exercises that encourage relaxation and self-regulation.

Let's Make Your Own Sensory Bottles!

Materials Needed:

• Clear plastic bottles with secure lids

• Clear baby oil, glue or glycerin

• Water

• Food coloring

• Glitter, sequins, beads, or small toys

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Begin by selecting a few plastic bottles with secure lids to prevent leaks and spills.
2. Fill the bottles halfway with warm water.
3. Add clear glue or glycerin to the water. They help slow down the movement of the items inside the bottle.
4. Drop a few drops of food coloring into the bottle. Choose colors that your child finds soothing.
5. Next, add glitter, sequins, beads, or small toys to the bottle. These items will create an exciting visual effect when the bottle is shaken. I used teething beads, colorful legos, and resin sprinkles.
6. Once all the components are in the bottle, seal the lid tightly and secure it with hot glue if necessary.

Enjoy the Calming Magic

Shake and tilt the sensory bottle gently and observe the mesmerizing dance of colors and objects within. If your child is feeling overwhelmed, encourage them to focus on the bottle's movements, taking deep breaths as they watch the sensory magic unfold.
In conclusion, the benefits of sensory bottles for children, especially those with sensory issues, are vast. They not only provide a calming effect but also offer opportunities for sensory exploration and focus enhancement. By incorporating sensory bottles and other calming techniques into your child's routine, you can create a supportive environment that nurtures their emotional well-being and sensory development.

Remember, every child is unique, so have fun experimenting with different materials and colors to create sensory bottles that resonate with your little one's individual preferences and needs. Enjoy the journey of creating these enchanting tools and witnessing the calming magic they bring to your child's world.
Wishing you and your little ones moments of peace and tranquility,

xoxo,
Kylie

Flisat Sensory Play: Egg-Cellent Eggs

This morning Sofie was sick with a runny nose so during her nap I threw together this egg-themed invitation to play. With Easter coming up, it felt like the perfect theme. Sofie loves eating eggs everyday for breakfast so this gave us the perfect excuse to learn more about eggs and where they come from.

Egg-centric Activity Ideas:

1. Make some eggs: Okay this one is super obvious but if your toddler has a play kitchen then I’m sure they’ll love whipping you up something that you usually make for them. Sofie typically likes her eggs hard boiled but will occasionally request the scramble or fried like her momma. And if you don’t have the play setup, nothing is a substitute for the real thing. So jump in the kitchen and scramble away!

2. Lifecycle of a chicken: Sofie has just started to learn about lifecycles and how animals go through phases and change throughout their lives. For Easter I made her this adorable lifecycle of a Chicken Card Set so that she could learn more phases. Paired with this amazing Lifecycle Board from Kinderspiel, she’s learning and connecting so many dots it’s amazing. I also love these wooden eggs and this Plan Toys wooden breakfast set.

3. Egg shape & color matching: Sofie got this awesome gift last Christmas and she just loves it! I crack open all of the eggs one by one and lay them out on the floor. Then I pick one up and ask Sofie to find the match. She gets a total kick out of its awesome!

4. Breakfast felt food & flashcard matching: I’m a total sucker for felt food and this avocado toast set up was no exception. Sofie has pretty much all of the breakfast foods in felt so we started matching her Breakfast Flashcards with her felt toy collection. And she loves laying them all out on the floor side by side. Hae Handmade makes the cutest felt toys so I highly recommend checking out her shop.

5. Play Kitchen Cooking Play: Sofie loves her new play kitchen and having wooden food play on hand has been awesome. She loves going into her kitchen to cook. I also love these wooden eggs and this Plan Toys wooden breakfast set. I paired this setup with this amazing book Touch Think Learn Food book.