You can create a sensory tub using only edible materials. In addition to exploring different tastes, children are also encouraged to feel distinct textures, as well as observe diverse colors, sizes and shapes. Use a small plastic tub, to avoid food waste. Brazil nuts, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, peanuts, macadamias, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, popcorn, cereals and dried fruit are some things you can put in a taste-based sensory tub.
Encourage children to explore different scents by creating a sensory tub full of flowers, cooking herbs and spices. Materials you can add to the sensory tub include fresh or dry flowers, such as lavender, daisies, rose petals or other available nontoxic flowers you have near you. Also add sprigs or sachets of scented herbs, such as mint, rosemary, thyme. You can even use a variety of tea bags, cinnamon sticks, nutmegs, star anise and cloves.
Collect plastic objects, such as buttons, bottle caps, small bottles and any other recyclable item. You can also buy colorful beads of different sizes, balls and cubes, to add to your sensory tub. Attach long pieces of string at each corner of the tub, to encourage children to pass the string through the beads, forming different color sequences.
Create a thematic sensory tub, using colored rice or pasta and objects relevant to the theme you choose. When making a Christmas sensory tub, add felt Santas and Christmas tree decorations made of diverse materials and offering different textures. Instead of rice or pasta, use pieces of tinsel of various colors and sizes as a base to hide smaller objects. Girls often enjoy pink and fairy-themed sensory tubs. Dye cheap rice with pink food coloring, allowing it to dry. Put it in a pink tub, and add confetti, sequins, fairy figurines, plastic flowers or fabric rose petals.