Cookie Sheet Messy Sensory Play

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What toddler or baby doesn’t love getting messy with their food?  Try this Cookie Sheet Sensory Play for an easy baby and toddler activity.

Sensory play is so good for toddlers and babies.  Sensory play doesn’t have to be complicated to get all the wonderful benefits.  I try to use what I have and keep it simple.  That’s one reason this Toddler and Baby Cookie Sheet Sensory Play is our go-to activity for an easy, edible, engaging activity.

My boys will try to eat anything that looks edible, so all of my sensory activities need to be edible (at this stage anyway).  

 I really don’t like discouraging my toddler twins from smearing their yogurt and pasta sauce everywhere (and every other food that’s smear-able – there’s a lot of smear-able foods out there, I’m discovering), because I can tell they are taking it all in as they are making a mess!  And that’s how they learn and make connections. But if I let them smear food all the time at the table, well, the kitchen would never be clean.  I have to use my energy wisely with my twins.

This is where the cookie sheet comes in handy.

Related: Which Yogurt is Best for Babies?

I like to use things I already have around the house that are EASY, SIMPLE, FUN, and ENGAGING for little ones.

Materials for the Cookie Sheet Sensory Play

• Cookie Sheet
• Yogurt
• Smock  (I just took my toddlers shirts off for this and wiped them off when they are done- or take a bath!)

For this activity, I used cookie sheets I bought from the dollar store. You could also go to a thrift store to get some for pretty cheap, or just invest in some nice new ones if you need them anyway for baking.  

How to Set up the Yogurt Sensory Play:

I plopped a couple of big scoops of their yogurt on the cookie sheet and let them have their fun! (I’ve also used Kefir since I buy that occasionally and that works well, too).  Yogurt is something I feed them anyway so I have no problem if they eat it (guess it could serve for a snack, too). 

My twins still are tasting and putting everything in their mouths, so I had to make it more than just “taste” safe for them.  I wanted it to be healthy, too, if they are going to be putting it in their mouths.

My toddlers had so much fun with this activity.  I would write the letter that their name started with, and then they would imitate me and say that letter.

This activity became pretty messy towards the end- with yogurt on themselves and all over the table.  This would be a great activity to do outside when it’s nice outside (we will be doing this A LOT in the summer) because you would have less clean up.  Sometimes my twins have a bath afterwards because they start rubbing the yogurt on their arms and face like it is lotion – seriously.  I just let them do it because they enjoy it so much.

Yogurt is cost effective and easy, especially since it usually goes on sale when it’s about to expire (which is perfect for this activity!).

Related: How To Stimulate Your Baby At Home

Other Options Besides Yogurt for this Sensory Play

If you don’t want to use yogurt or your toddler or baby doesn’t eat dairy there are lots of other edible things you could use for this activity.

Avocado (smashed up) and applesauce (or baby food puree) could also work well on the cookie sheet.  Those would smear well (healthy snack, too!).  You could also do homemade edible paint. But that would probably be better for tasting and not eating. I’ve seen some great homemade edible paint recipes and hope to try them someday soon!

If you have a child who isn’t putting everything into their mouths then shaving cream works really well.  We might do that in a couple of years. That you can get at the dollar store and works so well for smearing.  It’s great for learning letters and sight words.  

You could add in food coloring to make it different colors. Or mix colors to make a color if your toddler is interested in learning about colors.  If you don’t mind them eating the food coloring (if they even eat the yogurt).  A little turmeric will make it yellow (and even healthier!). But just do a pinch as it will most likely stain. 

Most babies can start eating yogurt around 6 months so this would be a great activity for them, even if they are on their tummy while doing this activity.  You could just put a towel underneath in case it gets really messy.

My toddlers just love smearing the yogurt around. We also write letters, numbers, their names, and draw pictures.  

Related:  Healthy Baby and Toddler Yogurt Popsicles

I will have to say this Cookie Sheet Sensory Play the #1 activity one of my twins asks to do constantly, especially if he spots a cookie sheet! It’s that much fun!

I hope your little one will enjoy this activity and have fun getting messy! 

When are you going to try the Cookie Sheet Sensory Play: An Easy, Edible Baby and Toddler activity with your little one?

Looking for some other great (Totally Edible) Sensory Play Ideas? Try these:

CEREAL SENSORY BIN

EASY EDIBLE PROCESS ART