Your kids are going to LOVE exploring Autumn Sensory Play Gel. It’s a “must do” activity for the season!
Autumn Sensory Play Gel brings together all the sensory wonders of Nature into a squishy, squashy textural delight that kids will want to explore again and again!
See it, smell it, dive in and touch it! Squelch it, squash it, hear it, feel it!
What can the children find? How does it feel? What words can they use to describe it?
This autumn sensory play idea is super engaging and offers so many learning opportunities. Read on to set up your play experience today!
Autumn already has so many great natural things to stimulate kids senses. There are changing colours to see, crunching leaves to hear and textures and smells to explore.
Bringing these elements together into an Autumn Sensory Play Gel encourages kids to slow down, engage with, and closely explore things from Nature in irresistible hands-on play.
Fall Sensory Play Gel sure is a delight you won’t want your kids to miss and while you’re here don’t forget to check out our other sensory play ideas too. Readers favourites are Edible Sensory Play Balls, Meadow Gloop, and Fall Sensory Bottles.
Supplies For A Fall Sensory Play Experience
One of the joys of this Autumn sensory play activity is how easy and cheap it is to set up.
All you need is:
- Finds From Nature e.g. leaves, berries, seeds etc (Please make sure all are safe and non-toxic/ non-irritants)
- Powdered Gelatine (2 or 3 sachets) US / UK
- Large Bowl US / UK
- Large Plastic Play Tray US / UK
How To Set Up An Autumn Sensory Play Gel Experience
Go out for a Nature Hunt and let the children gather things that interest them, it could be leaves, seed pods, buckeyes, rosehips etc. A good range looks fabulous and makes the Autumn Sensory Play Gel very attractive and appealing.
Safety Tip:
Please make sure that all of the items are safe, non toxic and not irritants etc. Children will need to keep their hands away from their mouths and eyes and wash them when finished.
In your large bowl mix up the powdered gelatine with water according to the instructions on the packet. Generally 1 sachet/1 tablespoon is enough for 1 pint of water. How much you make is up to you and the size of your bowl. I made 3 pints.
Once cooled a little add the nature finds into the gelatine mix.
This is a great opportunity for kids to talk science! You can chat about which items they think will sink and float. You can discuss changing states and how the gelatine starts as a powder, dissolves into a liquid and then sets into a solid.
Once the Sensory Play Gel has set, tip the bowl out onto your large play tray and invite the children to explore. It will form a fantastic looking mound full of all the children’s finds from Nature.
Children can have a great time pulling things out of the play gel with their fingers ( You can use tongs or tweezers for children who don’t want to touch.)
It probably won’t be long before the children are diving their whole hand in and scooping things out to feel, smell and look at. Will the children notice the sounds too? It can make fantastic squelching noises!
How To Play With Autumn Sensory Play Gel
There is no right or wrong way for the children to explore the Autumn Sensory Play Gel and I like to let them follow their own lead.
Some children might focus on the gel more than the nature items. Some might explore how the nature items look in the gel. Does it change their colour or shape? Some might like to clean the gel off the nature items. Some might like to squash and break the items into the gel. All activities will be offering the children a rich sensory experience.
You can easily stretch children’s exploration and learning by adding in some simple objects such as:
- Tools e.g. tongs, whisk, spoon
- Magnifying glass
- Tissue paper for wiping hands and leaves.
- A bowl of water for washing hands or leaves.
- A safety mirror for putting the gel onto. Because it is transparent a mirror can offer some fantastic visual simulation.
- Light sugar paper so children can see the spread of water/gel when they place items on it.
- Scissors for cutting up leaves.
- Play animals or cars to join in the fun.
I hope you have lots of fun with this Autumn Sensory Play Gel and it can of course be adapted for any season!
More Fun Autumn Crafts For Kids:
