Summer holidays can be filled with sunshine, smiles, and let’s be honest a few cries of “I’m bored!” from children looking for something fun to do. At Edx Education, we know that play is not only joyful but essential for a child’s development. That’s why we love encouraging hands on, sensory rich experiences using versatile toys like sand and water trays.
These simple play stations offer endless opportunities for learning through play. Whether in your garden, on the patio, or in the shade of a tree, sand and water trays provide a cool, calming, and creative environment for children to explore, discover, and grow.
In our Play, Learn & Create with Edx Education podcast, we’ve explored how play is central to a child’s emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Sensory play, especially with natural elements like sand and water, supports fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, language development, and early science and maths concepts all while having fun.
Here are 10 boredom busting sand and water tray activities that are simple, screen-free, and perfect for keeping children entertained and cool this summer.
1. Ice Cube Treasure Hunt
Freeze small toys or natural items (like flowers or pebbles) inside ice cubes. Add them to the water tray and give children tools to “excavate” the treasures. This is a brilliant way to keep them cool while encouraging problem-solving and patience.
2. Sink or Float Experiment
Collect everyday items (e.g., spoon, cork, stone, rubber duck). Ask children to guess which items will sink or float before testing them in the water tray. It’s a fun introduction to scientific thinking and prediction.
3. Mini Beach Scene
Fill the tray with sand, shells, and toy figures to create a mini beach world. Encourage children to use storytelling and imagination to create their own holiday adventure.
4. Mud Kitchen Café
Add water to soil or sand to create “mud” for sensory cooking. Children can make pretend cakes, potions, or stews using natural materials and play utensils. Great for creative role play and fine motor development.
5. Measuring and Pouring Station
Provide cups, jugs, funnels, and bottles for pouring and transferring water. Introduce basic maths vocabulary like full, empty, more, and less while strengthening hand-eye coordination.
6. Rainbow Pebble Washing
If you’ve got Edx Education’s Rainbow Pebbles®, add them to the water tray with soapy water and a scrubbing brush. Children love cleaning and sorting them by colour or size great for tactile exploration and early maths skills.
7. Colour Mixing Lab
Use food colouring or child safe watercolours to add a splash of colour to the water. Provide pipettes or droppers for mixing colours in cups. A beautiful introduction to cause and effect and early chemistry.
8. Frozen Dinosaur World
Freeze small dinosaurs in large blocks of ice and let the children use salt, warm water, or tools to free them. A cool sensory experience combined with imaginative storytelling and scientific investigation.
9. Water Wall Challenge
Using recycled bottles, tubes, and funnels, create a simple water wall on a fence or easel. Children will love experimenting with how the water flows, develops problem solving skills, and learns about gravity and motion.
10. Sensory Texture Tray
Add various materials to the tray wet sand, dry rice, smooth pebbles, and soft sponges for children to explore different textures. Ask them to describe what they feel using expressive language and build sensory awareness.
Why Sensory Play Matters
Sand and water trays might look like just fun at first glance, but they’re powerful learning tools. These open-ended activities support:
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Language development as children describe their play
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Maths skills through measuring, sorting, and comparing
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Scientific thinking through experimentation
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Social-emotional skills when playing cooperatively with others
At Edx Education, we believe learning should be joyful and playful. Our downloadable resources, educational toys, and Play, Learn & Create podcast are here to help you support your child’s development through meaningful play.
So this summer, embrace the mess, enjoy the sunshine, and keep those little hands busy and minds growing with simple sand and water fun. Because when children play, they learn.
Discover more educational toys, activity ideas, and free downloads at www.shopedx.co.uk And don’t forget to tune into our podcast for more playful inspiration!
By Heather Welch, Author of Happy Children Play, Expert in Learning Through Play, and General Manager, Edx Education UK