While new teaching tools and technologies emerge, play based learning continues to stand out as one of the most effective ways to nurture a child’s growth emotionally, socially, and intellectually.
At Edx Education, we’re passionate about creating educational toys and hands-on resources that support children as they explore, imagine, and learn. In this article, we’ll share the latest early learning trends from sensory play to STEAM integration and show how playful learning experiences are helping children build confidence, creativity, and core skills.
Trend 1: Sensory Play for Early Development
Sensory play has become a vital part of early education in both homes and classrooms across the world. Engaging children’s senses touch, sight, sound, smell, and even taste stimulates brain development and supports critical areas like emotional regulation, communication, and fine motor skills.
For children with special needs, such as autism or sensory processing disorders, sensory play is not just fun it’s therapeutic. Products like our Rainbow Pebbles® or sensory focused trays give children the opportunity to sort, stack, and feel, while developing creativity and focus.
Using simple tools textured toys, kinetic sand, water tables parents and educators can easily integrate sensory play into daily routines. These experiences not only entertain but also lay the foundation for future success in STEM, reading, and social interaction.
Trend 2: Sand and Water Play Timeless, Open Ended Learning
Ask any educator or parent, and they’ll agree, sand and water play is one of the most enriching activities for young learners. It’s open ended, calming, and deeply educational.
When children pour, scoop, or measure water, they begin to understand scientific ideas like volume, gravity, and cause and effect. Building with sand fosters spatial awareness, motor skills, and imaginative thinking.
Edx Education’s sand and water trays, along with tools like Maths Cubes and Joey Jump, are crafted to support these kinds of rich, exploratory activities. These hands-on resources make it easy to create engaging early math and science experiences, whether at home or in the classroom.
Trend 3: STEAM Learning Starts with Play
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) skills are now seen as essential for the future and it’s never too early to begin developing them. The best way to introduce STEM to preschoolers? Through play.
Young children are naturally curious. When they build, experiment, and problem-solve during play, they’re already learning basic STEM principles. Toys like MyGears®, Number Rods to Go, and Linking Cubes allow children to explore early engineering and math concepts while having fun.
Whether it's constructing a mini machine, recognising patterns, or understanding balance and symmetry, play based STEAM learning builds critical thinking, collaboration, and resilience skills that last a lifetime.
How Edx Education Supports Families and Educators
At Edx Education, our mission is to make learning joyful, meaningful, and developmentally appropriate. That’s why we offer more than just toys we provide a full ecosystem of resources including:
Recent podcast episodes explore topics like sensory play, learning through movement, and supporting children with diverse learning needs. Whether you’re a teacher looking for classroom tips or a parent searching for at-home activities, we’re here to help.
Why Play Based Learning Matters More Than Ever
Research shows that children learn best through play. It nurtures curiosity, confidence, and communication all of which are essential for school readiness and lifelong learning.
By integrating sensory play, sand and water activities, and early STEAM toys, families and educators can unlock each child’s full potential. Our toys are trusted by educators in schools and loved by parents at home, offering a high quality educational safe toy.
At Edx Education, we believe that every child deserves the chance to play, learn, and grow in a way that suits them best. Let’s raise a generation of happy, confident learners starting with play.
Explore our full range of educational toys, download free learning resources, or tune into the Play, Learn & Create podcast for more expert insights and inspiration.
Heather Welch, General Manager of Edx Education and Author of Happy Children Play