During our Community Play Lab at Sonas, children were invited to explore tuff trays set up around different storybooks:
- Old MacDonald Had a Farm – A tray with mud and farm animal figurines allowed children to feel the texture, press animals into the mud, and make sounds. Some children imitated “moo” and “baa,” while others splashed and squished the mud with their hands.
- We’re Going on a Bear Hunt – A sensory tray with grass, water, and crunchy materials gave children opportunities to touch, scoop, and pat. Children were curious, moving their hands quickly between textures, showing excitement at the variety.
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar – A tray with play food, fruits cutouts and small caterpillar props encouraged pretend “feeding.” Some children tried placing items in their mouths, while others matched fruits together or tapped them on the table.
- The Rainbow Fish – A rice-based tray with shiny scales, fish cut-outs, and scoops attracted babies’ attention. They poured and sprinkled rice, held shiny scales, and watched them fall, showing focus and joy in the sensory play.
Children engaged through touch, sound, and sight. They used hand–eye coordination, imitated actions, and showed excitement when familiar story elements were repeated by the educator.