If your kids are arts and crafts obsessed you’ll be familiar with the messy masterpieces of finger paintings and hand printed artworks. Of course, you know that these paintings are works of genius (even if you can’t quite tell what they’re meant to be) but what you might not know is how beneficial sensory painting is for kids! Let’s take a closer look at what sensory artwork is and why sensory painting is such an important cornerstone within arts and crafts for kids.
What is sensory art?
Sensory art is a hands-on, interactive form of art that stimulates the senses. From the soft feel of paint between fingers, to the vibrant view of colour swirled on paper, sensory art provides a multisensory experience that kids love.
How is sensory painting beneficial for kids?
Brain boosting:
Sensory painting is more than just a fun activity, it actually helps to develop children's cognitive and motor skills. The varied textures and colours of painting materials can stimulate brain connections, promoting creativity and critical thinking.
Understanding emotions:
Through sensory artwork, kids can express emotions that might be hard for them to articulate verbally. It's a wonderful, wordless language of the heart!
A golden touch:
By engaging with sensory art materials, kids can learn about cause and effect ("If I mix blue and yellow, I get green!") and enhance their tactile and visual understanding of the world.
Sensory art ideas to try with kids
Wondering how to introduce your little artist to sensory painting? Here are some simple but exciting arts and crafts ideas for kids that involve sensory painting exercises. 
Nature brushes:
Go on an outdoor adventure! Gather twigs, leaves, and ferns and use them to create sensory artwork! Try dabbing the nature materials between paint and paper to make beautiful prints, or swish them to-and-fro like a normal paintbrush to create weird and wonderful swishes of colour! Kids will love exploring and experimenting with the different textures, smells, and sights of their nature-inspired sensory art.
Bubble wrap prints:
Lots of leftover bubble wrap? Use it for your kids’ sensory painting! Cut the bubble wrap into strips, paint them different colours, and press them onto paper. Scrunch, pop, and print to create your sensory masterpiece!
Marble painting:
Place a sheet of paper in a tray, drop in some paint-covered marbles, then let your child tip and tilt the tray! The rolling marbles help little artists to engage their sense of touch and sight to create mesmerising patterns.
Salt and glue painting:
Grab a sheet of card or paper and squeeze a trail of glue onto the page. Then, sprinkle some salt onto the glue and drop watercolours along the trail. Watch in awe as the colour seeps along the salty pattern! This sensory artwork is perfect for fine motor skills — squeezing and sprinkling really helps little hands get stronger!
Sensory art: more than just paint
You can explore sensory art in lots of other mediums besides paint. Clay, for instance, is fantastic for tactile exploration. Similarly, creating collages with different textured materials, like fabrics or grains, can be lots of fun too!
Top tips for a sensory-filled art session
Be prepared:
Sensory art is beautiful but can be messy. Cover your work surface with plenty of newspaper or an old sheet to avoid paint splatters.
Safety first:
Ensure all materials are safe and non-toxic. Always supervise to ensure children don’t ingest anything they shouldn’t. Sensory artwork is all about the senses… but it’s best to keep the sense of taste out of it!
Enjoy the process:
The aim isn't to create perfect artwork but to revel in the sensory experience. It’s about the journey, not just the destination.
Combining sensory art with arts & crafts
By integrating sensory elements into regular arts and crafts projects, children can gain a more rounded learning experience. It's not just about how the craft looks, but also how it feels, sounds, or even smells! It’s a holistic learning experience with many benefits.
Boosting creativity:
Combining crafting with sensory art allows for a wider range of materials and techniques. For instance, while making a paper mâché globe, why not add different textured materials to represent mountains, rivers, and forests? This encourages kids to think outside the box and push the boundaries of their creativity.
Enriching the artistic process:
Traditional arts and crafts provide structure, while sensory elements offer spontaneity. The blend of the two ensures that kids not only benefit from learning how to follow instructions, but also enjoy the opportunity to freely express themselves.
Sensory arts and crafts ideas for kids
Nature collages:
Collect leaves, twigs, and petals, then arrange and glue them onto a canvas. Kids can then try finger painting raindrops, sunshine, or even snowflakes onto the scene. This sensory artwork offers your child a tactile experience when making it and when displaying it too!
Sensory bead jewellery:
Craft a bracelet or necklace by threading beads of various textures (smooth, rough, bumpy) onto fuzzy pipe cleaners. This craft offers your child a sensory experience not only when making it but when wearing it too!
Texture storyboards:
Encourage kids to draw or paint a story on cardboard. Then, they can decorate the storyboard using sensory materials like sand, cotton, silk, or even lentils, to add depth and tactile elements to their creation.
Special offer on sensory art materials for kids!
Sensory painting — and sensory artwork more generally — is not just a fun form of expression. It’s a gateway into a richer, more profound understanding of the world. By introducing children to sensory artwork, you’re gifting them memories, skills, and experiences that last a lifetime.
💡 Special offer! For those keen to delve deeper into the world of arts and crafts for kids, visit our shop for a treasure trove of sensory art supplies. And if you're looking for a regular dose of crafty goodness, why not join our subscription craft club? New subscribers get an exciting discount!
🎨 Craft on! Encourage creativity, explore new horizons, and let sensory art be the bridge to a world of wonder for your little ones.
Happy crafting! 🖌️🎨🌟
Curated By
Jéssica Dorantes
Editor and author of children’s literature, passionate about content for children and families and specialised in Editorial Production.
