Sensory Sorting Tray by Texture

Cotton balls, smooth pebbles, dried pasta, pom poms, wooden beads, foam pieces

A muffin tin or sorting tray

Labels or picture cards for texture categories

Mix all the objects together in a big bowl.

Set out a muffin tin with compartments labeled by texture: soft, hard, rough, smooth, bumpy, squishy.

Invite your child to pick up one item, feel it carefully, and decide where it goes.

Talk through each choice: "Does that pebble feel rough or smooth? Where should it go?"

Some items may surprise them — dried pasta can feel both rough and hard.

When everything is sorted, review together. Celebrate the tricky ones.

Ask: "Did any items belong to two categories? That's because texture is complicated!"

This activity builds two skills at once: tactile discrimination (feeling differences) and classification (organizing by attribute).

Use texture vocabulary: rough, smooth, bumpy, squishy, hard, soft, scratchy, silky. These words expand descriptive language.

Make it harder by blindfolding your child and asking them to sort by touch alone.

For younger preschoolers, simplify to just two categories: soft and hard.

This is a great activity for two kids to do together — they can debate where items belong, which builds communication skills.