Instructions:

1. Offer your child a piece of cooked penne and invite them to try blowing through it.
   
2. Demonstrate how to blow gently through the pasta like a train whistle.
   
3. Let them experiment—blowing air, pretending to be a train, or making sounds.

Tips:

• Great for building oral motor strength and breath control.
  
• Keep it playful—pretend you’re the train, use sound effects, or blow along with music.
  
• If the soft/wet sensations of cooked penne is too challenging for your child, start with uncooked penne.
  
• Have other pieces of pasta if the penne falls apart while playing.

 Instructions:

1. Spread a small amount of the edible paint onto a clean tray or plate.
   
2. Encourage your child to use their fingers to swirl, tap, smear, or draw.
   
3. Let them explore freely—there’s no right or wrong way to play!
   
4. You can model drawing simple shapes, or just enjoy the sensory fun together.
   

Tips:

• Great for sensory-sensitive kids to slowly build tolerance to textures.
  
• Start with a small amount and increase as your child becomes more comfortable.
  
• If your child is hesitant, offer a spoon, toy, or your own hands to model the play.
  
• Use bibs or play naked (with a washable mat) for easy cleanup.
  
• For older toddlers, add drops of natural food coloring to create “rainbow paint.”

Instructions:

1. Set out 6–10 soft, stackable cubes of food.
   
2. Encourage your child to build a “tower” by gently stacking pieces on top of one another.
   
3. Let them knock it down and rebuild—or turn it into a silly game (how tall can you go?).
   
4. Allow them to explore textures, squish, or taste as they play—no pressure to eat!
   

 Tips:

• Use soft foods for younger children (e.g., steamed veggies, soft cheese) to reduce frustration.
  
• Narrate as they build: “one block, two blocks…”—great for language and counting skills.
  
• If your child prefers order, try sorting pieces by color, shape, or size.
  
• For kids hesitant to touch food, you can model stacking, use dry foods like crackers, or use tongs to start.
  
• Always supervise if using toothpicks or skewers (and avoid for young toddlers).

Instructions:

1. Build a simple stack of 3–4 food pieces (you can build it or let your child try).
   
2. Invite your child to knock it over using their hands, a spoon, or a toy.
   
3. Repeat and vary: build taller, add sound effects, or count down before knocking!
   
4. Let your child explore the fallen pieces—touching, squishing, or tasting if they choose.
   

 Tips:

• Make it silly! Add sound effects like “timber!” or “crash!” to boost engagement.
• Lean into your child’s interest e.g. use cars, dinosaurs, or animals to crash the tower.
  
• Model first if your child is hesitant—knock it down together.
  
• Use soft, easy-to-handle foods to avoid frustration or mess overload.
  
• Great for kids who are unsure about new foods—play builds familiarity and trust.
  
• Add a social twist by taking turns building and knocking down.

Instructions:

1. Crush crackers into coarse crumbs and spread them in a shallow tray or bin.
   
2. Add animal toys and invite your child to create a scene—digging, stomping, or building with the crumbs.
   
3. Encourage storytelling: “What animals live here?” “What are they doing?”
   
4. Let them explore freely—pushing crumbs, scooping, or even sneaking a taste if they’re curious.
   

 Tips:

• Use milder, familiar crackers for kids who are cautious with textures.
  
• Model play to get things started—make animal sounds, build a “nest,” or dig a burrow.
  
• Add sensory tools like scoops or brushes to expand the play.
  
• Great for kids who aren’t ready to eat new foods but benefit from tactile interaction.
  
• Clean toys with a damp cloth before and after if they’ll be reused.

(with supervision—avoid small beans with under-3s if mouthing)

 Instructions:

1. Pour dry rice or beans into a tray or shallow bin to create your “dig site.”
   
2. Bury small dinosaur figurines just under the surface.
   
3. Invite your child to “excavate” using their hands, scoops, or tools.
   
4. Encourage them to find, name, and even sort the dinos by size or color.
   
5. Let the sensory exploration lead the play—no pressure to eat, just enjoy the textures.
   

Tips:

• Use different food bases (colored rice, puffed cereal, or oats) depending on your child’s sensory comfort.
  
• Add a small brush (like a clean paintbrush) for a real paleontologist feel!
  
• Great for building tolerance to dry textures in a playful, no-stress way.
  
• Supervise closely—use larger food materials for younger children to avoid choking risks.
  
• End with a fun cleanup game like “find all the missing dinos!”

Instructions:

1. Set out a variety of colorful veggie pieces in small bowls or on a tray.
   
2. Invite your child to create a funny face on their plate—eyes, nose, mouth, hair, and more!
   
3. Encourage storytelling: What’s their name? Are they happy, sleepy, or surprised?
   
4. Let your child build, rearrange, and get silly with it.

Tips:

• Model the activity by making your own face first—it can spark ideas.
  
• Use dips to help stick pieces in place and add sensory variety.
  
• Encourage naming the veggies and talking about their textures or colors.
  
• No pressure to eat—just explore, laugh, and connect through food play.
  
• Great for picky eaters or kids hesitant to touch new foods.

Instructions:

1. Lay out a small pile of cereal on a clean surface.
   
2. Tie a knot or tape one end of the string/pipe cleaner to prevent cereal from slipping off.
   
3. Show your child how to thread cereal pieces one by one.
   
4. Let them create a bracelet, necklace, or just a string of cereal!
   
5. When finished, they can wear it, or simply admire their creation.

Tips:

• Use pipe cleaners for younger children—they’re easier to hold and thread.
  
• Encourage pattern-making, color sorting, or counting while threading.
  
• If your child isn’t ready to thread, let them explore the cereal by scooping, pouring, or stacking.
  
• Supervise closely—cereal can be a choking hazard, especially for children under 3.
  
• If using yarn, wrap a small piece of tape around the end to make it easier to thread.

Instructions

1. Wash raspberries and gently pat them dry.
   
2. Invite your child to place one raspberry on the tip of each finger—like little hats or puppets.
   
3. Let them explore the feeling, balance, and color.
   
4. Encourage silly finger play: wave, count, make voices, or have the raspberries “talk” to each other.
   

Let them smell, squish, or even taste the raspberries if they’re ready—but no pressure!