Colourful, interesting and available in a variety of styles, sensory toys are fun to play with for both children and adults. But what do sensory toys do, and what’s behind their distinctive appeal and unique benefits for neurodivergent children?

Sensory toys help children to focus, learn and release pent-up energy. For kids with autism, ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing disorder and other developmental differences, they reduce the challenges associated with these conditions. Sensory educational toys are designed to assist in children’s learning and development as well as providing necessary stimulation and emotional release.

If you’re looking for sensory toys online, you’re in luck. Sister Sensory is Australia’s ultimate toy destination, with over 4,000 unique products to choose from.

If you’re wondering “what do sensory toys do?”, here’s the Sister Sensory guide to everything you need to know.

What are sensory toys?

A sensory toy is one that’s designed to stimulate one or more of a child’s senses: sight, smell, touch, taste or sound. These toys come in various forms but are usually based on simple designs that are easy for children to get the hang of. Sensory toys are important in early childhood, when they help build connections in the brain’s pathways that are essential for completing tasks. Adults also use sensory toys in order to relieve stress and improve their focus.

What do sensory toys do for neurodivergent children? Sensory toys can help autistic kids focus and pay attention as well as give them an outlet to release pent-up stress and energy. For kids with ADHD, they assist with focus and self-regulation. Sensory toys can help children with anxiety calm their nerves by releasing tension.

Types of sensory toys 

Sensory toys fall into several broad categories based on the sense they stimulate, and some of the most common varieties are:

Visual toys

These attention-grabbing toys are designed to stimulate children’s vision and enhance their cognitive processing, attention and focus. Some popular types include liquid timers, spinning tops and lava lamps. Some toys, like squishy beads and sensory slugs, provide a combination of visual and tactile stimulation.

Tactile toys

Tactile toys or “fidgets” are small toys designed for children to use their hands to play with. These toys make it easier for kids to concentrate or let some of their pent-up energy out and come in a staggering number of varieties, from tangles to fidget spinners to textured balls and soft fabrics.

Auditory toys

Auditory toys provide sound-based sensory input so children can better focus and develop listening skills. Examples include musical instruments, sound puzzles and rainmakers.

 What do sensory toys do?

The main benefit of sensory toys is the way they engage children’s senses for their benefit and well-being. So what do sensory toys do and how do they help children, especially neurodivergent children, to regulate their emotions and stay focused? Here are some of their advantages:

Cognitive development

Through playing with sensory toys, children learn about cause and effect, problem-solving and processing information. Sensory toys help children engage with and learn how their actions affect the world around them, developing important neural pathways in the process.

Fine motor skills development

Sensory toys help children to develop fine motor skills like dexterity, strength and hand-eye coordination, which are necessary for everyday activities like using utensils.

Improve sensory processing

These toys help children to more effectively process information by providing a number of different sensory inputs.

Improving focus and concentration

Sensory toys, especially the silent kind, are useful in the classroom, where they improve focus and help children to pay attention for sustained periods.

Calm and relaxation

These toys provide a soothing and calming effect for children who experience sensory overload.

Now you know what sensory toys do, you might be wondering where you can go shopping for toys to suit the children in your care.

Find the right sensory toys at Sister Sensory

Sister Sensory has Australia’s largest range of sensory toys online for children, adults, carers and educators. A registered NDIS provider and family owned business with 10+ years’ experience, we provide a huge range of products to assist children with autism, ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing disorder and other conditions – and we have new products arriving every week.

Our sensory educational toys combine learning with sensory stimulation, and include something for every child no matter their sensory needs. You can choose between Build Your Own Dinosaurs, tabletop games, puzzle cards, GraviTrax action packs, hand puppets and many more games and activities.

Our therapy toys and sensory products are hand-selected by our experienced team to ensure they’re suitable for those with neurodevelopmental differences. That means they offer therapeutic benefits as well as being fun to play with.

Need more information or some help shopping for sensory toys? Call Sister Sensory on 0401 689 313, e-mail info@sistersensory.com.au or pay a visit to Factory 4, 4 Brooke Court Melton, Vic, 3337.