The Tuff tray is a large, shallow tray that allows parents and educators to prepare exciting invitations while creating a visual boundary for the play. The shallow edges of the tray allow multiple children to reach in and start playing. This is especially true if you have a baby or young toddler! Set up sensory play in the tray itself or use it to catch the mess from smaller sensory bin activities.

Tuff trays can be a fab way to teach children key life skills, like this tray on teeth brushing. Support their understanding with these step-by-step instructions and set them up with skills for life.

Our friends in the United Kingdom know them as Tuff Spots, while in the USA they are known as Builders Trays. Are Tuff Trays suitable for outdoor use? The tray can be used as a table for arts and crafts, picnics, magnetic tile builds, small worlds, and loads of other standing-height play. Then you can add in other textures, like oats, Bran flakes, Cheerio’s, or Weetabix to make it a bit more interesting if you want. If it’s summer, you can use ice as a great cool down activity. Freeze some lego figures, pom poms, animal figures or even flowers, in some ice and then give them some spoons, wooden hammers, and pipques with warm water, to try to melt the ice. All of these Sensory Tuff Tray activities for Toddlers are meant to keep them busy and happy while you get a couple of jobs done or sit down for a much needed cuppa!

Create a turtle tuff spot. Fill a tuff spot tray or similar with a water and bubble solution and place a laminated copy of the song inside. Immerse the turtles in the soapy water and sing the rhyme together. Children love exploring jelly. They can explore it from inside the tray or outside depending on their confidence level with sensory materials. Hiding toys in the jelly helps to keep children’s attention – include objects to support the different themes you may be covering on different days. Always ensure children are well supervised at all times. Try adding different textured materials for sensory play and bury items underneath for children to hide. Finger Painting with extra everyday items makes a great sensory activity for toddlers using a Tuff Tray. Most are very accommodating and can price on an affordable stand for your Tuff Tray. What are Tuff Trays for?There are various recipes, but the simplest is to mix cocoa powder, flour (or cornstarch) and water together until you get the consistency you want. Active World Tuff Spot Trays work well as an area for children to focus. Create themed locations within the tray and place it in the middle of your small group with items to tell a story and enable the children to select which item will come up next in your story, or fill it with items of interest for the group to discuss. Harvest Craft - Get crafty with your kids this Harvest Festival with this fun craft! Your kids will have a blast with this engaging hands-on activity. This resource includes a set of easy-to-follow instructions. Your kids can complete this craft independently in class or at home. Engage the boys (and girls!) in your setting with a pirate-themed tuff tray Incorporating our beautiful potion bottles to make pirate potions and grog! Digging for treasure in sand enables children to count and sort their findings. Try the TTS Metal detectors to search under sand. Use Encourage them to get creative by designing their own treasure maps. Combine this with dressing up and the children will have a fantastic pirate-themed play session! A tuff tray works great as a pouring station. You can set up lots of different jugs, cups and measuring spoons and your toddler can practice their pouring skills.

Kinetic Sand is a super fun sensory activity for toddlers, and it makes a perfect indoor Tuff Tray Activity. Julia Donaldson’s ‘The Gruffalo’ provides a lovely opportunity to teach children about nature, and we’re loving Charlotte’s approach with this autumn theme. Here are some Tuff Tray play ideas from some amazing bloggers to inspire your next invitation to playThe tray can be used to expand interests or experiences your child has had before or introduce new ideas and knowledge. When the play is finished, they can be swept off before being wiped down and dried, ready for play another day. Who are Tuff Trays for? Have you explored a topic on people who help us yet? Doctors and nurses is a lovely place to start! Set a creative challenge with this paper plate stethoscope activity to incorporate imaginative play.

Visualising the parts of a plant without actually dissecting can be challenging for new learners! We love what this member has done for their class. Use this labelling sheet to help children map out the important parts of a plant. Children will love the messy, sensory play ideas in this resource! Perfect for enhancing your provision during a farm topic, these ideas work well in a large activity tray either inside or outside.

Bats are intriguing animals, so draw your learners into the topic with a tuff tray on them! Support your resources with these bat information cards to help your class learn about these interesting creatures. Learning About the World Ice Cream Parlour Simply search for any wooden loose parts you can find and pop them of your tuff tray for an easy, sensory activity your toddler will love to explore. There is also the opportunity to talk about the seasons, and growing, and conservation, if you want. Yes, there certainly are! We have created a range of fantastic activities, worksheets, crafts and displays that you can include in your Harvest Festival lessons and celebrations.