IKEA Hack: Playful learning with the Montessori sensory table

By consciously experiencing their senses through sensory play, children are encouraged in many areas of their development. With a sensory table, you can support your child in this in a simple way. We have summarised everything you need to know about sensory tables and give you tips for your own sensory table.

What is a sensory table?

A sensory table is a table with recessed boxes filled with a wide variety of materials of different textures. The selected materials stimulate your child's senses and encourage them to feel and explore. A sensory table stimulates your child's sense of sight, hearing, smell and above all touch and often leads to in-depth, concentrated play.

Image source: @mandy_krahn

The importance of the senses in Montessori education

The experience of the senses plays a major role in Montessori education. According to Maria Montessori, children want to intensively train their senses and movements. Using so-called sensory material, they learn to understand their environment more easily, perceive it more consciously and categorise it better. True to the motto "Help me to do it myself", children can immerse themselves in the materials with the sensory table, immerse themselves in them and satisfy their natural need to explore their senses. A sensory table should not be a substitute for experiencing the senses in the child's environment and in nature, but a sensory table can be a simple extension of this in everyday life.

The IKEA FLISAT table as a sensory table

The IKEA FLISAT table* is perfect as a sensory table. This is because the children's table already has two integrated boxes* that are embedded in the table top. So you already have a ready-made sensory table without having to put your manual skills to the test. The IKEA FLISAT table is also at the right height for your little one so that they can stand comfortably and explore their senses. The boxes can be closed again after playing thanks to the lightweight table top, so that the sensory materials are well sealed.

Image source: @mandy_krahn

2-in-1 sensory table and play table

Using adhesive foils that are customised to fit the IKEA FLISAT*, you can turn your sensory table into a play or painting table at the same time. The open table with its boxes serves as a sensory table. If you close the boxes with the glued table top, our creative motifs turn it into a play or painting table.

Klebefolie für Ikea Flisat Kindertisch mit Baustelle Motiv

BAUPLATS

From €27.95

Decal for IKEA FLISAT children's table

IDEENREICH

From €27.95

Decal for IKEA FLISAT children's table

Further ideas for the FLISAT

The IKEA TROFAST shelf as a sensory table

The IKEA TROFAST* can also be ideally converted into a sensory table. What many people don't realise is that the shelf also has a lot to offer upside down. To do this, turn the TROFAST shelf upside down. The base of the TROFAST now serves as a SPIELWIESE with a frame. In the next step, place a TROFAST box* on the shelf. The framed area and the box can then be filled with various materials.

Don't worry, you don't have to do without the storage function of the shelf by turning the TROFAST upside down. You can still store several TROFAST boxes and their contents on the shelf. The TROFAST is a real eye-catcher, but only with additionalFront labellingin the Limmaland design. Whether BLUMIG, DINO or TIERIG SAFARI, there is a suitable motif for every child's room.

Playful learning with the Montessori sensory table

The DÄCKELand the decal for DÄCKEL from Limmaland transform your Montessori sensory table into a unique playground. With the creative design motifs such as the BAUPLATS or ERDIG & FEURIG foil, you can stimulate your child's imaginative play while learning new textures at the same time.

klebefolie daeckel matschkueche erdig und feurig eukalyptus fuchsig 1

ERDIG & FEURIG

From €29.95

Decal set + 1 DÄCKEL

BAUPLATS

From €29.95

Decal set + 1 DÄCKEL

klebefolie daeckel matschkueche erdig und feurig sand eindeckel 7

ERDIG & FEURIG

From €29.95

Decal set + 1 DÄCKEL

Further ideas for the TROFAST

Which materials are suitable for sensory boxes?

There are endless possibilities for filling sensory boxes. Just have a look around your home and think about what might appeal to your little one's senses. Cooking and baking ingredients such as pasta, rice or flour are ideal. You can also go out into nature together and collect things that appeal to you. How about rustling leaves, damp moss or fragile branches? However, you should always bear one thing in mind: depending on your child's age, you should only let them play with the sensory table under supervision. There is a risk of choking with many materials.

Make sure you

use larger materials with your very young child.

Ideas for the sens

ory table We have put together a list of ideas for the sensory boxes to help you make your choice:

Cooking and baking ingredients: Rice, lentils, pasta, oatmeal, flour, nutshells, coffee beans
Magic sand
Shaving or hair foam
Feathers
Scraps of paper
Things made from fabric, such as pompoms
Water beads
From nature: sticks, grasses, moss, shells, earth, snow, water, stones
Marbles
Lego bricks
Buttons
Blunt screws and nuts
Corks
Different coloured ribbons

Kinetic sand as a sensory material

You will also find magic sand in our list. This is a great alternative to normal sand as it is less sticky and is more suitable for indoors. The magic sand is light and airy but can still be moulded nicely. And best of all: it's colourful.

Make magic sand

The mud kitchen as a sensory table

Does your little one prefer to play with real sand and like to mess around? Then the mud kitchenis perfect for you. Because it makes a great sensory table in the garden. Mud kitchen from theIKEA KNAGGLIG* Box and the IKEA TROFAST* Box. Don't worry, the mud kitchen can be set up in a flash in just 5 minutes. This means your little one can also explore their senses outside in the fresh air.

Mud kitchen build

* All links marked with an asterisk are advertising links that refer to the IKEA website or to pages of other advertising partners.

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