DIY Sensory Rugs for Kids

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Sensory rugs are so great for children’s learning and very beneficial for their development. Children are usually very attracted to sensory rugs that stimulate their senses with different textures and colors. The great news is that DIY sensory (massage) rugs are easy to make at home and are very affordable. They make the child’s playtime fun and exciting. These are great for baby and toddler room setups.

sensory rugs for kids

Maria Montessori was one of the first educators who noticed a connection between sensory stimulation and brain development. One of the main attributes of Maria’s success to help children reach their potential and achieved great results is her emphasis on sensory stimulation. She utilized children’s senses to teach concepts of mathematics, language, and science.

DIY sensory rugs have great advantages, they:

  • stimulate senses
  • children LOVE them
  • no to a minimum cost
  • benefit brain development
  • have a calming effect
  • beneficial for their general well-being
  • great for children with sensory processing issues
  • easy to store
  • great for exploring different textures

The exciting news is that you already probably have everything you need to create a beautiful sensory rug for your child.

Here are some ideas for materials you can use to create sensory rugs at home:

  • sponges
  • beans, seeds, peas
  • pebbles
  • rocks
  • plastic lids
  • pencils
  • straws
  • сurtain rings
  • bamboo mats
  • pegs
  • corks
  • marbles
  • beads
  • buttons
  • fabrics

I found these gorgeous examples of sensory rugs made by creative Russian mamas:

sensory rugs for kids

Handmade Massage Rug BabyBlog.Ru by Liza Source 

sensory rugs for kids

Massage Rug – Forest Meadow – Strana Mam Source

sensory rugs for kids

Handmade Massage Rug – Baby.ru source

sensory rugs for kids

Our Massage Rug – BabyBlog.Ru – Albina source

sensory rugs for kids

Handmade Massage Rug – Deti.mail.ru – Evgenija source

sensory rugs for kids

Massage Rug – Strana Masterov source

sensory rugs for kids

Massage rug – “Magic forest” – Karapuzka.blogspot.com source

sensory rugs for kids

Pebble massage rug – Nauka Remonta source

sensory rugs for kids

Handmade crafts – Baby.Ru  source

sensory rugs for kids

Handmade developmental rug – Yarmama.Ru source

sensory rugs for kids

An idea for a developmental rug – “Road” – Live Internet.Ru source

sensory rugs for kids

Sensory Playmat by Popeline Co. Choose the fabric that feels best for you on touch.

Use a glue gun to glue hard objects or sew soft parts to create your sensory rug. Please note that these rugs are not recommended to use with children who are still in the mouthing stage of their development in case any of the elements get loose.

I hope you were inspired! I invite you to check out these great sensory toys and materials.

Sensory Activities - Children's Books and Learning Resources


  About Anastasia. Anastasia is a former Early Childhood Teacher and the founder of Montessori Nature, a blog about Montessori - inspired and Nature-based explorations. She taught in a Montessori setting for 10 years and has been practicing the Montessori way of learning and living for the last 20 years. She loves designing engaging educational printables for children. Browse Anastasia's educational resources on Teachers Pay Teachers.


9 thoughts on “DIY Sensory Rugs for Kids”

  1. did i miss how these were made? what holds them together to prevent then from coming apart? 🙂 i am very interested in making these and am excited to start. 😀 I just don't know what is needed to prevent the items from being removed by little curious hands. this is for a sensory room. Thank you.

  2. Pingback: Sensory Experiences – Upasna Sunil Wadhwani

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