Sensorimotor toys: developing the senses and movement together

Sensorimotor toys are toys that let your child use their senses and their body at the same time: feeling and grasping, looking and reaching, listening and moving. Think of balls that roll away, stacking cups, push-along and pull-along toys and toys to balance on. They support sensorimotor development, the foundation for skills such as walking, eating and later writing.

What is sensorimotor development?

Sensorimotor development is the cooperation between the senses (sensory) and movement (motor). Your child perceives something, for example a ball rolling away, and responds to it with a movement: reaching, crawling, grasping. By practising that combination again and again, your child learns to use their body to understand the world and respond to it.

The difference from purely sensory play lies in movement. With sensory toys, perception takes centre stage: feeling, hearing, looking. With sensorimotor toys, it’s about what your child does with that perception. Besides the five familiar senses, the sense of balance and body awareness also play a big role here: knowing where your arms and legs are and how much strength you’re using.

Which milestones are part of sensorimotor development?

To understand what sensorimotor toys can do, it helps to know which steps children generally take. The ages are broad ranges: every child develops at their own pace.

Age (approximately)	Milestones
0–6 months	lifting the head during tummy time, deliberate grasping, rolling over
6–12 months	sitting, passing from hand to hand, crawling, pulling up, pincer grip
12–18 months	first steps, stacking blocks, putting things in and out of a tub
18 months–3 years	running, climbing, kicking a ball, turning and screwing, first attempts at balancing
3–5 years	skipping, standing on one leg, cutting, threading, riding a bike with stabilisers or a balance bike

Whether your child walks early or later, the steps before it are just as important. Also read why your baby doesn’t need to walk early.

What types of sensorimotor toys are there?

There are different types, each with its own emphasis.

Tactile toys

Toys with different textures, shapes and materials, such as sensory balls, grasping toys and blocks made of wood or silicone. Your child learns to understand objects by touching, holding and moving them. This mainly practises fine motor skills and hand–eye coordination.

Movement toys

Toys that invite rolling, crawling, walking, pushing, pulling and balancing. Think of balls, a push-along walker, pull-along animals, a balance board or a tunnel. These improve gross motor skills, balance and coordination.

Sensory toys

Toys with sound, colour or soft lighting that attract attention and invite your child to get moving. A rattle that your child has to shake themselves or a ball with a bell that rolls away combines perceiving and moving.

Creative toys

Craft and construction materials, such as building blocks, clay, beads for threading and felt-tip pens. With these, your child uses their imagination while practising precise hand movements at the same time.

What are the benefits of sensorimotor toys?

• Better motor skills. Gross motor skills (walking, climbing, balancing) and fine motor skills (grasping, threading, screwing) form the basis for independence, such as feeding and dressing themselves and later writing.
• Stronger sensory perception. Your child learns to recognise sensory input and respond to it appropriately.
• Body awareness and balance. By climbing, rolling and balancing, your child gets to know their body and learns to judge their strength.
• Thinking and problem-solving. How do I get that ball back? Why does my tower fall over? Sensorimotor play is full of little puzzles.
• Social and emotional development. Throwing a ball to each other, taking turns and building a tower together practise sharing, communicating and working together. A successful attempt also builds self-confidence.

Which sensorimotor toys suit which age?

Age	Examples
0–6 months	baby gym, light rattle, grasping toys, play mat for tummy time
6–12 months	sensory balls, stacking cups, toys to crawl after, bath toys for pouring
1–2 years	push-along walker, push-along and pull-along toys, stacking blocks, shape sorter
2–3 years	balls to throw and kick, simple climbing frames, knob puzzles, threading toys
3–5 years	balance board, balance bike, construction materials, craft materials with safe children’s scissors

How do you choose the right sensorimotor toys?

Choose to suit their age

A toy should challenge, but not frustrate. Look at what your child can already do and choose something that goes just one step further.

Pay attention to safety and durability

Choose toys without sharp edges and without small parts that could be swallowed. Check the age label and the CE marking: toys sold in Europe must meet the European safety requirements (the EN 71 standards). Sturdy toys last longer and can often grow with your child. With climbing and balancing toys, supervision and a soft surface are important.

Provide variety

Offer different types of toys so your child practises both fine and gross motor skills. Rotate to prevent boredom: putting some away and bringing them out again later often works well.

Practical tips for at home

Play together

Join in actively with your child. Ask questions, name what you see and encourage them: “Can you reach the ball?” This increases their engagement and lets you share the fun.

Use daily routines

Sensorimotor play doesn’t have to take extra time. Let your child pour water in the bath, practise with a spoon at mealtimes or find a sleeve themselves when getting dressed. Playing outside in sand, on grass and on the pavement also offers lots of experiences.

Find the balance between guided and free play

Sometimes offer a focused activity, such as building a tower together, and also let your child play freely. In free play, your child discovers at their own pace what they can do.

Be patient

Every child develops differently. Encourage the effort, not just the result. Are you worried about your child’s motor development, for example because they fall a lot or find grasping difficult? Then discuss it with your health visitor, GP or a paediatric physiotherapist.

Toys from this article

• stacking blocks
• wooden shape sorter
• baby gym

Frequently asked questions

What are sensorimotor toys?

Sensorimotor toys are toys with which a child uses their senses and movement at the same time. Examples are balls, stacking cups, push-along and pull-along toys and a balance board. They support the cooperation between perceiving and moving.

What is the difference between sensory and sensorimotor toys?

Sensory toys focus mainly on perception, such as feeling, hearing and looking. Sensorimotor toys add movement: your child responds to what they perceive by grasping, crawling or balancing. In practice, the two often overlap.

From what age are sensorimotor toys suitable?

From birth. A baby gym or rattle already invites looking and grasping. As your child gets older, push-along walkers, balls, climbing toys and a balance board become more suitable.

Do sensorimotor toys help with a motor delay?

Toys can invite a child to practise, but they aren’t a treatment. If you’re worried about your child’s motor skills, talk to your health visitor, GP or a paediatric physiotherapist. They can also advise on which play is worthwhile at home.

How do you encourage sensorimotor play without lots of toys?

Use everyday moments: pouring in the bath, feeding themselves with a spoon, climbing and running outdoors, walking barefoot on grass. A few balls, blocks and tubs are often enough.