Fruity water play
A refreshing sensory water play idea using slices of fruit like lemons, limes, oranges, and berries. Perfect for exploring scents, textures, and splashes!
This simple yet engaging sensory play idea brings a burst of colour, scent, and texture to water play. Fill a shallow tray with water and add slices of fruit like lemons, limes, oranges, and berries.
Babies and toddlers can scoop, swirl, squish, and explore the floating fruit while experiencing different smells, textures and tastes! Older kids can experiment with squeezing fruit to see how colours and flavours mix in the water.
It’s a fun way to engage the senses while keeping cool on a...
Materials
Prep
Step 1:
Slice the fruit into small, safe pieces.
Step 2:
Fill a shallow tray or bowl with water.
Step 3:
Add the fruit slices and any extra props like cups or scoops.
Play
Step 1:
Let your child explore the floating fruit - swirling, scooping, and squishing as they like.
Step 2:
Encourage them to smell and touch each fruit, noticing textures and scents.
Step 3:
Show them how squeezing the fruit changes the water’s colour and smell.
Step 4:
Introduce ice cubes to add a cooling temperature change.
Step 5:
For older kids, turn it into an experiment - guessing which fruit will sink or float!
Extend
Fruity Ice Play: Freeze fruit slices in ice cubes beforehand for a cool twist.
Fizzing Fun: Sprinkle a little baking soda on the fruit slices and add vinegar for a fizzy surprise.
Scent Guessing Game: Take turns to close your eyes (or use a blindfold) and smell each fruit to guess what it is.
