Sock whisk
A simple fine motor and sensory activity for babies and toddlers - stuff a whisk with socks and let little hands pull them out!
Who knew a kitchen whisk could turn into a perfect baby toy? This one's a simple, low-prep sensory activity that keeps little ones busy while strengthening their fine motor skills and hand–eye coordination.
Just grab a clean whisk and some small socks, stuff them through the wires, and let your child pull them out one by one. It’s a gentle challenge that encourages problem-solving, persistence, and focus.
Babies love the sensory resistance of tugging each sock free, and older toddlers can help restuff the whisk too! Smaller babies will just love rolling the whisk around and feeling the materials - a great one for tummy time.
Once they’ve mastered the pulling part, you can extend the play - match the socks into pairs, toss them into a laundry basket, or even turn them into silly sock puppets for a giggly connection moment together.
Materials
Prep
Step 1:
Stuff socks into the whisk openings until it’s full but not packed too tightly.
Step 2:
Lay it out on a soft play mat or floor space for your little one to explore.
Play
Step 1:
Show your baby or toddler how to pull a sock out of the whisk. Smaller babies who haven't developed their pincer grasp yet might just enjoy exploring the textures and rolling the whisk around.
Step 2:
Let them take over - tugging, pulling, and discovering!
Step 3:
Restuff the whisk together to keep the fun going. This can be a fun challenge for tabies and toddlers.
Extend
Sock Match: Lay out the socks and help your child find the matching pairs.
Sock Puppets: Pop the socks on your hands and bring them to life for a silly bonding moment. They could be funny characters, ask silly questions about the world - always getting things a bit wrong, or tickle monsters!
**Laundry Toss:**Turn matching into a throwing game with a basket or box. (See )
Colour Sort: Use coloured socks and sort them into groups for an easy early learning twist.
Sensory Swap: Try using ribbons, fabric scraps, scrunchies or soft baby washcloths for variety. (Always supervise for safety)
