Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Make Your Own Sensory Shaker
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Make Your Own Sensory Shaker is a free printable activity for toddlers and the grown-ups who play with them. Children stack and shake their way into sensory play, exploring colour, light and sound. Sensory toys stimulate the senses, and a shaker you make yourself lets a small child see, hear and feel what happens each time it moves.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company. Print the sheet, read it together and use it as your starting point. Colour printing may show the sheet's bright ideas best, but use whatever printer you have.
What is on the sheet
This is a making and playing activity, not a written task. Children help to build a sensory shaker, stacking parts together, then shake it and watch and listen to what happens. The focus is on colour, light and sound. A grown-up leads the making and keeps a close eye on small parts. The fun comes from exploring, so there are no right or wrong results.
Ideas for making your shaker
Choose a clear container
A clear, sturdy container lets your child see the colour and movement inside. Choose one with a lid that fits firmly. A grown-up should check it has no cracks or sharp edges.
Pick contents with a purpose
Think about what you want your child to notice. Some things look bright, some catch the light and some make a soft or loud sound. Try a few and see what your child enjoys.
Stack and layer
Add the contents in layers so the colours sit on top of each other. Let your child watch the layers mix when the shaker moves. Talk about what they can see.
Seal it safely
A grown-up closes the lid and seals it firmly with strong tape or glue. Give it a good shake and tug before it goes anywhere near a child. Check it again before every play session.
Why sensory play matters for toddlers
Young children learn through their senses. They look, listen, touch and shake things to find out how the world works. Sensory play gives them safe ways to do this. A shaker is a simple example. A child moves their arm and something happens, a sound or a swirl of colour, and they quickly learn that their actions have effects.
Shaking also builds early physical skills. Holding, gripping and moving a toy helps develop hand and arm control. Because you make the shaker together, it also gives you time to talk. You can name colours, describe sounds with words like loud and quiet, and follow your child's lead as they explore.
Small items are a choking risk for young children. A grown-up must choose the contents, seal the shaker firmly and check it often. Do not leave a toddler alone with it. If the lid comes loose or the container cracks, take it away and stop using it. Adults should do any cutting or gluing.
Sensory facts for curious minds
- We have five main senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.
- Sounds are made when things vibrate, which means they move back and forth very quickly.
- Clear materials let light pass through them, so you can see what is inside.
- A shaker sounds different depending on what is inside it.
- Bright colours are often easy for young children to spot.
Skills and curriculum link
- Sensory exploration
- Listening
- Colour awareness
- Hand and arm control
- Cause and effect
- Talking and vocabulary
Ideas to talk about while you play
- SoundShaking makes a sound. Ask your child to listen and say if it is loud or quiet. Shake slowly, then fast, and see what changes.
- ColourName the colours your child can see. Say the words clearly and repeat them. Toddlers learn words best when they hear them in play.
- LightHold the shaker up to a window or lamp. Look at how the light shines through it. Move it and watch the light change.
- MovementWatch what happens inside when the shaker is still, tilted or shaken. Use words like fall, spin, swirl and settle.
Key words
- SensoryTo do with the senses, such as seeing, hearing and touching.
- ShakeTo move something quickly up and down or side to side.
- StackTo put things on top of each other.
- RattleA sound made by small things knocking together.
- LayerOne level of something, with another level above or below it.
- SwirlTo move round and round in a curve.
How to use it
- Print the sheet and read it together. Decide with your child what kind of shaker you would like to make.
- Choose a clear container and your contents. A grown-up checks that everything is safe for a young child.
- Let your child help to stack and add things where it is safe. The grown-up does any cutting or gluing and seals the shaker firmly.
- Shake it together. Talk about the colours, the light and the sounds. Let your child lead and copy what they do.
- Make another shaker with different contents another day. Compare how they look and sound.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Keep it simple. Make one shaker with a few contents and let your child hold it and shake it. Use short words such as shake, stop, loud and quiet. If your child loses interest, put it away and try again another day.
To stretch confident children
Make two or three shakers with different contents. Shake each one and ask which sounds loudest, which sounds softest and which looks the brightest. Line them up from quietest to loudest. Older children can draw their favourite and say why they chose it.
Make it a game
Play shake and freeze. Shake your shaker while you count to five, then freeze. Take turns being the leader, who chooses whether to shake fast, slow, high or low. The others copy. Finish with a quiet shake to wind down.
Talk about it
- What can you see inside the shaker?
- What does it sound like when you shake it slowly?
- Can you make it sound loud? Can you make it sound quiet?
- Which colour do you like best?
- What happens when you hold it up to the light?
- What would you put in a different shaker?
Take it off the page
Sound walk
Go outside and listen for different sounds. Take your shaker and make your own sound at each stop. Say whether it is louder or quieter than the sounds around you.
Colour hunt
Look around your home or garden for things that match the colours in your shaker. Bring them together and name each colour.
Shake and dance
Put on some music and shake your shaker in time. Move fast for fast music and slowly for calm music.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child and take your time. The making can be as much fun as the playing. Do the sealing yourself and let your child do the shaking. Follow their interests and keep sessions short.
Teachers
Use it in early years or nursery as a sensory making and exploration activity. It suits small group work with an adult leading. Check each shaker is sealed before children handle it, and use it to prompt talk about colour, sound and movement.
Home educators
The activity works well for home educators teaching mixed ages. Younger children can explore, while older ones can design shakers, compare sounds and record what they notice. It links easily to topics about the senses and everyday materials.
Where this fits in learning
Before this, children explore the world by grasping, shaking and mouthing objects. Simple cause and effect toys, such as rattles and soft toys that make a sound, prepare the ground. This sheet builds on that by letting a child help to make their own toy.
Afterwards, children can sort by colour, compare sounds and begin to describe what they notice. In Year 1 science, children learn about the senses and everyday materials, so early play like this gives them words and experiences to draw on later.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- Who is the sheet for?
It is made for toddlers and the grown-ups who play with them. A grown-up leads the making and keeps watch throughout. Older children can join in too, perhaps by designing the shaker or comparing sounds.
- What do I need to make a shaker?
You need a sturdy container with a lid that closes firmly, and some contents of your choice. Many families use things they already have at home. A grown-up should check that everything is safe for young children.
- Is a homemade shaker safe for a toddler?
It can be, if you take care. Small items are a choking risk, so a grown-up must seal the shaker firmly and check it before and after each use. Never leave a toddler alone with it.
- How do I keep the contents inside?
Close the lid tightly and seal it with strong tape or glue. A grown-up does this. Give the shaker a firm shake and tug to test it. If anything comes loose, stop using it.
- What will my child learn?
They explore colour, light and sound, and practise holding and shaking. They also learn that their actions can make things happen. Talking with you builds new words as you describe what you see and hear.
- Can I use it in a nursery or classroom?
Yes. It works well with a small group and an adult leading. The adult should do the sealing and check every shaker. Use it as a starting point for talk about colours, sounds and the senses.
- What if my child loses interest?
Stop and try again another day. Short sessions are fine for toddlers. Try changing the contents, shaking to music or letting your child hold the shaker without any instructions. Following their lead usually works best.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.