Leaf Sensory Writing Tray

Make a leaf sensory writing tray for a nature themed little invitation to play, draw and write! Using natural leaves as a sight word and alphabet writing guide to copy, this would be lovely as part of a Spring or summer themed learning unit!

Here’s the latest in our Sensory Writing Tray series, this time using  Spring leaves theme. These trays are lots of fun for a kinaesthetic approach to learning, and can be used for early mark-making, pattern making, letter formation, name writing, numeral copying and sight word learning! They are very tactile and appealing to kids and they tend to use them without any prompting, indeed my 7 year old is usually the first to want to play,

For this tray I was lucky to find this gorgeous leaf shaped tray in Tiger last Spring (I’m sure something similar exists on eBay), but any tray will do. I often recommend the wooden trays that Melissa and Doug toys come in, as they’re great quality,  nice and wide and shallow.

Into this we simply sprinkled a thin layer some green glitter, that’s it!

I also taped a green felt leaf to the top of a bark pencil to make a “tree pencil” to match.

We used the tray for the various levels and stages of development that the kids are at. Starting with patterns and mark making for the little one, then letter formation and name writing practise too.

For the older ones I picked some Bay leaves from the garden (edible and safe to use: always check!) and wrote on them using a black sharpie marker. We chose some of the trickier sight words which can be mixed up by mistake as they look so similar, and are harder to memorise because of this.

You could choose any words from your child’s current spelling list or book that they’re reading too! 

I tend to leave these trays out as part of a play and learning table, rather than make them sit and do it as a set activity (too boring and prescriptive!) They all enjoy it and come along to have a go and then use it to teach each other things in their games of pretend school (still an absolute favourite for imaginative play!)

See all of our SENSORY WRITING TRAYS here!

Here are loads more SPRING PLAY and LEARNING IDEAS here too.

And browse the LITERACY PLAY archives for loads of playful ways to learn phonics, sight words, writing, reading, rhymes, storytelling and more!