Play trays in the great outdoors

A staple in early years settings – the magnificent play tray. A versatile, open ended resource that you can use to create many different opportunities for your little learners to explore and interact with the world around them. Play trays are perfect for use both inside and outdoors. And the best part? Taking them outside is a quick and easy way to get children out in the open air. No need to spend time thinking of lots of new ideas, just grab a play tray and go! Ready for some play tray magic? Here are a few of our favourite play tray layouts that are sure to spark joy and learning in your setting…

Little hands car wash

Who doesn't love a squeaky clean car? Your little ones will love this car wash inspired play tray. Mix washing up liquid with water and place the solution in spray bottles. Then, ask the children to use the sponges and the spray bottles to clean their miniature cars, which is a perfect way for them to practice fine motor movements such as pinching and grasping. You could also create your own car wash structure using cardboard and chopped up cloths to mimic the brushes of a real car wash. Not only is this exciting for children to play with, but it also keeps your nursery's toys clean – a win win!

What you'll need:

• 804310 – Mini Play Tray OR
• 801659 – Play Tray
• 302204 – Clear Trigger Sprayers
• 804333 – Mini Chubbies
• 224073 – YPO Utility Sponges
• 217158 – Professional Fairy
• Washing Up Liquid
• Cardboard (optional)
• Blue cloths chopped into pieces (optional)

Minibeast hunt

Insects are not everyone's favourite, but this play tray full of them will keep your little learners engaged and entertained! Cover your tray with compost and hide mini spiders, beetles, bugs and other insects in the compost. Then, cut up pieces of string (or cooked spaghetti) to make your worms. Place sorting bowls and tweezers on the edges and let the children practice fine motor skills as they pinch the minibeasts with the tweezers and sort them into the bowls.

What you'll need:

• 804310 – Mini Play Tray OR
• 801659 – Play Tray
• 718327 – White Cotton
• String (or cooked spaghetti)
• 451020 – Multipurpose Organic Seed and Potting Compost
• 308641 – Terra by Battat Mini Beasts
• 800193 – YPO Super Bowls and Tweezers

Squishy squashy nature dough

Create your own natural dough or use premade dough for this squishy squashy play tray. Lay out wooden boards and rolling pins, adding a chunk of dough to each board. Then, in the middle of the tray, add herbs or leaves, and encourage children to cut pieces of the leaves using child safe scissors. Once the plants have been cut, ask the little ones to knead or roll the leaves into their dough – a perfect activity for sharpening fine motor skills.

What you'll need:

• 804310 – Mini Play Tray OR
• 801659 – Play Tray
• 759465 – Finger Soft Dough (or use homemade)
• 331287 – Rolling Pin Assortment
• 31336X – Children's Right and Left Handed Scissors
• 876059 – Natural Wooden Writing Boards
• Herbs or leaves

Roarsome volcano mountain

Children love toy dinosaurs, so why not add them to a play tray? We used taste safe dirt as the base of this play tray by blending cornflakes with cocoa powder, ensuring the safety of those little ones who are notorious for trying to eat anything they can get their hands on. For an even more impressive volcano, you could make 'lava' with a vinegar and baking soda solution and let your little ones watch as it erupts.

What you'll need:

• 804310 – Mini Play Tray OR
• 801659 – Play Tray
• 803994 – Jumbo Dinosaurs – Set 1
• 803995 – Jumbo Dinosaurs – Set 2
• 308676 – Yellow Door Play Volcano
• Cornflakes and cocoa powder (for the dirt)

Under the sea sensory tray

We got no troubles, life is the bubbles, under the sea! Create an oceanic open ended masterpiece that'll be both an exciting and sensory activity that children can enjoy. We used smooshy sand for our tray. It's just like regular sand, but you can squeeze it and mould it into shapes, adding an extra layer of fun. Throw in pebbles, shells, mini fish and other loose parts and let the children explore their different textures and shapes.

What you'll need:

• 804310 – Mini Play Tray OR
• 801659 – Play Tray
• 307301 – Smooshy Sand
• 308642 – Terra by Battat Tropical Fish
• 308650 – Mixed Shells
• 308651 – Urchins Set
• 116963 – YPO Iridescent Shred
• 801755 – YPO Translucent Stacking Counters

Titchy tots tea party

Your little ones will love pretending to make delicious cups of tea for each other with this tea party play tray. Add colourful herbal tea bags to a large bowl of cold water and place it onto your tray along with some miniature cups. Then, put some dried oranges or other fruit on the side and let your learners practice scooping and pouring the tea into the cups and serving them to their friends.

What you'll need:

• 804310 – Mini Play Tray OR
• 801659 – Play Tray
• 308659 – Dried Orange Fruit Slices
• 820804 – Cosy Teddy Bear
• Wooden Tea Set
• 807002 – Metal Pots
• Herbal tea bags

This article has been taken from our latest early years magazine, Little Learners. For more inspirational early years content like this, you can subscribe to receive our magazine for FREE or find out more on our Little Learners homepage.