Sand and Water Tuff Tray Inspiration for EYFS & Early Years
Posted by EYR Team on 7th Apr 2025
read moreIn this blog, we share sand and water tuff tray inspiration to help you plan engaging EYFS activities that support development while keeping children motivated and curious.
Why Sand and Water Play Is Important in EYFS
Sand and water activities support multiple areas of learning and development, including:
- Fine motor skills (pouring, scooping, grasping)
- Communication and language (describing textures and actions)
- Personal, social and emotional development (turn-taking and cooperation)
- Understanding the world (cause and effect, capacity, floating and sinking)
A sand and water tuff tray allows children to explore these concepts freely while practitioners can easily adapt activities to different ages and abilities.
Sand and Water Tuff Tray Ideas
Below are some simple but effective sand and water tuff tray ideas that can be set up indoors or outdoors.
1. Beach Clean-Up Tuff Tray
Create a seaside-themed tray using sand, water, shells and small world sea creatures. Add “rubbish” items such as bottle tops or plastic scraps and encourage children to clean the beach using tweezers or scoops.
This activity supports:
- Fine motor development
- Environmental awareness
- Cooperative play
2. Small World Habitat Tuff Tray
Small world habitats are a fantastic way to combine sand and water play with imaginative storytelling. Create a simple habitat using sand, water, natural materials and small world figures such as animals or people.
Children can:
- Build environments and landscapes
- Act out stories and scenarios
- Explore different textures and materials
This activity supports language development, creativity and understanding of the world.
Teacher tip: Add numbers to lily pads to encourage counting or use our free download to explore the lifecycle of a frog.
3. Ice Cream Oobleck
Oobleck is a fascinating sensory material that behaves like both a solid and a liquid, making it perfect for sand and water tuff tray play. Made by mixing cornflour and water, oobleck encourages children to explore texture, pressure and movement.
Children can:
- Squeeze and roll oobleck in their hands
- Watch it flow when released
- Experiment with adding colour or small tools
This activity supports sensory development, fine motor skills and early scientific thinking.
4. Dinosaur Dig Tuff Tray
Hide dinosaur figures or bones beneath sand and add water droppers, paint brushes or small spades. Children can excavate and discover hidden objects like real palaeontologists.
This activity encourages:
- Imaginative play
- Hand-eye coordination
- Curiosity and questioning
5. Bubble Play Tuff Tray Activity
Bubble play is a fun and engaging way to introduce children to cause and effect through sand and water play. Fill the tuff tray with bubble mixture and provide a range of bubble wands, strainers or everyday objects to experiment with.
Children can:
- Create bubbles of different sizes
- Compare tools and shapes
- Observe how bubbles form and pop
Bubble play supports communication, hand-eye coordination and curiosity about how things work.
How to Set Up a Sand and Water Tuff Tray
To get the most out of your sand and water tuff tray:
- Use shallow water to reduce spills
- Provide child-sized tools (jugs, spoons, funnels)
- Place mats or trays underneath for easy cleaning
- Rotate resources regularly to keep interest high
Safety Tips for Sand and Water Play
- Always supervise water play
- Encourage handwashing after activities
- Check small items are age-appropriate
- Replace sand and water regularly for hygiene
More Tuff Tray Inspiration
Sand and water play is just one way to use a tuff tray. You can easily adapt the tray for seasonal, sensory or curriculum-based activities.
Final Thoughts
Sand and water tuff trays offer endless opportunities for sensory exploration and meaningful learning in early years settings. With a few simple resources, you can create engaging activities that support development while keeping play fun and exciting.
Looking for equipment to get started? Explore our full range of sand and water resources to support your EYFS activities.
