Sensory play is any activity that stimulates an individuals senses: touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing, balance, and movement. It helps children interact with and make sense of the world that surrounds them. It includes things like water play, sand play, messy play, textures, sounds and aromatherapy. It’s all about exploring, discovering, and learning through play.

Sensory play helps with regulation, communication, develops motor skills, strengthens problem solving, focus and memory. It is calming and stress relieving while reducing anxiety and encouraging independence. It is inclusive for abilities and supports individual learning styles.

For people with autism, sensory processing differences, ADHD or developmental delays, sensory play can be especially helpful. It can provide calming input, help with emotional regulation, improve focus and encourage social interaction in a non-pressured way. It provides a safe, engaging way to explore different textures, sounds and movement.

Yes. All of our sessions at Splatter and Spark are fully inclusive. We welcome individuals of abilities, ages and needs. Our activities are adaptable ensuring everyone can join in, feel comfortable and have fun at their own pace.

If your child has any sensitivities or specific needs, please let us know before the session. This helps us adapt our activities and create a comfortable, safe and enjoyable experience for them.

It can be, it is often messy by design and that is part of the fun. Sensory play doesn’t have to be messy to be effective. Dry sensory trays, light and sound activities, and even movement-based sensory games can all be non-messy options. It allows individuals to explore textures, colours and materials freely, encouraging creativity learning and sensory development.

Sensory play is perfect for all ages. Our activities are specially designed for children of all ages and abilities.

That's completely okay. Every person is unique. Some dive straight in, while others prefer to observe first. We gently encourage exploration at their own pace, there’s no right or wrong way to play. Every individual engages in their own way and even watching or touching materials quietly is a valuable sensory experience.

Yes. All of our activities are safe and suitable for babies and toddlers. Materials are non-toxic and age appropriate. We do ask that parents or caregivers observe and support their little ones to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

Our team are there to support and encourage your child to explore and create. Very often children think they want to get messy but when this happens, they become overstimulated. This is why we provide extra tools into their play.

For example: instead of putting both hands into the sand pit, your child could use a shovel, bucket or sieve. This still provides opportunities for hand-eye coordination and the exploration of senses and creativity.

We recommend wearing comfortable, loose clothing to allow freedom of movement and exploration. We use paint, food colouring, coloured powder and other sensory materials. While the stains should wash out easily, we recommend avoiding wearing special outfits.

Heuristic play encourages exploration and manipulation of real every day objects with all your senses, fostering curiosity, independence, developing fine motor skills and problem solving. Children will have the opportunity to discover natural/household items such as shells, stones, pine cones, wooden spoons, bowls and fabrics. This is a form of self directed play supporting cognitive growth and emotional regulation. Children can observe, experiment and unleash their creativity through open-ended play in a safe and nurturing environment.

Sensory exploration supports independent thinking, encourages choice, builds focus and concentration, encourages fine and gross motor skills, builds on problem solving skills, learning about cause and effect, learning to trust their own ideas, abilities and an introduction to the 'I can if I try' motto.

Each booking includes one child and one accompanying adult. Additional adults are welcome for €5 each which is payable on arrival. All participating children require a full ticket.

You can expect a relaxed, supportive enviorment where your child is free to explore, create and have fun through messy play. We focus on engagement, choice and building confidence at each childs pace.

We provide a range of messy play stations, arts and crafts and STEM activities which are all designed to encourage creativity and self expression.

A full change of clothes

A towel

A puddlesuit to protect clothes if you would prefer

If the session is outdoors: Suncream and a hat for warm weather or a coat and wellies for wet/cold weather.

Wipes

Things will get messy so we recommend dressing your child in clothes you do not mind getting messy or stained.