DIY Tuff Tray Ideas for Autumn Sensory Play
Pumpkins, Pinecones & Squirrels – Simple, Sensory, Seasonal Fun
Fall is one of our favorite seasons for sensory play. Nature is full of rich textures, earthy colors, and inspiring treasures — and with a little creativity, your tuff tray can become a magical autumn learning space.
At Learning Through PLAYtrays®, we believe in using what’s available: recycled materials, real nature finds, and loose parts that spark imagination. You don’t need elaborate crafts or expensive toys — just a tuff tray and a child’s curiosity.
Here are 3 easy and educational ways to play with pumpkins, pinecones, and squirrels this fall.
🐿️ 1. Sensory Squirrel Tail – Cardboard & Imagination
Don’t have a squirrel toy? Make one!
This setup is a favorite for encouraging storytelling, sensory exploration, and schema play — especially enclosure and filling.
How to set it up:
Draw a squirrel tail on cardboard.
Cut long 1-inch strips of cardboard and gently bend them to follow the outline.
Glue the strips along the shape using a hot glue gun to create a raised edge.
Place the cardboard piece inside your tuff tray and surround it with sensory fillers like flowers, pebbles, or leaves.
Learning Benefits:
Fine motor development (scooping, filling)
Language skills (describing shapes and textures)
Creative play and storytelling
Sensory regulation with natural textures
💡 This one is extra fun when paired with acorns or pretend squirrel food!
2. Pinecone Puddle – Blue Water, Nature & Sorting Fun
This simple, soothing setup brings together the beauty of pinecones and the calming sensory effect of water play — all within your tuff tray.
What you need:
A muffin tin
Pinecones (fresh or dry)
Blue water (made with a drop of washable liquid paint or food coloring)
Tongs, ladles, or scoops (optional)
How to play:
Fill the tray with a shallow layer of blue water and let children:
Float the pinecones
“Rescue” them with tools
Sort them into muffin tin compartments
Explore pouring, dripping, and splashing
Learning Benefits:
Sensory input (temperature, texture, visual color)
Early science exploration (floating vs. sinking)
Hand-eye coordination and motor planning
Math concepts (counting, sorting)
🧠 Add language by describing the water (“cold,” “splashy”) and the pinecones (“rough,” “pointy,” “heavy”).
🎃 3. Pumpkin Kitchen – A Fall-Inspired Pretend Play Tuff Tray Setup
Bring a bit of fall into your play kitchen — pumpkin-style! This tuff tray setup invites pretend cooking, mixing, and pouring, using real or pretend mini pumpkins.
What you’ll need:
Mini pumpkins
Orange water (just a drop of food coloring in water)
Measuring cups, bowls, scoops, ladles, or spoons
Optional: dry oats, lentils, or pumpkin seeds
How to play:
Set everything inside the tuff tray and let children:
Pretend to make “pumpkin soup” or “pumpkin tea”
Transfer water between containers
Mix dry and wet ingredients
Create their own fall-themed recipes
Learning Benefits:
Role play and early social-emotional learning
Fine motor skills (scooping, pouring, mixing)
Sensory engagement (sight, sound, touch)
Language development (cooking terms, storytelling)
🍲 Pro tip: use a mini ladle or teapot for extra fun and fine motor challenge!
🍂 Exploring Nature Through the Senses
Nature play gives children the chance to explore the world using all five senses — touching rough pinecones, hearing leaves crunch, smelling fresh earth, seeing bright colors, and even tasting seasonal snacks like pumpkin. These simple experiences help build strong brain connections and support every part of development — from language and movement to focus and creativity. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, we believe the environment is a powerful teacher. When children explore natural materials in open-ended ways, they learn by doing, asking questions, and making discoveries on their own — which is exactly how real learning sticks.
Learning Through PLAYtrays® creates high-quality tuff trays and sensory play resources designed by an early years educator & founder. Our trays are thoughtfully reimagined to be tougher, safer, and built for real-life play — from classrooms to home play. We believe in open-ended learning, hands-on exploration, and products that last through childhood.