For over 15 years, I (Kamilla) used sensory play as an Early Childhood Educator.
I saw how children lit up as they explored with their hands, experimenting, discovering, and learning through play.
But the trays we relied on were never designed with children in mind.
They cracked.
They were unstable.
They scratched immediately.
And the smooth plastic became slippery when wet, making play less safe and more frustrating for kids that enjoy playing inside the tray directly.
Our Journey to Create the Tray That Transforms Playtime Into Hands-On Learning
We’re Kamilla and Daniel, the husband-and-wife team that started Learning Through PLAYtrays.
Our story didn’t begin with a business plan… it started as a simple frustration inside a classroom.
Where It All Started
The Moment Everything Changed
While teaching abroad in Vietnam, after yet another classic UK tuff tray failed in the classroom, I finally turned to Daniel and asked:
“Could you make me a better tray?”
Daniel, with over 20 years in manufacturing and product design, said yes and asked a question that changed everything:
“What if we made a stronger, textured surface designed specifically for sensory play?”
That question became the beginning of Learning Through PLAYtrays.
The First Premium Tuff Tray for Play
From day one, we decided to build the tray I had always wished for in my classroom.
We started from scratch by creating our own molds, setting up production, and developing a tray made for real, child-led play.
What we developed was something completely new:
We launched on February 14, 2024.
We started from scratch by creating our own molds, setting up production, and developing a tray made for real, child-led play.
What we developed was something completely new:
- A textured sensory surface that children can safely grip, even when wet, giving them confidence while exploring.
- Material that resists cracking and scratching, so you don’t need to replace flimsy trays year after year.
- A lightweight but sturdy design created for classrooms, homes, and therapy spaces; not repurposed from construction materials.
- CPSC certified in the U.S., meeting strict child-safety standards you can trust.
We launched on February 14, 2024.
Why We Choose Innovation
For us, Learning Through PLAYtrays is more than just a product. It's a way to share who we are.
I bring the educator’s view:
What helps children learn? What do they seek or avoid? What empowers them?
Daniel brings the designer’s view:
How do we engineer something that lasts years, not months?
Together, we created something no one else in North America offers:
The only Tuff Tray–style product designed specifically for children’s sensory play.
Not a repurposed cement-mixing tray or a flimsy plastic bin.
When you choose us, you’re supporting a small family business built by an educator and a designer, not a factory or a reseller.
I bring the educator’s view:
What helps children learn? What do they seek or avoid? What empowers them?
Daniel brings the designer’s view:
How do we engineer something that lasts years, not months?
Together, we created something no one else in North America offers:
The only Tuff Tray–style product designed specifically for children’s sensory play.
Not a repurposed cement-mixing tray or a flimsy plastic bin.
When you choose us, you’re supporting a small family business built by an educator and a designer, not a factory or a reseller.
What We Believe
Learning Through PLAYtrays exists to bring meaningful, hands-on learning into more homes and classrooms.
We believe:
Our mission is to bring thoughtfully designed, educator-created play products to families & educators across the U.S., making sensory play easy, safe, and natural wherever children learn and grow.
We believe:
- Children learn best through open-ended, sensory-focused play
- Tools used every day should be durable enough to last
- Educators and parents need products made for children, not adapted from other industries
- Small, thoughtful design decisions can make a big difference for a child's confidence.
Our mission is to bring thoughtfully designed, educator-created play products to families & educators across the U.S., making sensory play easy, safe, and natural wherever children learn and grow.
From Our Family to Yours
Thank you for being here.
Every order, message, review, and photo you share means more to us than you know.
We created these trays because children benefit from quality sensory play and we believed families would value something made with genuine care.
If you want a tray made thoughtfully for children, that's built to be used and loved, we’d be honored to be part of your home or classroom.
Every order, message, review, and photo you share means more to us than you know.
We created these trays because children benefit from quality sensory play and we believed families would value something made with genuine care.
If you want a tray made thoughtfully for children, that's built to be used and loved, we’d be honored to be part of your home or classroom.