Viral Fruit Soup & Other Tasty Play Ideas
Why Sensory Play Doesn’t Need to Be Insta-Perfect
Let’s be honest: most of us are not setting up rainbow rice trays on a Tuesday morning. And that’s okay.
Sensory play is powerful, but it doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive. What matters most is offering babies and toddlers the chance to explore with their senses — squishing, pouring, tasting, splashing — in ways that feel natural (and safe).
That’s where taste-safe, low-waste ideas come in. You don’t need special ingredients or a craft cupboard. You just need a bit of imagination, a wipeable surface, and sometimes, a towel.
Fruit Soup: A Fan Favourite
🍓 What it is: A shallow pan of water with soft fruit floating in it — think sliced strawberries, squished blueberries, banana chunks. Use whatever your baby usually eats, just prepped as normal. A heavy-bottomed or cast iron pan works best to stop it being tipped over. Fill it with cool water, add the fruit, and let them dive in.
👶 Why it works: It’s true taste-safe water play. Babies can splash, squish and taste without worry, and toddlers love the scooping and stirring. Great for developing pincer grasp, fine motor skills, messy sensory exploration and imaginative play.
🧼 Top tip: Set it up in a shallow pan, outdoors if you can, and have a towel ready for quick clean-ups.
Other Easy, Edible Sensory Ideas
🌱 Edible ‘Mud’
Save the liquid from a tin of chickpeas (yep, the gloopy stuff — it’s called aquafaba). Add a squeeze of lemon juice and whisk it into a soft foam. Mix in a spoonful of cocoa powder for a muddy look and scent, or leave it plain and fluffy. Great for messy farm set-ups, animal washes, or just weird and wonderful sensory fun. Taste-safe, low-waste, and surprisingly satisfying to squish.
🎨 Yoghurt ‘Paint’
Dollop plain yoghurt into a shallow tray and add a few drops of natural food colouring or blitzed fruit if you can be bothered (like blueberry or beetroot purée) for a fun, edible twist. Let your baby smear, swirl and explore. Perfect for highchair play or a wipe-clean mat — and completely safe if it goes straight in the mouth.
Keeping It Safe and Realistic
✅ Use taste-safe foods only. Avoid salt, sugar, raw eggs or anything that’s a choking hazard. If your baby is under one, skip honey.
✅ Keep portions small. It’s play, not lunch (unless you want it to be!). A little goes a long way.
✅ Embrace the mess… mostly. Use an old towel or plastic sheet underneath, strip them to a nappy or vest, and keep wipes nearby. Not every session has to be a deep clean.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need a Pinterest pantry to give your child rich, sensory experiences. Most of what you need is already in your fridge or cupboard — and often heading for the bin.
Sensory play can be real, scrappy, and perfectly imperfect. That’s where the magic (and the mess) happens.