Sensory Sight Word Activities: Sight Word Sensory Bag

A fun sensory sight word activity for kids who are learning to read, this DIY sight word sensory bag is super simple to make.

DIY Sight Words Sensory Bag Sight Word Activity

I continue to look for playful sight words games to reinforce learning and this peekaboo, DIY sensory bag certainly ticks all the boxes!

Sensory Bag Sight Word Activity | Childhood 101

Sight word activities printable pack

Sight Word Activities: Sight Word Sensory Bag

You will need:

  • 1 laminate sheet
  • Permanent marker pens
  • Scissors
  • 1 self sealing, plastic sandwich bag
  • 1 tube or tub of clear hair gel (you could also use dish soap or liquid hand soap)
  • Sequins
  • Heavy duty tape

How to make a Sight Word Sensory Bag:

Sight Word Sensory Activity | Childhood 101

1. Write your collection of sight words directly inside the sheet of clear laminate with the permanent marker. I used quite small writing to make the hunt for words that little bit trickier. You can adapt the size and number of words to best suit your child’s level of sight word learning.

RELATED: Not sure which words to use? Check out our free, printable resource, the Dolch Sight Words Flashcards, for a complete list of the first two levels of the Dolch sight words list.

2. Laminate the sheet closed with a thermal laminating machine.

3. Cut each of the sight words out. I rounded the corners of each small sight word token to reduce the likelihood of them poking through the plastic bag.

Sight Word Peekaboo Bag Activity | Childhood 101

4. Squeeze or tip the hair gel into your plastic bag (please note, I cut down a much larger bag to make our sensory bag which is why I am filling the bag from the bottom, you can just use the regular opening).

Sight Word Peekaboo Bag | Childhood 101

5. Add your collection of sequins. You want enough sequins to make the search for sight words a little tricky.

Sight Word Peekaboo Activity Bag | Childhood 101

6. Add your small sight word tokens. A note of caution here, I just dumped the words all in together and many of them stuck to each other with the hair gel. They aren’t too difficult to separate but you might want to sprinkle them out a little more to help prevent this problem.

7. Gently spread out the contents of the bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing the bag.

8. Fold a length of tape over each side of the bag to reinforce the seams.

Sight Word Sensory Bag | Childhood 101

To play:

Challenge your child to find a word at random and read it out to you, or suggest one particular word for them to find.

Sensory Sight Word Activity | Childhood 101

Have more fun learning sight words with our Sight Words Games Pack.

Sight word games pack printable

For more early reading and writing activities, check out these handy resources;

10 Sensory Pre-Writing Activities for Preschool
Best Alphabet Learning Games and Resources
Sight Word Activities for Beginning Readers: Racer Game

3 Comments

  1. We love sensory play here — and I have been looking for some sight word activities. What a perfect combo! Pinned it!

  2. Bon Crowder (@mathfour) says:

    Great idea – I’m going to try this for numbers (numerals as well as written out in English).

    Also possible is using the words on Shrinky-Dink Shrink paper!

    Thanks for this, I’m so excited!

  3. This looks like so much fun! My daughter loves I spy bags and I bet she’d love this for sight word practice.

    I’d love for you to come share this at our Pinning for Play link party!

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