For families of babies and toddlers with disability-related needs, finding sensory toys that genuinely support development — and that may also be claimable under NDIS funding — is not always straightforward. There is a lot of information available, but not all of it is grounded in early childhood practice, and very little of it speaks directly to the realities of navigating an NDIS plan for a very young child.
This guide brings both together. It covers the sensory toys most suitable for babies and toddlers from an early childhood educator's perspective, and explains how NDIS self-managed and plan-managed participants can purchase them from CC's Sensory Play with proper tax invoices.
As always, eligibility for NDIS funding depends on your individual plan and your child's disability-related needs. Please check with your plan manager or support coordinator before purchasing.
Why sensory toys matter for babies and toddlers with disability-related needs
In the first three years of life, the brain is developing at a pace it will never match again. Sensory experiences — touch, sight, sound, movement, proprioception — are not just pleasant additions to a baby's day. They are the raw material from which the brain builds its understanding of the world.
For babies and toddlers with disability-related needs, this sensory foundation is especially important. Children with sensory processing differences, developmental delays, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and many other conditions often experience the sensory world differently — and carefully chosen sensory toys can provide the specific types of input their nervous systems need to develop, regulate and connect.
The right sensory toy at the right developmental stage does not need to be complex or expensive. What it needs to be is appropriate — matched to the child's sensory profile, developmental level, and current needs.
What makes a sensory toy suitable for babies and toddlers
Before looking at specific products, it helps to understand what qualities make a sensory toy genuinely useful for very young children, particularly those with additional needs.
Predictability
Babies and toddlers — especially those with sensory processing differences — benefit from materials that behave consistently. A toy that always feels the same, makes the same sound, or responds in the same way each time supports the nervous system in building reliable sensory maps of the world. Unpredictable or sudden sensory input can be startling and dysregulating.
Open-endedness
The best sensory toys for this age group do not have a single correct way to be used. They invite exploration, repetition, and child-led interaction. This open-ended quality means the toy can be used across a wide developmental range and adapts naturally to a child's growing abilities.
Safety
For babies and younger toddlers who mouth objects, all materials must be non-toxic, free of small parts, and easy to clean. This is non-negotiable, and all products at CC's Sensory Play are selected with safety as a primary criterion.
Sensory specificity
Different toys support different sensory systems. A well-chosen collection of sensory toys will address tactile, visual, auditory, and proprioceptive needs — rather than focusing on one sense at the expense of others.
Sensory toys for babies — birth to 12 months
In the first year of life, the most impactful sensory experiences are simple, gentle and close. Babies at this stage are building the very foundations of sensory processing, and the toys that support them best are those that offer varied but manageable input.
Tactile exploration sets
Collections of objects with varied textures — smooth, ridged, soft, firm — give babies the tactile input their developing nervous systems need. Natural materials such as wooden rings, smooth pebbles, and soft fabric squares are particularly suitable because they offer authentic textures that are less foreign to the sensory system than manufactured materials.
High-contrast visual materials
Newborns and young babies see best in high contrast. Simple black and white patterns, colourful sorting sets, and visually distinct objects support early visual tracking, focus and attention — foundational skills for later learning.
Soft musical instruments
Gentle rattles, soft bells, and simple shakers introduce cause and effect through sound. For babies with hearing differences, instruments that also produce vibration — small drums, resonant wooden instruments — can be particularly engaging. Our Musical Toys collection includes options suitable from early infancy.
Sensory bottles and visual calming tools
Sealed bottles containing glitter, beads, or coloured water provide rich visual sensory input without requiring any tactile contact — making them ideal for babies who are tactile-avoidant or who need visual calming support during transitions or moments of distress.
Sensory toys for toddlers — 12 months to 3 years
As babies become toddlers, their sensory needs become more active. They want to pour, fill, transfer, stack, push, pull and explore cause and effect with increasing deliberateness. The toys that serve them best at this stage offer both rich sensory input and opportunities for purposeful action.
Sensory play trays
A sensory play tray is one of the most versatile and developmentally valuable tools available for toddlers with additional needs. It creates a defined, contained space for tactile exploration — which is particularly helpful for children who become overwhelmed by open-ended environments — while still offering complete freedom within that boundary.
Our Sensory Play Tray features a deep base, removable sections, and a lid that doubles as a secondary shallow tray. It supports wet and dry play, is easy to clean, and is used widely in Family Day Care settings and homes across Australia. It is one of the products most commonly enquired about by NDIS participants.
Kinetic sand and sensory sand
Kinetic sand is cohesive, predictable and deeply calming — qualities that make it particularly suitable for toddlers with sensory processing differences. Its slow, consistent movement provides steady tactile input without sudden changes in texture or behaviour. For toddlers who are tactile-avoidant, it can be introduced gradually — beginning with observation only, then touching the edge of the tray, before moving toward direct contact at the child's own pace.
Fine motor tools
Tongs, scoops, tweezers, droppers and small containers extend sensory play into purposeful fine motor practice. The movements required — pinching, squeezing, transferring, pouring — directly strengthen the hand muscles and coordination needed for self-care tasks such as dressing, feeding and toileting. For toddlers with developmental delays or low muscle tone, these tools provide accessible, motivating fine motor practice within a sensory context. Browse our Sensory Essentials collection for fine motor tool sets.
Montessori-style sorting and matching sets
Simple sorting and matching activities — organising objects by colour, size or shape — support cognitive development, sustained attention and early mathematical thinking in a hands-on, sensory-rich way. Our Little Scientists collection includes Montessori-inspired sets suitable for toddlers from around 18 months.
Plush companions for emotional regulation
For toddlers who seek comfort and regulation through tactile contact, soft plush toys can be an important sensory