DIY Sensory Table

diy-sensory-table

My DIY sensory table has been one of my student’s favorite things in my classroom. They loved it so much I ended up making 3 tables, well actually I convinced my boyfriend to make 3. The best part about the tables, it has multiple purposes and can fit the needs of any classroom. I use mine every week as part of my 10/20 literacy block model, which you can read more about here.

How To Use Your Tables

My students go every Friday and work on different skills like letter hunt, making CVC words, finding letters in their name, and more. I fill mine with different fillers, pictured above is my Halloween theme bin. It is filled with foam glitter objects from Michael’s like pumpkins, hats, spiders, and my October sensory bin letter cards. On TPT each month is listed separately as well as a bundle for the entire year. Click the picture below to shop the bundle and see what all is included.

sensory-bin-bundle-1

What you need for the DIY Sensory Table:

These are the materials you need to get to build and complete your DIY sensory table.

Wood:

  • 5: 1in by 3in by 8ft Pine Appearance Board
  • 2: 1in by 4in by 8ft Pine Appearance Board
  • 1: 4ft by 4ft underlayment ply-sheet
  • 5: 1in by 1/2in by 2ft Pine Appearance Board

Paint:

  • 1 pint of high gloss white
  • color choices for lids, use sample size (8oz)

Tools:

  • Miter Saw
  • Table Saw
  • Skill Saw
  • Nail Gun
  • Hammer

Extra:

  • 1in Sponge Paint Brush
  • 4in Roller Brush
  • Sandpaper 120grit
  • Wood Filler
  • Ikea Trofast Tubs
  • 1in brad/finish Nails
  • 1 1/4in brad/finish Nails
  • Pyramid Paint Stands
diy-sensory-table-material

Where To Start:

After buying your materials you will need to start to cut the wood. Here are the cut lists you will want to make to get everything to fit.

For the 1in by 3in by 8ft Pine Appearance Board, use 5 of these to make these cuts:

  • 5 cuts by 16 3/4in x 2 1/2in x 1in
  • 2 cuts 33 1/2in x 2 1/2in x 1in
  • 8 cuts 28 1/8in x 2 1/2in by 1in, this was for the height of my stools
  • 2 cuts 18in x 2 1/2in by 1in
  • 1 cut 40in x 2 1/2in by 1in

For the 1in by 4in by 8ft Pine Appearance Board, use 2 of these to make these cuts:

  • Make 2 cuts 18 1/4in x 3 1/2in x1in
  • Make 2 cuts 43in x3 1/2in x1in

For the 4ft by 4ft underlayment ply-sheet, make these cuts:

  • Make 1 cut 18 1/4in by 4ft
  • Make 5 cuts for the 5 pieces from one side to the other, and measure each piece based on your 5 openings. 2 will be lids, and 3 will be permeant tops. When cutting the 2 lid tops, give yourself 1/16in to get the lid off easier. 

For the 1in by 1/2in by 2ft Pine Appearance Board, make these 5 cuts:

  • Make 8 cuts 7 1/2in x 1in x 1in
  • Make 2 cuts 18 1/4in x 1/2in x1in
sensory-table-materials

How To Build The Sensory Table

When building the table you will break it up into chunks. First, start with the outer piece, next will be the inner piece and connect those together. Then, you will make the top part which will include 3 permanent tops and 2 lids that can come on and off. Lastly, you will want to make the legs the height for your chairs/ stools and side pieces so the chairs/ stools can slide in on one side only. To get every step-by-step, download the guide below that includes drawings, pictures, and measurements.

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