Pom Pom Name Sensory Bag

If there’s one activity that I can always count on to keep little hands busy, it’s a sensory bag. Sensory bags are a lifesaver: they’re squishy, mess-free, and perfect for toddlers and preschoolers to explore without dumping an entire bin of materials all over the floor. Recently, we made a Pom Pom Name Sensory Bag, and I can’t stop talking about it!

This one is bright, colorful, and all about helping kids recognize and spell their names while getting that irresistible squish factor. It’s one of those activities that works perfectly on a rainy day indoors or outside on the deck when you need a calm activity to balance out the wild energy.

Why You’ll Love This Pom Pom Name Sensory Bag

• Mess-free: All the fun of sensory play without the cleanup.
• Hands-on name practice: Kids get to find letters, trace shapes, and start recognizing their name in a playful way.
• Easy to set up: You probably already have most of these materials at home.
• Great for travel: Toss it in the car or a tote bag for a quiet activity on the go.
• Adaptable: Perfect for toddlers working on fine motor skills, preschoolers learning letters, or older kids practicing sight words.

Materials You’ll Need

• 1 gallon-size ziplock bag (heavier freezer bags are best!)
• A handful of mini pom poms in different colors
• A permanent marker (Sharpie)
• Water or clear hair gel (hair gel gives it that extra squishy feel)
• Clear packing tape (optional, for sealing)

How to Make a Pom Pom Name Sensory Bag

Step 1: Write the Name
Using a permanent marker, write your child’s name in big letters on the outside of the bag. You can do uppercase, lowercase, or a mix depending on what you want to practice. If your child is working on shapes or numbers, you can draw those instead! (TIP: if you need to remove the label on the outside of the bag use an alcohol wipe)

Step 2: Fill the Bag
Add a small handful of mini pom poms to the bag. You don’t need a ton—just enough so they can move around easily inside.

Step 3: Add Liquid
Pour in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water or clear hair gel. Hair gel creates a smooth, squishy texture that slows the pom poms down, which is really fun for little hands.

Step 4: Seal It Up
Press out as much air as you can and zip the bag shut. If you want extra security, fold the top over and seal it with packing tape so there’s no chance of leaks.

Step 5: Play and Learn!
Tape the bag down to a table, window, or wall—or just let your child squish it on the floor. Invite them to push the pom poms around until they cover all the letters of their name.

How to Play

• Find the Letters: Ask your child to move pom poms to outline each letter in their name.
• Color Match: Call out a color and a letter (“Find a red pom pom and put it on the M!”).
• Trace: Have them trace over the letters with their finger while saying the letter out loud.

Extensions and Modifications

• Alphabet Version: Instead of one name, write the entire alphabet on the bag and have them cover the letters you call out.
• Number Version: Write numbers (1–10) on the bag and let them practice counting as they cover each number with a pom pom.
• Sight Words: For older kids, write short words for them to find and cover as a mini word hunt.
• Outdoor Play: Tape the bag to a window outside or a sliding door and let kids stand and squish while they play.
• Add Tools: Give them a Q-tip or the back of a paintbrush to push pom poms around instead of fingers—this adds a fun fine motor challenge.

Pom Pom Name Sensory Bag is a win for both kids and parents: kids get to enjoy a satisfying sensory experience, and parents get a simple, portable, educational activity that requires zero cleanup. Once you make one, you’ll find yourself pulling it out again and again whenever you need a quiet, engaging activity.

Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers

There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!

But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.

Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.

Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again! 

These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!

Click here for more information: Play2Learn

Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids

Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon. 

Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids

Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more. 

Find out more and grab your copy here.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids

Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.

• 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
• Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
• Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.

Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!

Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.