---
key: mechanic/children--sensory-materials
type: mechanic
id: children--sensory-materials
lang: en
title: Sensory material play
summary: >-
  Players explore changes in shape, surface, sound and mixing through physical
  or digital toys.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/children--sensory-materials/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/children--sensory-materials.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/children--sensory-materials.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Children’s games
  - 'Toys, imagination and everyday scenes'
sourceIds:
  - source-ba1f99d5c671bdaa
sources:
  - id: source-ba1f99d5c671bdaa
    title: Claybook
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/661920/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: children
    id: sensory-materials
    title: Children’s games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/children/#sensory-materials'
    categoryIds:
      - play
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Sensory material play
    description: >-
      Players explore changes in shape, surface, sound and mixing through
      physical or digital toys.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/general-claybook-00.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Claybook
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/661920/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/661920/ss_18f83aac47406c5c996cfaa3958844aa0a1bcb8c.1920x1080.jpg?t=1615367716
      credit: Second Order / Second Order
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed
        screenshot from Steam; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY
        4.0.
      caption: The virtual world consists of deformable material
      alt: The virtual world consists of deformable material
      markers:
        - x: 38
          'y': 59
          label: Three-dimensional shapes form the deformable scene
    tips:
      - 'Make material differences apparent through shape, motion and sound.'
    examples:
      - title: Claybook
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/661920/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Play-focused selection adapted from the original children-education taxonomy,
  with original editorial additions dated 2026-10-20. Developer sources support
  specific examples, not the entire classification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/children
---
# Sensory material play

id: children--sensory-materials
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/children--sensory-materials
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/children--sensory-materials/

Players explore changes in shape, surface, sound and mixing through physical or digital toys.

## At a glance

![The virtual world consists of deformable material](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/general-claybook-00.webp)

[Claybook](https://store.steampowered.com/app/661920/) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed screenshot from Steam; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

1. Three-dimensional shapes form the deformable scene

- Make material differences apparent through shape, motion and sound.

- [Claybook](https://store.steampowered.com/app/661920/)

## How it works

Players explore changes in shape, surface, sound and mixing through physical or digital toys.

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="sensory-materials-variants"></a>

- Pour a material into containers of different shapes <a id="sensory-materials-1"></a>
- Knead and stretch a pliable material <a id="sensory-materials-2"></a>
- Make impressions with different tools <a id="sensory-materials-3"></a>
- Mix colors and observe the resulting shade <a id="sensory-materials-4"></a>
- Send water through self-made channels <a id="sensory-materials-5"></a>
- Change a surface texture <a id="sensory-materials-6"></a>
- Compare sounds made by touching different materials <a id="sensory-materials-7"></a>
- Break down and rebuild a temporary shape <a id="sensory-materials-8"></a>

## Design example

Hypothetical sandbox: fill molds and observe how water changes the structures.

## Context and limits

An action map for children’s digital, board, active and mixed games. An instructional goal is optional: children can invent stories, explore toys, compete or enjoy play itself. Select age suitability, reading demands, controls and pace separately; different implementations can suit different ages. Learning tasks and instructional support have their own reference.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Play-focused selection adapted from the original children-education taxonomy, with original editorial additions dated 2026-10-20. Developer sources support specific examples, not the entire classification.

- [Claybook](https://store.steampowered.com/app/661920/) (id: source-ba1f99d5c671bdaa)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors