Jungle inspired play offers so many sensory inspired play ideas, activities, animals, language learning and so much more! If you have little ones who are fascinated by the jungle and what lives within it, then these tuff tray ideas are just the ticket!
If you’re looking for some open ended play ideas, language and fine motor skill developing games or just some good jungle fun, prepare to be inspired with these jungle inspired tuff tray ideas for kids. Screenshot your favorite ideas for later!
17 Jungle Inspired, Animal Themed Tuff Tray Ideas For Kids
1.Cereal Jungle Floor
Your little ones will have endless hours of fun playing with jungle animals, crunching through the cereal jungle floor.
Not only is this a super easy setup, but you’ve probably got everything you need already in the house. Add a layer of cereal for the floor – think Frosties and rice crispies, add jungle animals, trees and any other additions for the jungle.
If your little ones are toddlers, get them to name the animals and match them to the sounds they make in the jungle.
2. Jungle Highway
There are so many ways your little one can take this play activity, from using magnifying glasses to inspect insects, using the highway for cars or adding in animals for open ended role-play.
To create this setup you’ll need, leaves (fake or real), flowers, car tracks, magnifying glasses and throw some cars and animals in too for a jungle exploration.
3. Safari Tray
So simple, yet a gorgeous way to introduce animal patterns, animals and play into the equation. Take inspiration from the below, using fabric with a giraffe print, tiger print and zebra, but you could use any you have readily available.
Add a selection of animal figures to the tray, getting them to pair with their respective pattern, or just leading an open ended play session learning animal names and beyond.
4. Bear Hunt
Partner this tuff tray with the ever popular We’re Going On A Bear Hunt book! This setup offers quite the sensory experience with different sensory items to explore during their role play bear hunt.
5. Jungle Floor Exploration
Sometimes the simplest setups are the best and open ended play is great for role play development in your little ones. Create different areas of the jungle floor with sensory items for sand, grass and sea. Colored rice is great for this as it’s safe for little hands to explore.
Introduce a selection of their jungle animals for hours of playtime!
6. Jurassic Park
We couldn’t skip an opportunity on these jungle themed ideas without including an epic Jurassic Park setup!
There is no holding back for this idea, with a winding train track, volcano, jungle floor and plenty of dinosaurs to fill the park. You can scale this back as much as you like/items you have available.
7. Minibeasts
Insect tuff trays are always a hit with little hands and eyes fascinated by nature. Take this one outdoors if you want to include real mini beasts though!
8. Living Things
This is another great idea for a living floor which combines animals from the jungle, sea, farmyard and woodland floors.
This offers a great learning opportunity for kids to identify where each animal lives, and what terrain they live on. Include magnifying glasses for them to get up close and personal with the animals, they will love this part!
9. Grass Turfed Tray
Tuff trays can end up being super messy at times, so when you need an easy and mess free solution, this is the one! Add a grass insert to your tuff tray, for sensory fun without the mess.
Get your little one to bring along their jungle animals for open ended play.
10. Jungle World
Story books that can support a tuff tray setup really enhance educational learning in a fun way. Use your favorite jungle books to teach your kids about animals, where they come from, what they eat and what terrain they live on.
We love Elmer’s First Counting Book, a colorful classic!
11. Outdoor Jungle Fun
If you want to create a slightly different sensory jungle floor, take note from the below!
Create different zoned areas to recreate those relevant spaces. Use edible items such as rolled oats, rice, crumbled biscuits and lentils.
12. Sensory Jungle
There are so many ways to create a sensory jungle, and create one where the items you have are already readily available. Use artificial grass, shredded paper and wood stumps for the jungle animals.
13. Continent of Africa
This has perhaps got to be our favorite jungle inspired tuff tray idea which focuses on learning about the continent of Africa. This tuff tray is educational, cute and plenty of fun with animal figures and activities to complete.
This could be an ongoing tray that you use over the course of a week or longer. Teach your child about the continent, animals indigenous to the area, the flags and to encourage language learning too.
14. Walking Through The Jungle
Get your little one to really explore the jungle floor with a dedicated walk through. Support it with the book Walking Through The Jungle, add grass and leaves for a sensory touch and include animal figures or laminated cut outs featuring the animals and their name.
15. Lion Tray
How cute is this setup?! Put the focus on lion learning with this lion tuff tray. Print an outline of a lion, add colouring pencils, lion stamps, play dough and any other items based on how you want to setup your take on this tray.
16. Child Led Setup
Child led open ended play is one of the best approaches to role play development. Set them up with a jungle floor setup and plenty of animals and just let them get stuck in!
17. Mud Bath Messy Play
After all, the animals have to wash at some point! This can be as messy as you want, if you want to add a water element to this, we definitely recommend taking the tuff tray outside for full enjoyment!
You can add soil, or an edible mix for the floor. Introduce foliage, leaves, pots, jugs and of course, animals. It’s a great way to get your little one’s toys washed up at the same time too!
Which of these jungle inspired ideas is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below which one you will be trying next.
