For this post, I have put together a collection of the 21 best Tuff Tray Ideas and resources to use in schools and/or an Early Years Setting.
Also see my guide to the Best Tuff Trays and Best Tuff Tray Mats.
Recently we have seen a huge growth in popularity in the use of Tuff Trays in schools and Early years settings, but we are now seeing them in homes and children’s groups.
They are so versatile and have a wide range of uses. They can be used just as they, as a tray for messy play, shaving foam, Lego or painting, but they can be jazzed up and given a whole new learning experience by using a Tuff Tray mat, or insert.
There are many ways a tuff tray can be used, so have a look through my Top Picks
Our Top Picks
- Best Dinosaur Tuff Tray:
- Best Story Tuff Tray:
Best For Mathematics:
Best For Science:
Best For Sensory:
Best For Fun:
In this article I’ll go over:
- My selection of the 21 best Tuff Tray Ideas for Early Years and Schools.
- A list of suggested resources available on the market, along with an alternative suggestion.
- The Learning Outcomes for each activity.
- What are the benefits of using a Tuff Tray?
- Where Can I buy A Tuff Tray?
- Top 12 Resources For a Tuff Tray.
Also see my top picks for the best tuff tray covers, the best tuff tray stands and best tuff tray ideas.
Jurassic World
Tuff Tray Idea:
A selection of small world dinosaurs, set up on a green astro mat, with natural loose parts such as pine cones, leaves , logs and corks.
A volcano has been added in to add some height to the tray giving a structure for the dinosaurs to climb on, hide behind and explore.
Finished off with a selection of dinosaur related books to encourage imagination and extend the child’s knowledge.
Resources Used:
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
A highly imaginative tray, encouraging pretend play and story telling.
Literacy development is encourage with the use of books, to extend knowledge on dinosaurs by researching and reading the facts and information.
- Alternative Resources: Playmobil Dino Volcano Eruption
- Age Range: 3+
The Snail and The Whale
Tuff Tray Idea:
Based on the popular story by Julia Donaldson, This tray retells the story of a snail who befriends a whale and goes on an adventure.
A Playmobil volcano has been used as rock in this tray, with the ” lift wanted around the world” line written in chalk, but any toy/ real rock could be used.
This tray has lots of sensory elements to touch and explore. All based on an under the sea insert, with added shells, and even water, this tray really helps bring the story alive.
Resources Used:
Learning Outcome:
This tray is perfect for re-telling the story, giving children a visual aid. It is fun, with plenty to touch and feel.
Children can use their imagination to make the whale swim and travel the seas on an adventure- who will they meet?
The Pluffle can be exchanged for water, adding another extension to the tray, which sea creature sink and float? What happens to the shells in the water? What do you think lives under the sea?
- Alternative Resources: Playmobil Pirate Ship
- Age Range: 3+
Counting To 100.
Tuff Tray Idea:
Counting to 100 becomes effortless and fun with this gorgeous, bright inviting tray. Help children learn to count using the book and the rods. How many blue rods can you find?
This tray helps in supporting mathematics mastery with the foam place value disks, which are ideal for counting addition and subtraction activities.
The Colour-coded disks help children understand place values from one to million places for easy recognition.
Resources Used:
Learning Outcome:
This tray encourages children to touch, explore, stack as they master early math skills.
Early learners can sort the rods and discs into groups but older children can work on place value concepts and higher counting.
- Alternative Resources: Learning Resources Snap Cubes
- Age Range: 5+
Sensory Potion Play
Tuff Tray Idea:
A selection of beakers, bottles and jugs with natural and household ingredients to encourage children to create their very own magic potions and perfumes.
Ingredients can be anything ranging from flower petals to herbs and spices found in the cupboard at home. Look around the garden for things like lavender, roses, rosemary or dandelions.
Add in some sparkling water, food colouring or herbal tea bags for a sensory explosion.
Resources Used:
No products found.
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
This tray offers so many learning opportunities- From measuring liquid to counting spoonful’s of ingredients , this tray incorporates many maths skills.
This tray develops imagination and creative thinking, deciding what potion you will make, what will it be used for? healing? Invisibility? Super powers?
Not to mention the physical skills of filling and pouring containers, and using funnels to pour liquid with control. Mixing the ingredients and smelling or tasting them (with supervision) all adds to the sensory experience of this tray.
- Alternative Resources: Learning Resources Lab Kit
- Age Range: 2+
Froggy Pond
Tuff Tray Idea:
Can you find the Froggies in the pond? This tuff tray uses water beads/orbes, but if your wanting to use for little ones then try tapioca pearls or basil seeds for a safer edible variation. Water beads should be supervised at all times.
The water beads add a real sensory experience, replicating the feel of frog spawn. Add in leaves or lily pads, magnify glasses, other bugs, plant pots for them to hide and wooden logs or discs to create a pond full of life.
Resources Used:
Learning Outcome:
This tray can simply be used as a bug hunt tray, can you find the frogs, or other minibeasts hiding in the pond.
It can also be extended to talk about life cycles, how frogs start off as spawn and grown in to tadpoles and then to a frog.
This tray offers plenty of opportunity for communication and language skills, as well as learning about the world around us and nature.
- Alternative Resources: Basil Seeds,Tapioca Pearls
- Age Range: 3+
Bugs Slime
Tuff Tray Idea:
A super simple squishy tuff tray with bugs.
Feel the slime between your fingers, or hide the bugs underneath it. A slimy fun tuff tray to keep everyone engaged.
Resources Used:
Learning Outcome:
Fun Fun Fun! This tray is just good fun, but learning can be easily incorporated. Talk about what bugs can be seen, the features of the bugs- Which ones have wings? Which ones have legs?
Lots of opportunity for open ended questions such as What does the slime feel like? Which bugs might make their own slime?
Change up the Gellibaff for Slimebaff for a different experience, or exchange the bugs for dinosaurs or jungle animals. The fun is endless.
- Alternative Resources: Slimebaff
- Age Range: 2+
The World Of Bees
Tuff Tray Idea:
The topic of bees is so important at the moment, so this tray is a great way to talk about why bees are important and what we can do to help look after them.
There are many ways this activity could be extended, from counting the bees, to growing sunflowers or tasting honey. It is a great starter activity for talking about nature and the bees.
The astro mat and magnify glasses from the dinosaur and froggy trays were added in.
Resources Used:
Learning Outcome:
There is just so much to be learnt from this. It is a great starter for talking about Bees, their habitat, why they are important and what they do.
You can role play being a bee, dressing up in the wings and buzzy around, or talk about sunflowers and even grow your own.
Extend this to talking about where honey comes from, tasting and feeling the texture of honey, cooking with honey, or even visit a bee hive!
- Alternative Resources: Bee: Nature's tiny miracle
- Age Range: 3+
Construction Site
Tuff Tray Idea:
Do you know a child who gets excited every time they see a digger or a tractor? Well this is the tray for them!
Dig, build and move the loose parts in this pretend building site!
Resources Used:
Learning Outcome:
This is perfect for talking about different occupations. What do builders do? what machinery do they use?
The different types of diggers and machines can be named and researched, and could be extended by watching videos of them in action.
- Alternative Resources: Remote Control Excavator
- Age Range: 2+
Elmer
Tuff Tray Idea:
Our favourite elephant Elmer! This tray is perfect for little ones who love Elmer, or who are learning their colours. Its a fun inviting tray, full of bright objects to explore.
Resources Used:
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
This tray supports colour recognition, shape and early maths skills.
Use the mirrors to talk about what can be seen, extend by talking about our own hair and eye colour. What colour is Elmer?
Use the paddles to look at objects and see what colour they change to, or simply just play peek-a boo under the coloured scarves whilst listening to the the Elmer story.
- Alternative Resources: No products found.
- Age Range: 12months +
Our Plastic Planet
Tuff Tray Idea:
Lets talk about plastic! teaching young children the dangers of plastic to our planet has never been more important.
It is hard for young children to understand the effects of plastic in the sea, so this tray is a great visual aid to see the harm plastic and rubbish can do to our sea creatures.
Clean household recycling was used along with the resource’s below to create this tray. Netting from satsumas, drinking cans and any plastic container would all work well.
The netting and plastic was placed over the sea creatures to demonstrate how the creatures can be caught up or trapped in the rubbish.
Resources Used:
Learning Outcome:
Learning how to look after our planet and the effects of rubbish and plastic in our oceans.
Extend by talking about recycling and re-using. Have this tray alongside another tray of different materials to be sorted in recyclable goods and non recyclable goods.
- Alternative Resources: Questions and Answers About Plastic
- Age Range: 3+
Loose Parts Play
Tuff Tray Idea:
This tray is so quick and easy to set up but has so many benefits as you can see below.
I’ve listed the resources used but anything can be added on to a loose part tray! Golf tees, Conkers, wooden shapes, pasta, anything at all that young minds can explore and create with. You will be amazed at the patterns and pictures that children will create with loose parts when they are given the opportunity to be free and creative.
Resources Used:
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
There is growing evidence that loose part play has many benefits for young children, these include.
- be creative and imaginative
- practice concentration and focus
- enhance cognitive abilities
- develop fine and gross motor skills
- develop hand-eye coordination
- build vocabulary
- Alternative Resources: Grass Mat
- Age Range: 2+
Into the Woods
Tuff Tray Idea:
A super inviting autumnal tray about the forest and woodland animals.
Add real leaves and pumpkins for a more sensory experience.
Resources Used:
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
Developing the knowledge of what animals live in the forest, animal habitats and animal features.
This helps support Literacy development by looking at and listening to various woodland stories.
- Alternative Resources: Look Inside The Woods
- Age Range: 2+
Juice Making
Tuff Tray Idea:
Encourage healthy eating by talking about the importance of fruit and vegetables in your diet.
Use this tray to develop sensory skills by smelling, touching and tasting various fruits to make your own healthy juice.
Be creative- add in exotic fruits, berries or vegetable juice.
Resources Used:
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
Develop physical skills of chopping, peeling and cutting using the safety knife. Talk about kitchen safety and how to handle knives carefully.
Experience different tastes, smells and textures whilst exploring the different fruits to make the juice.
- Alternative Resources: Children's Cups
- Age Range: 4+
Thunderbirds Are Go!
Tuff Tray Idea:
This tuff tray was created for a Thunderbirds are Go fan, and It was a huge hit. The pretend Tracy Island was created by using a Playmobil Volcano, but it could be created using Lego, Duplo or other equipment you may have.
Chalk pens are great for adding in little details, and the are easy to just wipe off at the end.
Resources Used:
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
This was just for fun, to extend on a child’s interest. It could be extended even more by adding in books on Thunderbirds, or even space, rockets and rescue teams.
It’s a great way to encourage imagination and role play skills
- Alternative Resources: Tracy Island
- Age Range: 5+
All About Space
Tuff Tray Idea:
A sensory Space theme tray for a space topic. Fill the tray with black beans or you could use dyed black rice, or black sand…
Add in the mini space small world and off you go! Support with space themed books
Resources Used:
Learning Outcome:
Learn all about what goes on in space, from planets to an astronauts occupation. This theme is endless.
Watch videos of the a space shuttle lanching, or the first landing on the moon, This tray is a great starter or extension to any space theme.
- Alternative Resources: 3-D Planets in a Tube Glow-in-the-Dark
- Age Range: 3+
Transport
Tuff Tray Idea:
A nice little set up for a transport fan.
This can be used with cars, Trains or trucks and adapted to the child’s interest.
Cardboard boxes can be placed upside down with a tunnel cut out, or boards of wood going from one tuff tray to another to extend the road.
Resources Used:
Learning Outcome:
Great for a Transport Topic, Children can talk about different variations of transport. What they have travelled in, or seen.
Road safety can be incorporated using the road tape and small world people.
Add in books on transport and travel for an extension.
- Alternative Resources: Road Safety Play Set
- Age Range: 2+
Sonic The Hedgehog
Tuff Tray Idea:
A made up Green Hills scene from the famous Sonic the Hedgehog film and computer game. Use the figures to go around the land and collect as many gold rings!
Who can collect the rings in the fastest time?
Resources Used:
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
Just for Fun! It’s great to set up activities on the children’s interest, to help develop communication and language skills, imagination and social skills.
- Alternative Resources: Sonic The Hedgehog Green Hill Zone Playset
- Age Range: 4+
Pattern And Shape
Tuff Tray Idea:
This is quick tray to set up, simple but very effective.
A great way to learn about shapes, Geometry and symmetry and the reflection of shapes and pattens.
Resources Used:
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
Mathematics: Talking about shapes, colours, geometry and reflection.
- Alternative Resources: No products found.
- Age Range: 2+
The Polar Regions
Tuff Tray Idea:
An icy cold fun Tuff tray full of things to touch and feel. Add in Polar animals, fake snow or even shaving foam to create this gorgeous polar region tray.
Resources Used:
Learning Outcome:
Understanding the world- Learning about Artic Animals and the polar regions. Animal habitats and different species of animals.
Senses- Feeling the cold ice and the soft snow
Science- How can we melt the ice? Try using different methods such as salt, warm water and the human hand.
- Alternative Resources: Snowball Play
- Age Range: 12 months+
Fairy Garden
Tuff Tray Idea:
A cute tuff tray set up as a fairy garden. The astro grass insert was used here, although it can be exchanged for soil, or real grass and leaves.
Adding in real natural resources such as sand, lavender, flowers and herbs, really adds to the sensory element of this garden.
Resources Used:
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
A stimulating tray full of different media to develop senses.
Develop imaginative and story telling skills with the small world fairy’s and heir little world.
- Alternative Resources: My Fairy Garden
- Age Range: 3+
The Gruffalo
Tuff Tray Idea:
I love a story tuff tray, It really helps to bring the story alive, and for young children can be a great visual tool.
Using a grass insert, add in woodland materials such as logs, wood slices, leaves and wood chip along with real greenery to create the deep dark wood.
Place the story book either under the tray with cushions, or on the tray to help support the theme.
Resources Used:
No products found.
Learning Outcome:
Listening to stories is a great activity for young children, it helps develop concentration skills, language skills, imagination and allows the child to learn that reading is fun.
This tray is a great visual aid for the story, helping the child to see the characters and explore the sensory objects on the tray.
Re-telling and repeating stories is great for literacy development and communication.
- Alternative Resources: Grass Mat
- Age Range: 2+
What Are The Benefits Of Using A Tuff Tray?
A tuff tray (also known as a tuff spot) is simply a heavy-duty, plastic builder mixing tray. They are usually octagonal shape, but can now be found in various shapes and sizes, and many different colours.
Because of the material and the raised edges Tuff Trays have become an invaluable resource in most Early years settings and family homes.
Using a tuff tray to set up a variety of activities has many benefits. They
- Keep mess away from your dining room table or off the floor.
- Can be easily wiped clean and transported.
- Will be used for years to come by one or more children.
- Can be used inside and outdoors in all weathers.
- Encourages group and imaginative play.
Where Can I Buy A Tuff Tray?
No products found.
No products found.
