Our Story

With a background in early years education and a mother to three young children, play has always been at the heart of our home. For several years I've had the privilege of sharing play and craft activities with an online community of parents. It was here that I noticed there was a need for a product that was designed specifically for setting up sensory play- something that was practical for the home and safe for young children to use. Our journey to bring the PlayTRAY to market has been a collaborative effort. From the early stages of developing product designs through to crowdfunding for the first production run, the PlayTRAY wouldn't have been possible without the input and support of enthusiastic parents and educators. In early 2021 we received our first stock of PlayTRAYs and have since sent them to over 40 countries worldwide!

Unlike most products on the market, the PlayTRAY has been designed specifically for sensory play. Every part has been carefully considered with this purpose in mind and includes the features that I, along with many other parents, were looking for in a play tray. Personally, one of my huge frustrations with sensory play in the past was having to pack up an activity after just one session. The PlayTRAY lid makes it easy to store, preserve and return to the play another day. Creating a flexible place to play was important to us, which is why the lid is designed to double up as a second shallower tray and the removable compartments offer more play options, as well as a place to store play equipment and supplies. We also wanted to make the PlayTRAY portable, so that it can easily be moved between indoors and outdoors and even utilised when travelling. Unlike many household items often used for sensory play, the PlayTRAY uses food-grade plastic, making it safe for children to engage in taste-safe and edible sensory play.

We are passionate about play and the numerous benefits of sensory play in early childhood. Sensory play develops problem solving skills, reasoning, language & physical skills, as well as boasting so many therapeutic benefits for young children, particularly those with additional needs. We believe sensory play shouldn't just be seen as an 'activity for preschool or nursery' but is a great way for parents to build connections and memories with their children at home. Since launching the PlayTRAY, it has been an absolute joy to hear stories of parents giving sensory play a go for the first time and to see countless photos of children absorbed in creative play in their PlayTRAY. We'd love you to come and join our community too!