Touch and Match Game – DIY Tactile Cards

For today’s sensory activity, we have upcycled and used from our home everything needed to create our little game for exploring textures. Read on to see what we used to create DIY tactile cards for Touch & Match Game and how to play with it!

By the time kids were ready to move on to something else, we have played this game in 4 different ways!

How to DIY Tactile Cards

Before we move to playing, let’s take a look at what’s needed to make tactile cards we used for Touch and Match Game!

Supplies Needed to Make Touch & Match Game:

• cardboard pieces (upcycled from shirt inserts that come with commercial packaging),
• a bunch of different textures (we used wallpaper scraps, felt scraps, fabric scraps, cotton pads, bubble wrap)
• we used a precision knife, scissors, ruler, self-healing cutting mat and corner rounder punch but you can use what you have on hand from tools
• paper bag for a wine bottle

Note: In case you don’t have time to make these tactile cards, you can purchase pre-made sensory mats for your child here: Sensory Mini Mats (set of 16).

Everything we used is in this picture:

How to Make Touch & Match Game

Our cards are roughly 3.5″ x 4.5″ but you can make them size you want. The most important is to cut pieces of textured scraps in smaller size than cards in orger to be able to glue them on each card.

Make 2 cards with each of the textures so you can have pairs. We ended with 14 cards, 7 different textures, 2 of each.

For storage / game, we have reused wine bottle paper bag because it’s narrow and deep so it’s hard to peek inside when you put your hand.

Here are close-up pictures of some of the amazing textures we used:

How to Play Touch & Match Game

Variation 1 – Explore the textures with hands and bare feet

So, we started with spreading cards on the floor. I wanted kids to freely explore all of the textures. My toddler was a bit surprised when I told her that she can take off her slippers and socks and touch cards with her feet, not only her hands. But soon enough she was all over it. I haven’t included any really rough textures for the first time because I didn’t want to discourage her right from the beginning.

Variation 2 – Basic Touch & Match Game

After a while, I suggested we could play Touch and Match Game. Of course, I got to look back saying: “What’s that?”. So I explained how to play this game:

• Keep one set of the cards in the bag and other laid on the floor.
• Put your hand inside and touch the card.
• Try to guess which card / texture matches from cards laid on the floor.
• Show me the card you think matches than take 2nd card out from the bag to see if you were right.

We played a while – toddler and big sister took turns.

Version 3 – Match Tactile Cards blindfolded

After some time, they asked what else we could do with them so we tried to match them blindfolded. This was lots of fun, although I think that my older daughter cheated and peeked a little!

Version 4 – Texture Gross Motor Hop

Last game we played was to spread textured cards all over the floor and trying to hop from one to another.

The rule was that they can’t hop from one to another card of the same texture.

They burnt some of the excessive energy this way! Much needed with the lousy weather outside! The only problem is, they could hardly stand still for this whole time so I have only a few (not so fuzzy) pictures.

What to Play Next?

Before everything else, you might like to take a look into additional ideas for sense of touch!

• DIY I-Spy Foam Book created with foam sheets and stickers! Easy!
• When store-bought toys don’t work, try making your own toys!
• For preschoolers, you can easily make at home sensory alphabet cards
• Or, you can pick few of our favorite sensory toys.