The multiple benefits of sensory play
Read on to learn more about how integrating sensory play into your child's environment benefits children of all ages.
All children, from birth through to late childhood, learn through their senses, which is crucial for brain development and helps build nerve connections in the brain.
Melissa Williams, owner and principal of Little Steps Preschools, discusses why sensory play is important and what sensory activities you can do with your child at home.
What exactly is sensory play?
You’re probably familiar with the five basic senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. But do you know why they’re so important and why they become even more important as children grow?
“Sensory Play focuses on activities that engage your child’s senses, assisting them in the development of language and motor skills. It also promotes cognitive development, social interactions, and experimentation,” says Melissa.
“Sensory Play can also address two often-overlooked sensory systems: our proprioceptive and vestibular systems. Our proprioception sense refers to body awareness. It shows us where our body parts are in relation to one another and how much force we need to apply when holding, pushing, pulling, or lifting objects. On the other hand, our vestibular sense, also known as our movement or balance sense, allows us to stay balanced while performing tasks.”
Language development
As children play, they can describe the sensations, colours and textures as they explore.
“Sensory play is often linked to a theme at our school,” says Melissa. “With this in mind, children are able to explore the world around them through play and expand their vocabulary at the same time.”
Developing fine motor skills
Sensory play can also assist with developing fine motor skills as children can strengthen their pincer grip and overall hand-eye coordination by handling and manipulating a multitude of tactile materials.
Cognitive growth
Sensory play provides a space for cognitive growth as it helps develop neural pathways, and these enhance critical processing skills, memory and problem-solving.
Social interaction
Social interaction is a huge part of sensory play as children learn to communicate with each other, teacher or parents, learn to take turns and how to share.
Fosters creativity and imagination
Sensory play is fully inclusive, as children of all ages and abilities can participate, given the correct material.
Sensory play fosters creativity and imagination as children are encouraged to play freely and without the limits of directed activities. Children can create scenarios based on what they are learning, create magical worlds, or even solve problems by using the power of imagination and a few sensory tools.
For children who are tactile defensive, sensory play offers a safe way for them to explore new textures at their own pace with guidance from a supportive adult.
Teaches cause and effect
Sensory play teaches cause and effect in its most natural form as children discover what happens when different play materials or colours are mixed. For example, what happens when you mix water with sand or blue water with red water or what happens when the ice melts.
Sensory play can also assist with scientific discovery and increases knowledge and understanding our great big world around us.
It further develops mathematical concepts through the exploration of the size, shape, weight and volume of the sensory material.
How to incorporate sensory play at home
Here are a few ideas for parents on how to incorporate sensory play at home:
- Toys in water are an amazing way for children to play, as is frozen items such as Lego or toy farm animals.
- Set up a plush animal washing station. Be sure to include mud, and then encourage your child to wash the plush animal with soap and water.
- Homemade playdough with essential oils that are safe to eat can be combined with a multitude of toys and natural items.
- Coloured spaghetti, rice or jelly is always fun to explore with. Hide smaller toys or objects inside and ask your child to find them.
- A Springtime sensory bin with flower petals and lemons is a great learning item for your child. Let them use their imagination and create flower soup, spooning out the flowers and petals.
- Homemade kinetic snow with corn starch and conditioner mixed is a great way to introduce your child to different textures. To make it, simply mix 5 parts sand to 3 parts cornstarch and 1 part oil.
- Fill zip lock bags with gel, oil, or paint for a mess-free sensory experience.
