From the soft feeling of a cuddly toy to the vibrant colour of a story book, children absorb the world around them through their senses. Sensory play is therefore a core pillar of early childhood development, offering diverse experiences that stimulate children’s minds.

What is sensory play?

Sensory play includes activities that engage one or more of the senses; sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste. From squishing fingers into sensory bins filled with textured materials to listening to the soothing sounds of nature, sensory play enables children to learn, explore and discover in a hands-on way.

The benefits of sensory play

Sensory play in addition to being fun, provides opportunities for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers to build strong nerve connections in the brain encouraging the development of a wide range of skills.

Cognitive Development

Sensory experiences ignite neural pathways, laying the groundwork for cognitive skills such as creativity, problem solving and critical thinking. As children manipulate different materials, they learn about cause and effect, refining their fine motor skills and developing spatial awareness.

Sensory Regulation

For many children, sensory play serves as a therapeutic outlet, enabling them to regulate emotions and responses. Engaging in sensory based experiences can sooth overstimulated children, promoting self-regulation and emotional wellbeing.

Communication & Language Skills

By engaging with the senses, children learn how to describe the way things feel and what they’re doing, eventually using more descriptive words as part of their vocabulary. Whether they are describing the feeling of a squishy ball or narrating a pretend play scenario, communication skills are naturally developed.

Social Interaction

As sensory play is more commonly a group experience, children will be engaged in actions such as sharing resources or collaborating on a project. They are therefore exposed to experiences where they need to negotiate, troubleshoot and take turns, laying a strong foundation for positive social relationships.

Creativity

Sensory play encourages imaginative thinking and creativity amongst children. A simple collection of loose part items at home can transform into various creations such as robots, castles or spaceships all built by the hands of children through their imagination. Embrace open ended materials encouraging your child to think outside the box and let their creativity run wild.

Incorporating Sensory play at home

Sensory Tubs

Fill a shallow container with materials such as cereal, rice, flour, water beads or sand and let your child explore. You can add scoops, spoons or funnels to enhance the sensory experience.

Messy Play

Embrace messy hands-on experiences such as finger painting, shaving cream play and mud kitchens. Set up a designated area for messy play and let your child explore without worrying about stains, mess and spills.

Outdoor Exploration

Take advantage of good weather and explore the great outdoors. Lead your children to local parks, nature walks or create a backyard full of sensory experiences through plants, flowers and natural materials.

With sensory play, pay attention to your child’s interests and tailor experiences accordingly. Provide the necessary materials and follow their lead. By engaging the senses through play children build essential skills and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Play at Young Academics

Our Young Academics curriculum is underpinned by play-based learning where children under the age of 5 learn whilst having fun! Our programs promote a combination of outcomes and skills that set children up for successful school transitions.

With an equal focus on fostering physical, cognitive and emotional development, children are guided by educators through play-based experiences.

Sources