What is Sensory Play?
If you spend any time spent browsing Instagram, Pinterest, or even the toy aisle at Target, you’ve likely come across a variety of cute and clever materials marketed as “sensory activities.” While these colorful water beads and sand tables are absolutely meeting some sensory needs for children, there is so much more out there to explore!
Sensory activities are specially designed activities that engage and stimulate the senses of children, including touch, sight, sound, taste, and smell.
These activities involve providing opportunities for children to explore and interact with various sensory materials and experiences. They can include playing with different textures, listening to sounds, observing colors, tasting different flavors, and engaging in physical movement.
Activities can be as simple or complex as you want them to be.
Sensory activities can involve a wide range of materials, objects, and environments that offer different sensory experiences. They can be tailored to suit the age, developmental stage, and individual sensory preferences of each child, allowing them to engage in meaningful and enjoyable experiences that support their overall development.
“All our knowledge begins with the senses,
proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason.
There is nothing higher than reason.”
Traditionally, the commonly recognized senses are sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. These senses have dedicated organs or receptors that process specific types of stimuli. However, some argue that there are additional senses beyond the traditional five. One perspective is that senses like the vestibular sense, which contributes to balance and spatial orientation, and the proprioceptive sense, providing body awareness and position, should be considered separate senses. These senses provide unique information about our body's position and movement, and they rely on specialized receptors in the inner ear, muscles, tendons, and joints.
Sensory activities play a vital role in child development by providing a range of benefits. They stimulate the senses, improve sensory processing and neural connections in the brain, and support cognitive development.
“Play is the highest form of research.”
These activities enhance problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills. Sensory play also helps develop fine motor skills, promotes emotional regulation, and encourages social interaction and cooperation. Moreover, sensory activities foster creativity, imagination, and open-ended play. They can be particularly helpful for children with sensory difficulties.
Look for weekly posts detailing Sensory Play Experiences you can create at home!
-Jessica
