Sensory Play – Why It’s A Must For Little Ones

Have you ever wondered why your toddler loves to play in the dirt or touch every surface, they can get their hands on?

Well, it turns out that playing with their senses is essential for your little one’s development.

Not only does sensory play help them learn about their environment, but it also helps build motor skills, language skills and emotional development.

Sensory play involves engaging a child’s senses through different materials and textures, such as touch, smell, sight, and sound.

Think of it as an opportunity for your little ones to explore the world around them in a safe and stimulating way. And let me tell you, they love it!

My kids can spend hours playing with sensory bins, squishing play dough, and exploring different textures.

But sensory play is not just about keeping your kids entertained.

It’s also an essential tool for their development.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of sensory play for young children. 

What is Sensory Play? 

Sensory play involves engaging your child’s senses with different activities such as touching, smelling and listening.

This type of play encourages exploration by allowing your child to explore their environment with their hands or other parts of their body.

This can include anything from playing with toys that stimulate certain senses (like a soft teddy bear) or playing in various materials like sand, water or even mud!

The possibilities are endless! 

Why Sensory Play Is Important 

As adults, most of us understand the world around us because we have already developed our cognitive and emotional skills.

Young children are developing these skills, so they need activities that involve all five senses –

• sight,
• hearing,
• taste,
• smell and
• touch

to stimulate their minds and bodies as they learn about their world.

Through sensory play experiences such as exploring texture or sounds, children can develop new ways of thinking and problem-solving while discovering how they fit into the world around them. 

Benefits Of Sensory Play For Young Children 

There are many benefits to sensory play for young children.

• It helps them explore objects in more depth and encourages creativity as they use different materials to create art projects or discover new sensations.
• Additionally, sensory play promotes language development by providing opportunities for learning new words like ‘smooth’ or ‘squishy’ as well as encouraging conversations between parents and children.
• Furthermore, it builds fine motor skills as children manipulate objects with their fingers which can help prepare them for writing later in life.  

Sensory play also helps with emotional development by teaching children about self-regulation when exploring different textures or temperatures, which can be calming or exciting, depending on their preference.

It also aids in social-emotional learning by helping kids practice taking turns when playing together and giving each other feedback on what they create through art projects.

Finally, it supports cognitive development by teaching kids how to focus on an activity over a period of time and how to problem solve when presented with a challenge.

I have plenty of sensory play ideas to keep your little ones engaged and learning for hours! here are a few of my favorites:

• Painting with different materials like sponges, feathers etc
• Mixing colors in a sensory bin
• Building towers with blocks or lego pieces
• Exploring textures through playdough activities or finger painting
• Tasting fruits and vegetables for lunch or dinner time
• Creating music with household objects like pots and pans
• Playing hide and seek in a dark room with flashlights
• Making playdough or slime
• Engaging in sensory walks outdoors, such as feeling the bark of trees
• Doing puzzles or mazes that involve different shapes.

These fun and educational activities can help your child develop new skills while having fun simultaneously!

To wrap Up

Sensory play is not just “child’s play”. It’s a brilliant and essential tool for your little ones’ development. By engaging their senses and providing them with new and stimulating experiences, you’re helping them learn and grow in ways you never thought possible.

And it’s also a lot of fun!

So don’t be afraid to get messy, get creative, and get sensory. Your little ones will thank you for it; you’ll love watching them explore and learn.

Whether it’s playing with slime, digging through a sensory bin, or squishing play dough, sensory play is a must for little ones.

So what are you waiting for? Grab some materials, set up a sensory bin, and get ready to have some serious fun. Your little ones will be entertained and learn.