For young children, curiosity drives much of their play and often leads to toys or activities that allow them to engage different senses! From squishing play-doh to drawing with bright colors, children’s senses play an important role in how they explore and learn about the world around them. While this form of play may feel simple, sensory play actually develops children’s ability to understand and interact with their environments throughout childhood and beyond.
What is sensory play?
Any type of play that engages one or more of your child’s senses is considered a form of sensory play. Some popular examples include walking barefoot in the grass, using a sandbox, fingerpainting, or water play. During these activities, children actively engage their senses through what they touch, feel, smell, hear, etc.
Beyond the traditional five senses, sensory play can also include body movements like dancing, rolling down a hill, or swinging on a swingset. These movements help children develop awareness of how their bodies move and interact with their environment.
Developmental Benefits
Sensory play develops a number of skills in early childhood including language abilities, problem-solving, and independence. As children encounter new textures, substances, or temperatures, they in turn have the opportunity to expand their vocabulary with new adjectives like hot, sticky, smelly, or rough. Sensory play, especially outdoors, also helps build children’s ability to make choices, understand cause and effect, and resolve problems that they encounter. For example, filling buckets with sand and building a sandcastle subtly develops children’s problem-solving and independence as they choose the design of the castle, how firmly to pack the sand, how much water is necessary to mix with the sand, etc. These decisions, while small, help children to develop the skills they need to move confidently through their world.
Encouraging Sensory Play in the Home
One of the many benefits of sensory play is that it doesn’t require special toys or expensive activities. Oftentimes the items you have on hand such as containers, boxes, or craft supplies offer plenty of opportunities for making sensory play an integral part of your child’s daily life. You can even encourage your child to join you in activities like cooking or gardening to explore new textures, sounds, and movements in safe, productive ways.
Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center understands that play is one of the most foundational ways for children to learn and grow, and sensory play is incorporated into daily schedules to encourage hands-on exploration. By providing safe and age-appropriate opportunities for kids to explore their senses, parents and educators alike can help children better learn how to navigate the world around them.