Sensory Play for Children

Sensory play is a vital part of growing and learning and extremely important in developing healthy sensory integration in all children. It can be messy, clean, edible, and scented, but most of all, FUN!

Sensory play includes any activity that stimulates your young child’s senses: touch, smell, taste, sight, and hearing.

It facilitates exploration and naturally encourages children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate and explore. It also helps children develop cognitively, linguistically, socially and emotionally, physically and creatively. When a child is playing with sensory activity, they are:

• Working on independent play skills
• Math skills (capacity)
• Imaginary play / dramatic play
• Life skills (pouring, scooping, transferring)
• Fine motor skills
• Tactile learning
• Developing self-control

Flour activity…..

Simply scoop some flour onto a tray, baking sheet or paper plate and let your kids play with finger drawings and handprints. Kids will love practicing their art skills with soft, powdery flour. Adding toy cars or measuring utensils to the mix will encourage imaginary play, too!

Once your kids have had their fun with plain flour, add water to make it a whole new experience! Your kids will see science in action as they witness how the water transforms the flour.

Sand Tray

Bring your child’s fascination with the beach indoors with a sand table. Simply fill a baking dish with colored sand from a craft store. Learn how to incorporate early literacy skills to this activity, like younger ones play with toys ( dump trucks ) while older kids can practice drawing shapes and letters. You can replace sand with rice or lentils too.

Water and paper

Fill a small tub or bowl with water and provide old magazines or junk mail for your toddler to dunk. Your kids will be fascinated by the paper’s new texture! Kids have a natural curiosity about everyday objects.

Loom Bands

You’ll need an empty, clear plastic bottle for this sensory activity. Fill the bottle with water and add a handful of different colored rubber loom bands. Your child will be mesmerized watching the bands move through the water.

Finger Painting

Is there anything more fun for a toddler than playing in colorful finger paint? Kids will learn about color mixing and they’ll have a blast getting messy and making art. Add even more fun by putting the paint in squeeze bottles!

Smell Magic

Let your child discover the magical world of smells. Use empty spice bottles or recycle other used bottles. Put one cotton ball in every bottle and a few drops of various essential oils to create a different scent in each. From vanilla or cherry to cucumber and peppermint, your toddler will find his or her favorite scents.

Use these ideas to create significant learning experiences for your kids. You may even want to join in the fun!