Sensory play— Pt 1
FROM the moment our little ones are born, they begin to learn about the world, primarily by smelling, touching, tasting, seeing, feeling and hearing — referred to as sensory interaction. Sensory play is valuable in early childhood because it inspires the imagination, encourages creativity, independent thinking and discovery. In fact, paediatric resident at Bustamante Hospital for Children, Dr Andrew Burton, said that in the absence of appropriate amounts of sensory stimulation, your child’s risk for developmental and cognitive delays increases.
“Interactive play is important for the neurodevelopment of children, especially regarding the domains of fine motor and social skills. The experience with sensory play will not only enhance their tactile stimulation, but will promote bonding with parents/caregivers, and encourage less time focused on a screen,” Dr Burton said.
Do you think you have been providing sensory-stimulating activities for your child? If you aren’t exactly sure what qualifies as sensory play, check out our list of fun and exciting sensory learning activities below:
Create a sensory board
Resources you will need: Cardboard, glue, tape, indoor and outdoor items of varied textures.
Using things from in and around the house like sand, stones, empty bottles, etc, glue or tape them onto a big piece of cardboard or portable flat surface. This way children can explore the different surfaces.
Playing with food
Resources you will need: Bowl and an assortment of familiar foods.
A good way for little kids to explore, taste, smell and get used to different textures is by playing with food. Give kids a variety of fruits and vegetables of different colours, textures and tastes during sensory sessions. Make sure to label each new taste and smell as your kiddo interacts with the different foods. Importantly, this can get messy, but it’s all a part of the learning process. So allow them to smash the rice between their little fingers, palm roll the noodles, and smear the jello.
Homemade musical instruments
Resources you will need: Empty bucket/basin, empty box, elastic bands, dried beans, Tupperware.
Every child you meet is likely to identify a musical toy among their favourite. Musical toys often require very little effort to create. For example, you can use a few buckets or pans around the house as drums, and grab a few sticks from outside to use as drum sticks. You can also use dried beans and put them in a Tupperware container to mimic a shaker, or throw some rubber bands over an empty box to use as a guitar. Have fun making music.
Plant a little garden
Resources you will need: Seeds, watering can, child-sized fork and shovel.
Get your child involved in bringing forth life. Wet the soil, and let them help you to break the soil. Give them their own seeds to plant and allow them to play around in the dirt. Daily, guide them with watering the plants. They will enjoy watching the plants grow and more than anything else the flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables that they would have nourished.
Water play
Resources you will need: Blow-up pool/bathtub, cups, balls, and bath toys or safe household items.
The summer is upon us and it’s the perfect time for your kids to enjoy the water while learning. Use a small, inflatable pool at home or simply fill your bathtub, and throw in a few kid-friendly items you can find around the house — a few balls, a rubber ducky, or a plastic dish. Watch your kid splash, pour and enjoy the water and its contents. It is important to make sure that while at play children are properly supervised to reduce the chances of accidents.
Next week: More ideas for sensory play activities.
