Have you heard that children learn through play? Play helps children to develop and improve their gross and fine motor skills, coordination and concentration. Sensory play is encouraged by OT’s teachers and other parents because it gives your child the opportunity to explore materials freely, explore textures and learn new concepts.
Sensory play includes any activity that stimulates your young child’s senses: touch, smell, taste, movement, balance, sight and hearing. Sensory activities facilitate exploration and naturally encourage children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate and explore
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Why Is Sensory Play Important To Brain Development
Exposing children to various sensory experiences is necessary for a young brain to develop proper sensory processing capabilities. Sensory play allows them to use their senses to discover and explore their environment, and develop their imagination, creative thinking and ability to problem solve and experiment with solutions.
What it means is that children need to play while exploring all of their senses, this is how their brain makes new connections. It is how they learn.
How they learn about the world.
How they gather information.
How they create brain connections crucial for development.
IS MESSY-SENSORY PLAY IMPORTANT?
All types of play are essential for children’s development and early learning. Messy play is important for young children, giving them endless ways to develop and learn.
Did you know that kids that are involved in the messy-sensory play are less likely to become picky eaters? That was enough reason for me to get started! I did messy play through Baby Led Weaning.
How Can Sensory Play Encourage Hands-On Play?
Sensory bins, activities, and materials allow children the opportunity to use all of their senses to explore ideas and concepts that might be too abstract for them to understand without the tactile experience.
While the sensory play does not have to be set up and managed with fancy materials, it can be fun and inviting to set up invitations for your children to join in the play.
An easy way to work no this type of play is through sensory bins. By adding color and variations to the sensory materials, you make the activity more inviting while integrating senses even more.
Get Started with these sensory Play ideas
13 fall sensory bin ideas for babies
Sensory bin ideas for fall – toddlers
Sensory play: Music with Water
sensory play: stacking to work on motor skills
Sensory Bins forever! We still love them in our house and the boys are 3.