This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Learning through Sensory Play

Children learn through their senses. Providing sensory play opportunities at home is easy and fun for the whole family.

Children learn best when all of their senses are engaged in the process.  Sensory experiences allow children to stimulate and strengthen the brain and creates those important connections in brain development as they continue learning throughout their lives. Providing opportunities for children to learn through their senses is simple, and fun for the whole family. 

Sensory play is play that stimulates the senses, but so much more learning occurs when children are engaged in sensory play.  Language development through positional words, colors & shapes to describe objects (can you put the rice in the red cup?).  Science & Math concepts through pouring and measuring, sorting, classifying, creating patterns, cause and effect, and so much more (what will happen if we pour the rice on the pumpkin?). 

Sensory play can begin at birth by using simple textures, sounds & visual patterns when interacting with your baby.  Guide their hands to touch or rub different texture fabrics on their arms/legs.  Once a baby is able to sit on their own, create a sensory tub which can be interchangeable with different types of sensory materials, this will be used for the rest of the sensory experiences in the years to come.  I use clear, underbed storage containers.  Rice, corn, dried beans, packing material, shaving cream, finger paint, water, sand, scrap fabrics are some examples of sensory materials. Just this week one bin held a pumpkin so she could experience the gooey sensations inside!  Once babies/children become comfortable with the materials, begin adding props such as sand toys, toy animals, or anything else that sparks interest.  We added little pumpkins to our rice bin this week. 

Find out what's happening in Bloomingdale-Riverviewwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Parent participation is a must. You are your child's first teacher and as such should be right their scaffolding their learning.  Scaffolding refers to observing what your child is doing, duplicating what your child is doing, then offering a challenge to build upon what they are doing.  Yes, they will use all their senses so tasting will happen, again you should be right their guiding them.  With babies, as long as it doesn't pose a choke hazard, let them explore the texture through taste.

Yes, sensory play can be messy.  Create, positive rules.  Make sure you have brooms, dustpans, vaccums, etc on standby.  Some we do outside. I have outdoor tableclothes that we lay down first and put the bins on top.  Our rule is that the play needs stay on the tablecloth (mat).

Find out what's happening in Bloomingdale-Riverviewwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Have fun!

Recommended Books & Games:

  • Sound Bingo by Kindermusik- uses various sounds to play this traditional game (Available for purchase at Gumballs & Overalls Children's Boutique)
  • Mud by Mary Lyn Ray
  • One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root
  • Mrs Wishy Washy by Joy Cowley
  • Brown Bear Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr
  • Polar Bear Polar Bear by Bill Martin Jr & Eric Carle

Jenn Siffermann M.Ed- Kindermusik with Musical Beginnings

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?