5 Great Reasons to Engage in Sensory Play

You probably don’t give it much thought, but the fact is that humans, big and small, learn through our senses. Is something hot? Cold? Wet? Stable? Stinky? Noisy? To find out, we use touch, taste, listen, and sniff. In other words, we use our senses! This is especially true of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and why sensory play, or activities that engage one or more senses, like sand and water tables, sensory bins, and Playfoam®, is so important. And sensory play doesn’t just provide information about the objects being touched, tasted, and smelled. As the Experts In Play from Educational Insights share below, there are other bigtime benefits to sensory play, including:

1. Building Your Child’s Brain

Yep, it’s true. Sensory play builds connections in the brain that enable them to engage in more advanced learning activities as they grow.

2. Developing Fine Motor Skills

Sifting, scooping, pulling, pouring, stirring, and other sensory play actions builds muscles in the fingers and hands as well as the coordination and motor skills needed to do things like hold a pencil or button a button.

3. Encouraging Problem Solving

Is it easier to remove a hidden object from a sensory bin using your fingers, a spoon, or plastic tweezers? What tool should you use to transfer water from the water table? Trial and error builds those critical thinking and problem solving skills!

4. Building Vocabulary

Talking about what your child sees, feels, smells, or tastes in descriptive terms introduces new words, helping build your little one’s word bank.

5. Calming Anxious Kids

Play that engages multiple senses is absorbing and distracting, helping kids refocus their upset or anxious feelings. Consider adding scents to your sensory play for an extra calming experience!

Activities that engage multiple senses, particularly touch, have bigtime benefits. Set your little ones up with play experiences that allow them to touch, taste, and smell in addition to looking and listening then watch as they learn and grow!