The Importance of Sensory Play

The Five Senses and You!

Something that is so fun about watching your little one grow up is getting to see their curiosity shine as they explore the world around them! You get a front row seat to all the ups and downs as they use their senses to learn more about the place they live, the foods they eat, and more. However, this curiosity and use of senses is not only for fun; in fact, it’s key to your little one’s wellbeing that they are able to develop their senses through sensory activities for toddlers!

All of the senses play a big part in making sure children develop language and motor skills, as well as social emotional skills and positive social interactions. A wonderful way to encourage this exploration is certainly to explore the world with your little one; however, with the health risks that can occur from being out and about too much, alternatives are needed. This is where sensory play and sensory activities for toddlers come in!

Sensory play offers up wonderful opportunities for your little one to learn and play simultaneously. They can explore their senses in a more controlled environment while retaining the freedom and curiosity unstructured play allows! By doing so with sensory table ideas, your little one will reap the benefits of improved cognitive and social skills, but studies also demonstrate that allowing your little one to use sensory play through sensory activities for toddlers will also improve their own mental wellbeing in the long run! Sensory play can help children manage both stress and impulses on their own, in addition to all of the other benefits already mentioned.

So what exactly constitutes “sensory play” or a sensory table idea? Well, it can be a number of things! A good rule of thumb is to always try to incorporate a wide variety of textures or sensory experiences for your little one, depending on which senses you’re trying to encourage your little one to explore. For example, if you want your little one to have fun exploring touch, have some items for feeling that are different in size, shape, and texture; you can include sand (a great sensory table idea), easter grass or shredded paper, styrofoam peanuts, and other fun (safe!) items. One of our favorite sensory table ideas is a sensory bin: this is a bin filled with age-appropriate textured items for your little one to feel and get a sense for.

After you’ve helped set your little one up to play with whatever sensory activity for toddlers you choose, it’s important to continue encouraging them to put words to the items or feelings they have when they are developing those language skills! Try to use your words to help your little one learn descriptors (“smelly”, “soft”, “spikey”, etc), and state specific action words while having fun with your sensory table ideas, such as “let’s mix the play dough!” We also always recommend encouraging your little one’s imagination — children have no trouble coming up with fun and elaborate stories, even during sensory activities for toddlers, so be sure to encourage any storytelling that accompanies your little one’s sensory play!

All kinds of play are helpful for little ones to develop important skills that will help them learn in the future, but we really suggest giving sensory activities for toddlers a try! If your little one is enrolled in online learning of any kind, sensory play is an excellent break activity from the prolonged screen time of learning at home, and sensory table ideas are almost always beneficial and fun!

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