Sensory play is essential to early childhood development, providing children with opportunities to explore and learn through their senses. Sensory play is enjoyable and calming for children and an excellent way to foster cognitive, motor, social, and emotional growth.
To help us explore why sensory play is so important, Holly Gortiz, MSW, will explain why sensory play is important, how it benefits children in multiple ways, and provide some examples to help you start your child’s sensory journey today.
Defining Sensory Play
Sensory play involves activities that stimulate a child's senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. It includes hands-on, interactive experiences such as playing with water, sand, playdough, or sensory bins filled with various textured items. These activities engage children in exploring and manipulating materials, which supports their overall cognitive development and improves motor skills.
Cognitive Development
Sensory play improves cognitive development through:
- Enhancing Learning: Goritz explains, "Sensory play stimulates the brain, supporting cognitive growth and critical thinking." This type of play helps children understand concepts like cause and effect, problem-solving, and spatial awareness. For instance, when children play with sensory bins, they learn to sort and categorize objects and experiment with new items in unique ways.
- Promotes Language Development: Language development is also promoted when children are encouraged to describe textures, shares, and sensations during their sensory activities. For example, talking about the smoothness of water beads or the roughness of sandpaper enhances descriptive language. "When children articulate their sensory experiences, it enhances their communication abilities and can help them grow their language skills," Goritz notes.
Motor Skills Development
Motor skills development is essential, and practicing them can be difficult and exhausting for some children. Sensory play is an excellent way to hone these skills in a low-pressure environment.
- Fine motor skills are improved through activities like molding playdough or threading beads, which are essential for writing and buttoning clothes. Gortiz explains, “Manipulating beads onto thread and even just pinching and molding playdough strengthens hand muscles and helps develop more precise coordination.”
- Gross motor skills involving larger movements like jumping or running can be improved through obstacle courses. For instance, balancing on stepping stones or navigating a sensory path helps develop balance and coordination. "These activities help children build muscle strength and coordination for other everyday activities they will encounter," Goritz explains.
Social & Emotional Development
Another less common benefit of sensory play is its contribution to social and emotional development. Sensory play helps with the following:
- Emotional Regulation: "Sensory activities provide a soothing effect that aids in emotional regulation," says Goritz. This calming effect helps children manage their emotions and reduces stress and anxiety through activities like squeezing stress balls or playing with kinetic sand of water.
- Social Interaction: Group sensory activities encourage sharing, cooperation, and communication among children, fostering social skills. For instance, a group activity like rescuing animals from sand requires children to share materials and take turns. "Playing together in sensory environments teaches children essential social behaviors in a low-pressure environment," Goritz explains.
Sensory Processing
Even children without sensory processing issues are sometimes affected by new and different textures, sounds, and smells. "Regular sensory activities can improve sensory integration, making children more comfortable with various stimuli," Goritz notes. For example, activities like playing with textured materials or engaging in messy play can help children become more comfortable with different sensory inputs.
In addition, "Gradual exposure through sensory play can reduce sensory sensitivities," says Goritz. If your child is especially sensitive to textures, regular exposure to various textures can help children become more tolerant and less sensitive to these unique sensory inputs, and because it’s through play, it is often more easily tolerated.
Creativity & Imagination
One of the best things about sensory play is it encourages creativity and imagination through open-ended play. This means no set rules or outcomes allow children to use their imagination and creativity. "Open-ended play encourages children to think creatively and explore new ideas," Goritz highlights.
Sensory play also encourages children to think creatively and develop solutions during play. For instance, figuring out how to build a stable sandcastle requires problem-solving skills and will give your child a feeling of accomplishment when completed.
Scientific Thinking
Finally, sensory play encourages scientific thinking and experimentation. Gorita explains, "Children learn through experimentation and observation during sensory play.” For example, mixing different substances to see how they react develops observational and experimental skills.
"Sensory play also develops keen observational skills and logical thinking," Goritz notes. During sensory activities, children learn to observe and predict what will happen next. For instance, predicting what will happen when vinegar is added to baking soda in a sensory experiment enhances their scientific thinking.
Examples of Sensory Play Activities
- Water Play: Playing with water can help children learn about volume, buoyancy, and cause and effect.
- Sensory Bins: Filling bins with rice, beans, or sand and hiding small objects for children to find enhances tactile experiences. "Sensory bins offer endless opportunities for exploration and discovery," says Goritz.
- Playdough: "Playdough activities are excellent for fine motor development and imaginative play," Goritz highlights.
- Music & Movement: Dancing and playing with musical instruments engage auditory and kinesthetic senses while improving motor skills.
Start Incorporating Sensory Play for Your Child Today!
“Sensory play is an essential component of early childhood development, offering numerous benefits that support cognitive, motor, social, and emotional growth,” states Holly Goritz, MSW. You can start with something as simple as adding water or sand into containers and letting them experiment with different kitchen utensils.
If you want to make your life easier, Meemzy Magic has perfectly curated Sensory Kits that will help you get started with zero stress and help your child start their journey into sensory play today!