Sensory play is an excellent way to enhance your child’s development. This type of play offers countless benefits at all stages of growth by engaging children’s senses–sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell–while helping to build cognitive, motor, and emotional skills.
To help give you all the information you need to know before starting your sensory play journey, we brought in expert, Holly Goritz, MSW a school counselor specializing in sensory processing, to help us highlight the best time to start sensory play with your child, why it's essential, as well as some tips to get you started.
What is Sensory Play?
Sensory play involves stimulating a child's senses and promoting exploration and discovery. This type of play includes things such as:
Tactile Experiences
Engaging with various textures like sand, water, slime, or fabrics is especially helpful for those with sensory sensitivities and can even help open your child up to different textures of food.
Auditory Experiences
Listening to different sounds, such as music, nature, or instruments. Auditory experiences help your child adjust to the various sounds they may encounter and help them adjust to sounds that may make them uncomfortable.
Visual Experiences
Observing colors, patterns, and light variations through activities like painting or using light tables not only improves motor skills but also helps children adjust to different sights and patterns they will experience in the real world.
Gustatory & Olfactory Experiences
Exploring taste and smell through safe food play or scented playdough helps children adjust to different scents, develop food preferences, and be willing to try new things.
These activities are essential for developing cognitive abilities, such as problem-solving and memory, as well as motor skills, including hand-eye coordination and fine motor dexterity. Sensory play also fosters emotional development by helping children regulate their emotions and reactions to different stimuli.
The Best Age to Start Sensory Play
According to Holly, “Because sensory play is inherently open-ended and easily adaptable, it benefits all stages of development.
- Infants can explore new textures, and toddlers will notice cause and effect while
- Preschoolers can continue to build language through their exploration and
- School-aged children can gain experience sharing materials with peers or engaging in problem-solving.”
Sensory play can be introduced as early as infancy. Babies can begin to explore their world through simple activities like feeling the difference between a soft blanket and a hard, smooth rattle. These early sensory experiences are essential for stimulating brain development, supporting early language acquisition, and building foundational cognitive skills.
Why Sensory Play is Important at Different Ages
To break it down in a little more detail, we have included the various age groups and how sensory play is important through each age of development:
Infants (0-12 months)
For infants, sensory play is about discovering new sensations and beginning to understand their surroundings. Activities like playing with textured toys, using soft and varied sensory bins, and exposing babies to gentle music or nature sounds can be incredibly enriching.
For example, an infant might explore a bin filled with different fabric swatches, discover the textures of silk, cotton, and wool, or listen to the soothing sounds of a rainstick.
Toddlers (1-3 years)
As toddlers begin to explore their environment more actively, sensory play supports their burgeoning curiosity and mobility. Water play, for example, can teach toddlers about concepts like volume and buoyancy, while sand play introduces them to the textures and properties of different materials.
Sensory bags filled with items like rice, beans, or water beads can also be fascinating for toddlers. They allow them to discover the sensations of squishing, pouring, and shaking.
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
For preschoolers, sensory play becomes more complex and involves activities that encourage creativity and critical thinking. Playdough is a fantastic tool for this age group, as it allows children to mold and shape their ideas into physical forms, enhancing fine motor skills and hand strength.
Sensory tables filled with materials such as kinetic sand, rice, or water beads can provide endless imaginative play and exploration opportunities. Simple science experiments, such as mixing baking soda and vinegar to create a fizzing reaction, captivate preschoolers and teach basic scientific principles.
School-aged Children (5+ years)
Older children benefit from sensory play that challenges their problem-solving skills and encourages peer cooperation. Cooking activities, such as measuring ingredients, mixing, and tasting, teach children about following instructions and understanding proportions while engaging their senses of taste and smell.
Sensory obstacle courses, which might involve crawling through tunnels, balancing on beams, and hopping from one textured mat to another, help improve coordination and spatial awareness. Additionally, nature exploration, such as scavenger hunts or rock collecting, allows school-aged children to connect with their environment and learn about different textures, colors, and patterns found in nature.
Adapting Sensory Play for Different Needs
Children with sensory processing disorders or unique sensory preferences may require specific adaptations to ensure they enjoy and benefit from sensory play. It is important to observe each child's reactions and preferences and tailor activities to meet their needs.
For example, a child who is sensitive to loud noises might prefer quieter activities, such as playing with sand or engaging in tactile play with soft, squishy toys. On the other hand, a child who seeks more intense sensory input might enjoy activities like jumping on a trampoline or playing with brightly colored, textured materials.
Tips for Parents & Caregivers
Creating a sensory-friendly environment at home doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. However, we have some guidelines to adhere to to ensure your child is safe and has the best experience.
- Safety First: Always ensure that the materials and objects used are safe and age-appropriate. For younger children, avoid small items that could be a choking hazard and anything that may be toxic when ingested.
- Encourage Exploration: Allow children to explore different materials and activities at their own pace. This freedom helps them develop creativity and confidence.
- Observe & Adapt: Pay attention to how your child responds to different sensory inputs. Adapt the environment or activities to suit their preferences and comfort levels. For instance, if a child seems overwhelmed by a particular texture, offer a variety of alternatives until they find one they enjoy.
Create Your Child’s Sensory Experience Today!
Sensory play offers invaluable benefits across all developmental stages, from infancy through school age. By engaging in sensory activities, children develop essential skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
As Holly Goritz and I, Julia DeNey, believe, sensory play is a cornerstone of healthy development. Start early, adapt to your child's needs, and enjoy the many wonders of sensory exploration together.
Check out our sensory kits today for easy, curated options that meet your child’s needs and enhance their journey.