The Amazing Benefits of Sensory Play

We all know that kiddos love splashing in water, squishing play dough, and digging in dirt...but did you know that these types of sensory play also benefit a child's development?

Here's some different ways that sensory play helps kiddos grow and learn:

Mathematical Thinking: As kiddos are scooping and pouring, they are also gaining hands-on knowledge of volume & measurement.  As they play with the various tools and manipulatives, they are practicing sorting, pattern-making and 1:1 correspondence!  

Language Development: The foundation for all literacy is oral language development, and playing with sensory tubs encourages children to use rich vocabulary to socialize, share, collaborate and negotiate with friends!

Fine Motor Development: Our fine motor muscles are important.  Those little muscles in our hands and fingers are the muscles we need for tasks like drawing, cutting with scissors, and writing.  As children grasp the scoopers and aim to pour, and handle and place small manipulatives, and all of the other tasks that come naturally when playing with a sensory tub, they are building these muscles!

Imaginative Play: Children create and act out stories that live within the world of the tub.  Children might create the story of a family of sea creatures, or prepare to open a fantastic new bakery, with cupcakes made of scented rice.

Stereognosis: Stereognosis is the ability to search for and find things by touch, without the use of sight.  Kiddos become quite skilled at this as they use their fingers to search through the rice for the hidden treasure.

Positive Behavior:  Offering the opportunity to be engaged in meaningful play is one of the best ways to encourage positive behavior from children.  With sensory tubs, exploring the scents and textures of the tub can be very soothing.

A Childhood Full of Play

If you think back to your childhood, what do you remember that you enjoyed playing with?  I wonder if for many of us, sensory play materials will be a part of those fond memories.  I remember when I was pretty young, enjoying mixing mud with my siblings in our backyard.  We spent a lot of time making mud, and adding whatever we could find to it.  I remember enjoying taking baths together and pretending that the water was a magic potion.  I remember building a snow igloo in our yard once with an older teenager who was staying with us at the time.  I remember spending hours in a large sandbox, creating things and playing little games with my siblings.  

Why is Sensory Play Important for Young Children?

First of all, what is "Sensory Play"?

Sensory play is any activity that engages your child's senses, such as: splashing in water, digging in sand, scooping and pouring rice, painting with scented paints, or squishing play dough.  Children learn about the world with all five senses, so playful activities that stimulate a child's sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell are beneficial to development. 

Why is Sensory Play important for Children?