What is Sensory Play?
Sensory play is play that engages your child’s five senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste. Sensory play can focus on one sense at a time or can be a multi-sense activity. It may sound like every kind of play is sensory play, and you’re right! But building intentional opportunities for your child to engage their senses is important for their development.
Benefits of Sensory Play
- Improves cognitive development
- Helps with fine motor skills
- Helps with gross motor skills
- Builds language skills
- Teaches problem-solving
- Encourages creativity and exploration
- Supports self-regulation
Ideas for Sensory Play
- Sensory Bins: Fill a bin with rice and add small toys. Don’t forget the scoops and bowls and you’ll have a blast!
- Messy Play: Break out the shaving cream, play-dough, and finger paint.
- Bath Time: Add some bubbles, pick out some toys, and find a washcloth. For extra fun, use glowsticks to have a glow-in-the-dark bath night!
- Listening to Music: Put on a favorite playlist and listen to some tunes.
- Outdoor Play: Play in a sandbox, splash around on a water table, or use some sidewalk chalk.
- Sensory Toys: Musical instruments, toys with texture (like LEGO!), and specialty toys like fidgets. Be sure to look around at what you already have in your home; there’s no need to buy anything special!
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