The Basics of Sensory Play

To break down the basics of Sensory play – I’ve devised the 3 S’s of Sensory play.

S – Senses

Sensory play is any activity that stimulates one, or more, of a child’s senses (touch, smell, taste, movement, balance, sight and hearing).

It can be as simple as smelling flowers on a walk to the park.

S – Stimulating

Sensory activities encourage exploration and invite children to play, create and investigate.

S- Safe

When planning sensory activities, keep safety in mind. Think about choking hazards, toxicity of materials, etc. You know your child best!

The Benefits of Sensory Play:

There are many proven benefits to provide your child with sensory stimulating experiences, including:

• language development;
• cognitive growth;
• fine and/or gross motor skills;
• problem solving skills; and
• social interaction.

Basic Supplies

It helps to keep a few things on hand to facilitate sensory activities. Some ideas include:

• measuring cups and spoons;
• a large deep bin or water/sand table;
• large freezer bags;
• hair gel;
• baby oil;
• shaving or whipped cream;
• glitter, sparkles or sequins;
• spices, etc.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but with these materials, you will easily be able to participate in many of the sensory activities I share without running to the store.