{"id":4867,"date":"2014-06-11T08:04:54","date_gmt":"2014-06-11T12:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/?p=4867"},"modified":"2014-06-11T08:04:54","modified_gmt":"2014-06-11T12:04:54","slug":"simple-sensory-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/06\/11\/simple-sensory-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Simple Sensory Play"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sensory play, which is simply any activity which utilizes any of the five senses, is crucially essential to children\u2019s development in many different ways. It is known that most people learn best by DOING a task rather than simply being told.\u00a0 Sensory play helps children to experience their world and build an understanding of how things work.\u00a0 When done properly, it also helps children gain other important skills and develop in other areas.<\/p>\n

Sensory play can expand children\u2019s vocabulary<\/b>.\u00a0 Any activity young children engage in should include a dialogue but this is especially important with sensory play.\u00a0 The possibilities for introducing new vocabulary are endless.\u00a0 What does it feel like?\u00a0 What does it look like?\u00a0 What does it smell like?\u00a0 Does it make noise? If you can taste it, what does it taste like?\u00a0 Do you like the way it is or is it too cold\/slimy\/stinky\/noisy?<\/p>\n

Sensory play also cultivates problem solving and creativity<\/b>.\u00a0 Give a child a bucket of rice or water and some everyday utensils and see what happens.\u00a0 Children will dig right in (literally) and start scooping, stacking, moving, rearranging and exploring.\u00a0 All of this uses independent thinking which every child needs more of!<\/p>\n

\"DSC06865\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 Sensory play fosters social and emotional health<\/b>.\u00a0 When children are given free rein to play and explore it develops their sense of self-confidence.\u00a0 When you play two or more children with the same sensory items or experience they learn respect, patience and teamwork.\u00a0 Children learn to work through their disagreements when one child tries to destroy another child\u2019s work or is trying to hog all the tools.<\/p>\n

Sensory play develops fine motor skills<\/b>.\u00a0 Fine motor skills are those of the hands and sensory play helps children develop the muscles of the hands and refine the tiny hand and finger movements we use in our everyday lives.<\/p>\n

Sensory play helps with the integration of the sensory system<\/b>.\u00a0 When a child experiences (or senses) something the feeling is transmitted to the brain.\u00a0 The brain takes those feelings and processes them, \u201cfiles\u201d them and creates a new context for that feeling.\u00a0 When two or more senses transmit at the same time, it builds even stronger connections and contexts.<\/p>\n

\"DSC01865\"<\/a>\u00a0It is important to provide children with lots of opportunities to sense new things.\u00a0 Here are five easy things you can do today to encourage sensory development (and all the skills that go along with it!):<\/p>\n