Young children explore the world around them primarily through their five senses. Sensory play involves engaging the five senses to stimulate children’s brains. The benefits of sensory play are many, as they bring increased awareness of the surroundings.
It enhances their motor and language skills, improves sleep patterns, boosts focus during meals, and provides them with opportunities to be creative. The benefits of sensory play also include making kids happier and more balanced overall. Sensory play brings them joy and helps them stay calm and focused!
It is important to introduce this concept to children while they're young. Here are a few sensory ideas for preschoolers or toddlers to easily include sensory play in their lives on a regular basis.
Plant a garden
Planting a garden is a fun and engaging activity while also being relaxing and nourishing. This can be done outdoors in a garden, in your backyard garden, or even indoors using small pots and plants if you don’t mind the mess! There is a lot of sensory stimulation involved in digging up soil, planting and sorting seeds, and watering them.
Bubbles and glitter
Bubble tubes and Glitter Jars are some of the popular toys used in sensory activities for preschoolers. The rhythmic movements of colorful bubbles in Bubble tubes induce relaxation and improve focus. Glitter jars have a calming effect and bring joy to toddlers with glitter movements and LED lights.
Create a sensory bin
A sensory bin is one of the most simple yet effective sensory ideas for preschoolers. It is quite easy to put together, and children often enjoy exploring a sensory bin. Just fill a small container such as a bin or a tub with different types of objects. With objects of different shapes, sizes, textures, colors, and densities, sensory bins can engage all physical senses.
Sensory play with therapy putty
Playing with putty is one of the popular sensory activities for preschoolers that helps children develop and enhance their fine motor skills. Playlearn’s Therapy Putty is great for tactile stimulation and promotes pincer grasp development. It is also useful in alleviating and providing some relief from stress, anxiety, pain, and trauma. Children of all ages can enjoy the soft squishy texture, and they can spend hours slicing, rolling, and shaping it.
Jumping fun
Your child's sense of movement will be enhanced through jumping, and it is a terrific medium for energy release. Playlearn’s Liquid Floor Tiles are perfect for encouraging movement while exploring surfaces. They add to the fun as the liquid colors swish around inside the tiles’ pockets. Jump ropes and trampolines are also great for jumping activities and effective as sensory ideas for preschoolers.
Sensory play with building blocks
With Building blocks, children utilize their hands and imaginations effectively. Playlearn’s Foam Building Blocks with Peg Connectors are a medium for introducing STEM learning to children. The set has life-sized blocks, bricks, and beams, and building with these offers multiple benefits of sensory play. These include creativity, problem-solving, spatial thinking, and gross and fine motor skills.
Balance beam
Through balance beam exercises, children can build their sense of balance and muscle memory. With this activity, it is possible to train the muscles for stability. It can also help children build confidence by encouraging repetition and cheering them on while they learn to balance.
Climbing
Indoor and outdoor climbing activities support independence, exercise, and strength-building in children. It can be for fun or for therapy. Playlean’s Climbing Sensory Wall induces motor skills, balance, and spatial orientation. It is among highly effective sensory ideas for preschoolers as it helps them cope with the fear of falling and heights.
Rollers and rolling
Sensory rollers provide ample sensory stimulation for children as they press themselves between the rolls. It is perfect to be used in a sensory room or for occupational therapy. Playlearn’s Body Rollers are great tools to be included in sensory play and sensory activities for preschoolers. They are extremely useful in cases of sensory modulation disorders and stimulate proprioceptive sensations.
Pebble stacking
This activity is fantastic for improving concentration and bringing a calm disposition. Playlearn’s Rainbow Stacking Stones are great for fidgeting. Since they come in different colors, they can also be used to teach colors by combining or mixing them. They can be used in various ways, including adding to tables and light boxes, as well as beach and sand play.
Sand play
Sand play is great as one of the sensory activities for preschoolers that you can do indoors or outdoors. Sand can be used for many creative explorations like building statues or castles. Sand is often used to support children who have difficulties, including sensory disorders, developmental delays, and autism. Playlearn’s Interactive Sandbox and Table is an innovative tool. It incorporates the new technology of Augmented Reality, taking the traditional sandpit to a whole new level!
Swinging
Swings are easily one of the most popular sensory activities for preschoolers. Therapy swings are especially effective for children with sensory disorders. Swinging activates all your five senses in a short period of time. It lets you feel safe, secure, and energetic as you focus on the speed, sounds, and smell around you. Playlearn offers a variety of swings that bring multiple benefits for children, including hand-eye and motor coordination. They can also be helpful in learning social skills.
Musical instruments
Different varieties of musical instruments can be used to stimulate the auditory senses among young children. You can try creating something at home, like a paper cup filled with dried beans or rubber bands strung to a tissue box. For a more enhanced and fun auditory experience, Playlearn’s Soft Interactive Piano Touch Wall Panel is perfect. It is highly engaging with its interactive panels and also has a built-in audio system.
Aquariums
Sensory-rich environments like theme-based sensory aquariums develop critical senses. It can stimulate coordination between the eyes and hands, allowing children to make better use of their whole body. Discover the charms of aquatic life indoors with Playlearn’s aquariums. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and themes, providing many benefits, including sensory stimulation for children.
Light it up
Sensory lights and light-up toys help children with sensory disorders feel more settled. They also stimulate vision and can be effective in keeping children engaged for prolonged periods. To get the desired effect, you can use simple battery-powered items like light-up toys or night lights. Playlearn has a wide range of sensory lights, light-up toys, and furniture to provide the ultimate sensory experience for your child.
Sensory play can have a definitively positive impact on a child’s growth and development. The importance of incorporating sensory activities for preschoolers cannot be overstated. They are also highly effective for children and adults with sensory disorders, autism, and ADHD. The benefits of sensory play are also applicable for adults with sensory issues as well as aging individuals. There are many sensory ideas for preschoolers that you can easily include in day-to-day life. Making sensory play a part of regular life can be the best gift you can give to your child.
