Sensory play, or experiences, involves any activity that allows your child to use their senses: touch, taste, smell, and hearing. As a premier preschool in Quincy, MA, our team at Wollaston Child Care recognizes the importance of incorporating sensory play into the daily activities of your little ones. From play dough to sand and water play, the possibilities are endless and benefits extensive.
In this article, we’ll explain a bit more about why sensory play is beneficial.
Fine and gross motor skill development
Depending on the activity at hand, both fine and gross motor skills are used in sensory play. Gross motor skills focus on the larger muscle groups that are targeted more in physical activities such as hopping or dancing. While fine motor skills tune into small muscle groups that are important for things such as zipping a coat or holding a pencil. Sensory activities will encourage the coordination of these muscles with activities involving pouring, lacing, and even picking up small objects.
Encourages problem-solving skills
Imagine you have a piece of string. Now imagine that your standing in front of a table filled with different shaped beads that have various sized openings. The trick of finding the perfect bead to fit onto your string can be challenging to little ones. However, with trial by error, your child is allowed to engage their senses while supporting their cognitive development.
Enables an environment for social interaction
Playing with different types of objects opens a whole new door of exploration. And, probably one that your child will be excited about. Now we all know, when a child is excited, they are sure to let everyone know! With new textures, colors, and comparisons being made, children will interact with their peers to tell them all about their findings. Besides interacting, they’ll be developing language skills as they describe the experience at hand.
Excellent source of calming for children with anxiety or frustrations
Sometimes a little distraction from the tensions of everyday life is all that someone needs. Sensory play or tables are an excellent way to bring a child down from a level of unease. The mind is provided with a new pathway of interest that will engage the child’s senses allowing them to relax and cope in a healthy manner.
Sensory play is an excellent way for a child to explore, discover, and make sense of the world around them. Not only is sensory play important to development, but it also opens opportunities for learning. For more information on other areas in which we encourage children to grow with us each day, contact our team at (617) 773-7217. Wollaston Child Care is a premier preschool in Quincy, MA, keeping the needs of your child at the forefront.
