There are a lot of things that go into effective early childhood education. When children are very young, they take in everything. They are constantly trying to learn everything they can about the world around them. At Wollaston Child Care Center, we encourage that creative and explorative spirit in children to help them learn and grow relationships.
There are many ways to encourage children to learn and explore. One of the most important when it comes to early childhood education is sensory play.
Benefits of Sensory Play
Children get a lot out of sensory play. First and foremost, it promotes cognitive development. Sensory play allows children to explore their environment using all their senses. They develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and creativity as they manipulate different materials and experiment with cause and effect. Sensory play also helps children develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination by handling objects of various shapes, sizes, and textures.
Sensory play also benefits children’s social and emotional development. It is calming and relaxing, which helps children learn how to regulate their emotions. In an environment where they are interacting with other children, they also learn to take turns and play together.
Sensory Play at Home
The wonderful thing about sensory play is that it’s easy to set up at home. You can make sensory toys and play experiences with items you have around your house. Here are some of our favorite ideas:
- Play with water: Fill a big bowl or tub with water and add toys and other objects. Include both items that sink and float. To add more sensory experiences, add food coloring or bubbles.
- Make a sensory bin: Take a small or medium-sized storage bin and fill it with different materials such as sand, rice, and dried beans. You can hide small toys and other objects to give the children something to find as they explore the different textures.
- Create with play dough: Make your own or buy some different colors. Form different shapes or try to make something recognizable, like animals.
Early Childhood Education | Wollaston Child Care Center
Putting your child in the right environment makes a huge difference in their early childhood education. We take this responsibility seriously at Wollaston Child Care Center. Our programs promote all aspects of your child’s well-being.
