Traditional teaching is often thought as being flashcards with letters, memorising and repeating the alphabet or even reading stories about everyday activities. However, children learn and understand the world better by using their senses. By touching, smelling, tasting, seeing, hearing and moving, they’re able to engage with their surroundings, which helps them make sense of their environment.
Incorporating sensory play driven activities into your child’s life can have a positive impact on all areas of their learning. This method of play can contribute to cognitive development by stimulating the brain to make connections. This is why many of our favourite memories are often associated with our senses!
We have put together some sensory play activity themes that your little one will love!
1. Splishy Spashy Water
When the sun is finally shining, water play is the perfect activity which can not only inspire splashy, active fun but can cool your little ones down! This can really help to develop your child’s fine and gross motor skills as they learn to pour, stir, squeeze and even paint with water!
Whether it’s filling your water table to the brim with bright coloured balloons or having the most chaotic duck race, there are many water-based activities that the kids can get involved with. Even something as simple as funnels and buckets, can give your child a great early start to learning through hands on play!
2. Messy Mud
Now, who doesn’t remember making massive mud pies in the garden! This is the perfect activity that helps your child connect with nature, engages their senses but best of all, creates memories! All you need are a few pieces of equipment like buckets, pans and stirring utensils, then voila, the mud kitchen is open! Don’t forget some flowers and stones for garnish!
If you’re not wanting to deal with all of that dirty washing after the kitchen is closed, why don’t you teach the kids some gardening? You could grow a full vegetable patch or even go as small as planting cress in egg cartons. Either way it’s the perfect activity to bring the family together and engage their sense of touch!
3. Sandy voyages
Do you fancy a day at the beach without the hassle? Then why don’t you look at having a sandy adventure in the comfort of your own garden! Getting the sandbox out helps to develop your child’s sense of texture, promotes creativity and endorses their social skills.
Maybe your little one is feeling creative and is inspired to build the biggest sandcastle kingdom; perhaps they’re feeling exploratory and want to find the buried treasure. Either way, this is a fun and encouraging activity to help engage your child with their senses.
4. Jelly and Slime
Who said that sensory play couldn’t be edible! Playing with jelly is a stimulating experience as they explore the wobbly, squishy texture in their hands but get to enjoy the yummy fruity taste on their tongues. If you want to encourage their curiosity, you could set toys in the mould to inspire more pretend play. If not, cutters and spoons are just as fun!
If your children are too old for jelly, why don’t you delve into the world of slime and putty? It’s an activity that fascinates children of all ages. The feel and consistency will captivate the younger ones; whereas, the older kids will enjoy the process of creating the slime itself. You can personalise it by adding glitter, food colouring or small Styrofoam balls. It’s an activity that’ll engage the whole family!
There are so many sensory based activities that you and the family can do together. If you fancy having a more permanent fixture for your little one, then our Plum Sensory Play range has been designed to encourage curious minds and energetic juniors to both learn and create during playtime. This exciting selection is perfect for hours of messy play by exploring new and intriguing textures.
