If you’ve ever seen a rice bin or plastic bag filled with hair gel and glitter on Pinterest or Instagram, you’re familiar with sensory play. This form of hands-on fun is all about stimulating your child’s senses, letting her explore different textures, sounds, sights, smells and tastes on her own terms. But it isn’t just for toddlers, and it goes far beyond those colorful bins and bags.
What’s more, sensory play can deliver big developmental benefits — even for the newborn set.
What is sensory play?
Sensory play is all about hands-on activities that invite your child to explore with her senses — including touch, sight, smell, sound and taste — as well as use movement or balance. Sensory activities tend to be unstructured, giving children the opportunity to dive in and play at their own pace.
Sensory play can look different at different ages. Young infants will delight in hearing the birds chirp outside or feeling a soft, fuzzy blanket, while older babies love playing with noisy toys or squeezing bags filled with different materials. In toddlerhood, sensory activities can become more involved: Think playing with a water table, exploring a rice bin or making mud pies outside.
Why is it so important to encourage sensory play?
Sensory stimulation is an important way that babies first get to know the world around them. As sensory play progresses to hands-on activities, it also plays an important role in helping children build cognitive skills involved in problem solving and abstract thinking. Early visual and motor stimulation also seem to play a role in the development of language and math skills later on, too.
Giving babies and toddlers the freedom to explore and get messy can also encourage them become stronger learners. When small children are given the opportunity to play at their own pace, they’re more likely to develop a natural sense of curiosity and persistence — two traits that go a long way towards succeeding in school, and later, at work.
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There are physical benefits as well. Simple activities like playing with modeling clay or shredding paper helps to build your child’s fine and gross motor skills, making those little hands stronger and more coordinated.
When is the best time to start sensory play with my child?
Babies start absorbing the sights, smells, sounds, tastes and textures around them as soon as they’re born. Not only can you start providing rich sensory experiences for your newborn right away — exploring the world together can be a sweet, simple way for the two of you to bond.
At any age, pay attention to how your child reacts to different sensory experiences. Too much stimulation can become overwhelming for babies — your sweetie might tell you she’s had enough by starting to turn her head away, fuss or cry.
As your older baby or toddler starts to try hands-on activities, let her set the speed. Some kids will dive right into exploring a new sensation like squishy mud or soft modeling clay, while others prefer to take it slow.
If your little one seems hesitant, you can provide some gentle encouragement by manipulating a material yourself so she can copy you. But never force your child to touch something or engage in an activity if she doesn’t seem ready. You can always take a break and try again later. Offering just one or a few toys at a time may also help avoid overstimulation.
Sensory play activities for babies and toddlers
Ready to forge full steam ahead with your little sensory seeker? These simple activities are big on stimulation and fun — for you and your sweetie.
How to encourage sensory play: 0-12 months
Your newborn will start off as more of an observer than an active participant in sensory activities as she takes in the sights, sounds, smells and textures around her. But it won’t be long before your baby starts grabbing, mouthing, reaching and eventually crawling and cruising towards anything and everything that catches her interest.
- Introduce high contract images. Newborns can benefit from looking at black-and-white contrast shapes. You can hang them around your child's play area to stimulate development of the optic nerve.
- Take a stroll (or just window watch). Walk around the neighborhood and stop to admire the chirping birds, the brightly colored flowers or just the feeling of the breeze. Narrate to your baby as you go by saying things like, “Here’s a pretty red flower,” or “That cool breeze feels nice!”
- Try tummy time on the play mat. Having a bright, colorful playmat to explore can turn tummy time into a sensory experience.
- Let’s touch. Explore different textures while describing them to your baby: "Sparky's fur is so soft, Daddy's beard is scratchy, the grass is wet…" and make sure any environment she's exploring is safe, wherever you may be.
- Offer noisy toys. Starting around 4 months, your cutie will likely become fascinated with sensory toys that squeak, rattle, trill or tweet when pressed or shaken. Offer her an assortment so she can try them out.
- Let your baby get mouthy. Infants learn by putting things in their mouth, so provide plenty of clean and baby-safe objects for yours to reach for and gum at, such as board or fabric boots, rattles and teethers.
- Have fun at bathtime. When your baby is old enough to sit up in the bath, toss in some floating toys. She’ll get a kick out of watching them move in response to her splashes.
- Try a sensory bag. For older babies, fill a zip-top bag with tactile materials like shaving cream or hair gel. Seal up the bag with strong, sturdy tape and let your little one squish ‘til her heart’s content (always under close supervision, of course).
How to encourage sensory play: 1-2 years
With your newly minted toddler starting to walk and talk, she’s equipped to start diving into even more sensory experiences. Some of them might start to get pretty messy, but try not to sweat it. Activities that involve art supplies, shaving cream or mud can always be done right before bathtime!
- Try tactile experiences. Offer finger paint or shaving cream for smearing or fill a bin with sand or water for grabbing, scooping and pouring.
- Make music. Play your favorite tunes and invite your toddler to play along with bells, shakers, rhythm sticks, toy drums, a tambourine, a keyboard — or even a simple pot and a spoon.
- Bath play. Give your child sponges, shampoo bottles and plastic cups to see what floats and what sinks in the water. If you don’t mind some post-bath clean-up, try spraying shaving cream on the tub wall or giving your child bathtub crayons or paints.
- Nature walk. Stroll through the park together, stopping to examine different textures: Feel the rough tree bark, smooth stones and soft grass.
- Sniff it. Take out the spices and invite your toddler to smell each jar. If there’s one that she really likes, try sprinkling it on something (like apple slices or plain yogurt) so she can see what it tastes like.
How to encourage sensory play: 2-3 years
As your older toddler’s communication skills and attention span grow stronger and longer, she’s ready for sensory experiences that are a bit more complex. Still, don’t feel pressure to create elaborate set-ups or spend lots of money on toys or supplies. Some of the best sensory activities for toddlers require little to no equipment or can be created using materials you already have on hand. (And keep supervising your child closely, since many older toddlers are still tempted to put small or non-edible objects in their mouths.)
- Sensory bin. Fill a plastic storage bin with uncooked rice, oats or beans, or even cotton balls or feathers. Add in small items like toys, playing cards, blocks, or small scoops or cups for your child to dig and explore. Teach your child not to put items from the sensory bin in her mouth, and always supervise closely.
- Roll it. Set up a small ramp using household materials like cardboard or paper towel tubes. Let your child run toy cars or other small objects down the ramp.
- Fun with ice. Fill ice cube trays with water colored with food dye and freeze. Invite your toddler to play with the cubes in a bin or tray (to contain the mess) or bring them outside where she can “draw” on the sidewalk.
- Taste talk. Set up samples of three to five colorful fruits and vegetables and do a deep dive on each. Ask your child to tell you about the color, the texture, the size and of course, the taste!
- Pattern play. Give your child an assortment of objects like tiles, blocks, sticks and stones. Older toddlers love to make patterns, so sit back and see what your child does. If she’s hesitant, make a few patterns yourself and see if she’s willing to imitate you.
Sensory play is stimulating for babies and toddlers of all ages, and it’s never too early to get started. All you have to do is set the stage — and let your little one delve in on her own terms.
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