Benefits of
Sensory Play
Sensory play address two sensory systems that are often overlooked
The proprioception sense refers to awareness of one’s body. It helps us know where body parts are relative to one another and tells us how much force we need to exert when holding, pushing, pulling or lifting objects.
The vestibular sense, also known as our movement or balance sense, allows us to maintain balance while engaging in activities.
Sensory play plays an important role in your child’s development from birth to early childhood. It helps build nerve connections in their brain’s pathways, which can help your child complete complex tasks.
Your child’s language skills develop naturally through sensory play. By engaging the senses, your child will learn how to describe what they’re doing and how it feels, eventually using more descriptive words to communicate
Helps with fine motor skills
Sensory play can help your child develop fine motor skills like tying their shoe, writing and zipping their coat. Through tactile play that focuses on building, pouring and mixing, your child builds on their ability to use small muscle groups and coordinate movements.
Helps with gross motor skills
Gross motor skills include sitting, crawling, jumping and running — activities that use your child’s body’s large muscles in their arms, legs and core. Whether your child is just learning to walk or has been trying to throw a ball, the key is to allow them plenty of time to practice those skills freely.
Helps with cognitive growth
Asking questions, thinking about how things work, doing experiments and analyzing results are all part of healthy cognitive growth. It’s how we learn something new and figure things out. It’s also how we problem solve.
Has a calming effect
Your sensory system can help you calm down. This is particularly important for children as they develop. The pressure from hugs, weighted lap pads and sensory seats can help soothe and signal that it’s time to stay in place.
Fosters social interaction
By engaging in sensory play with siblings or peers, your child begins developing social skills. They’ll learn how to communicate, how to troubleshoot problems and learn to adapt to how others play.