“5 everyday activities that boost your child’s sensory development” is a collaborative post.
Supporting your child’s sensory development is essential for their growth and learning. Sensory experiences help children process the world around them, enabling them to build skills in problem-solving, coordination, and even emotional regulation.
While many tools and programs are designed for sensory development, the good news is that everyday activities can be just as effective in boosting these essential skills.
There are simple yet powerful activities that can enhance your child’s sensory development in fun and engaging ways.
Tactile play with LEGO
Tactile play is a fantastic way to engage your child’s sense of touch and improve their fine motor skills, and LEGO sets are one of the best tools for this kind of development.
Building with LEGO encourages children to use their hands, feel different textures, and manipulate small pieces, all while sparking creativity and imagination. Whether your child is assembling a simple structure or recreating scenes from their favourite movies, they develop important sensory skills.
One exciting way to introduce tactile play is through themed sets like LEGO Harry Potter. These sets allow children to immerse themselves in the magical world of Hogwarts while enhancing their motor skills.
As they snap bricks together to build castles, wands, and magical creatures, they’re learning to coordinate their movements, solve problems, and follow instructions, all of which support cognitive and sensory development.
Tactile play with LEGO strengthens motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. The endless possibilities these building sets offer help children explore different textures and create unique designs, making playtime fun and educational.
Incorporating tactile play into your child’s daily routine can be a simple yet effective way to boost their sensory development.
Outdoor sensory exploration during nature walks
Children naturally explore their environment through sensory play, which plays a crucial role in their brain development. Outdoor sensory activities, such as comparing different textures, listening to birds, or rubbing rocks together, help children understand the world through their senses.
Sensory play enhances problem-solving skills as children learn how their bodies respond to sensory stimuli. Teachers can foster sensory development by creating outdoor sensory walks, where children can walk barefoot over different textures like pine cones or sand, enhancing sensory awareness.
Musical walls and nature-inspired activities also help children develop gross motor skills and sensory awareness, while seasonal changes provide new opportunities for exploration. Additionally, sensory play can help children focus by filtering out distractions, turning playtime into a fun, less overwhelming experience.
Teachers can incorporate various activities for each season, from water tables and leaf catching to snow play and scavenger hunts, ensuring continuous sensory engagement year-round.
Creating a sensory bin for hands-on learning
Creating a sensory bin is a simple yet powerful tool for hands-on learning, offering endless opportunities for children to explore textures, objects, and themes.
Sensory bins can be filled with items like rice, sand, water beads, or small toys, allowing children to dig, pour, and sort while engaging their sense of touch. This type of play helps develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and cognitive abilities, making learning fun and interactive.
Sensory bins can be easily adapted to different age groups and themes, providing an exciting way to boost your child’s sensory development daily.
Music and movement: dancing for auditory and kinesthetic engagement
Auditory learning involves consuming information through listening and talking, benefiting both auditory learners and others. It enhances emotional connection, social skills, and academic performance while improving focus, language development, and comprehension. Audiobooks, music, and podcasts offer accessible auditory content for children’s growth.
Meanwhile, kinesthetic learning is essential for children as it engages them through hands-on activities and movement, enhancing their understanding and retention. This active learning style improves motor skills, problem-solving, and creativity, helping children develop a deeper connection to concepts.
Music and movement, particularly dancing, are excellent for boosting auditory and kinesthetic engagement in children. Dancing to music helps improve rhythm, coordination, and motor skills while stimulating auditory processing.
This fun, interactive activity enhances sensory development by combining movement with listening, making learning more dynamic and engaging.
Sensory fun in the kitchen: cooking together
Cooking together in the kitchen provides a wonderful sensory experience for children, making it an ideal activity for boosting sensory development. The process involves various senses—touch, smell, sight, taste, and even hearing.
As children handle ingredients, they experience different textures, from soft flour to smooth eggshells, enhancing their tactile development. The smells of spices, herbs, and cooked food stimulate their olfactory senses, while the vibrant colours of fruits and vegetables engage their visual perception.
In addition to sensory benefits, cooking improves fine motor skills through stirring, pouring, and kneading. Measuring ingredients helps develop maths skills, and following recipes strengthens focus and sequencing abilities. Engaging in this process together fosters bonding, allowing children to learn while spending quality time with family.
Cooking as a sensory activity also teaches children the connection between their actions and results, helping them develop problem-solving skills as they navigate recipes and cooking techniques.
Everyday moments for sensory growth
Everyday activities like playing with LEGO sets, exploring nature, using sensory bins, dancing, and cooking offer valuable opportunities to support your child’s sensory development.
These activities can seamlessly integrate into daily routines, promoting growth while keeping things fun and engaging. The key is to provide various sensory experiences that encourage exploration and development in a safe, supportive environment.
