Sensory play is a range of activities that stimulate children’s senses such as sight, sound, smell, taste or touch. By providing sensory activity children will learn more about the world around them in a natural way, through their senses
There are many sensory activities you can do at home with your children with objects you may already have. Take a look at some of my ideas.
Here are some activity ideas to support children’s development.
Sensory bottles
Sensory bottles – Anything that can fit into the opening of the bottle would be all that was needed, here are some ideas of Items you could use
-Empty bottles
-Rice & Food colouring
-Baby Oil or water
-Beads
-Stones/sticks/leaves
Adding baby oil or water will add to the weight of the bottle. Having no water or baby oil will give them a good sound when the little ones shake the bottle (which is something they love to do)
Remember to glue or make sure the lid is on tight to prevent the lid coming off or the child opening the bottle.
Older children will enjoy making their own. Let them find Items to put in the bottle or give them a variety of items that they can use.
Sensory Bags
I made these sensory bags and they were simple to make once I mastered the first one.
First I got A4 laminating sheets, I cut them in half and used hair straighteners to seal 3 of the 4 sides then added the different items for each colour as well as some glitter. I then poured in some baby oil (I used baby oil to stop if all from sticking together. Once happy I squeezed out as much air as I could before sealing the 4th side.
They go really well on our new light table with the rainbow colours sensory bottles.
Messy play
Bath foam this is one of my favourite messy play activities, you can get this from any supermarket. Not only does it keep the children entertained it smells wonderful! You can add other items to this to make it more attractive like animals and glitter but that gets really messy.
We did this outside and the children found some sticks and started mixing it and then added some stone. Its amazing how they have their own thoughts in extending their play.
Household Items
A selection of household items, this gives the babies a good chance to explore and touch different textures from real objects and the toddlers to bang together different items and make sounds.
Taste
Children love tasting foods some more than others. Next time your out shopping pick up a few foods that they haven’t yet tasted. its always good to try a different selection of foods.
While food tasting with older children there is so many things you can talk about. Why not talk about how it tastes, feels, what it smells like, If they like it, if they don’t and the colour.
A small list of ideas.
-Kiwi
-Lemons ( you know you want to see that face after something so sour)
-Coconut
-Pineapple
-Melon
-Blueberries