There are many activities that we can do with the little ones to help them work all the senses while they have fun. Sensory activities are among these some of the best at early ages. That's why today we wanted to share four sensory activities for children.
All children can benefit from sensory play, but they are especially interesting for those from 1 to 3 years old. Not only will they acquire new skills but they will also help them relax and have fun. Take note of all its benefits and do some of these activities at home with your children.
Benefits of sensory stimulation
Any activity that stimulates an area of the child's senses can be described as sensory. These activities make it easier for the child to explore the world and learn in a playful way. In addition, this type of game has been linked to the development of nerve connections in brain pathways. Discover all its benefits!
- Language stimulation: By exploring different textures, sounds and visual stimuli, children develop greater awareness of their environment and learn to associate words and concepts with those sensory experiences.
- Cognitive development: Sensory activities help strengthen neural connections in children's brains, which in turn improves their attention, concentration, memory, and problem-solving abilities.
- Development of motor skills: By exposing children to different sensory stimuli, the development of motor skills such as hand-eye coordination, balance, muscle strength and manual dexterity is promoted.
- Improved sensory integration: By providing a variety of sensory stimuli, children can be helped to improve sensory integration, which is the brain's ability to process and organize the sensory information received.
Activities for children 1-4 years old
As we have already mentioned, these activities are especially beneficial for children of ages between 1 and 3 years so we wanted to focus mainly on them. If you are thinking about activities to enjoy together this Christmas, take note of these four sensory activities for children that you can do at home.
Walk on different textures
Create a path using different materials and textures That the little ones can explore is fun, stimulating and beneficial for them. And it will be very easy for you since you can use an endless number of materials such as: cotton, seeds, rice, sand, stones, felt, egg cartons, bubble wrap, scouring pads... Even liquids, always placing them inside containers to which Children can access alone or by holding their hand.
There is no need to force the child; these must feel safe and comfortable during these sensory walks. If he does not want to step on a certain texture, we can encourage him to do so or do it ourselves first, but never, under any circumstances, push him to do so.
The benefits of sensory walking They are numerous: it exposes the child to new textures and sensations that they will identify with an emotion, it teaches them to keep focus on what they are stepping on and what they are feeling when doing so, and it strengthens their balance and security.
Paint with hands
It is one of the first artistic activities that children usually have: painting with their fingers. Although it is about a simple activity in which it is enough to put paint in some containers and spread a piece of paper in the dream for children to paint, it plays an important role in their development.
Finger painting is not only an activity beneficial for motor development, but prepares children's hands for writing skills. It also allows them to develop their creativity and experiment with colors. And if the above were not enough, it makes them work on control and balance when painting on the floor.
Experiment table
La Ikea Flisat table has become the queen table when it comes to offering the little ones a experiment table. An activity that we find very interesting and that we can update with each season of the year.
For this activity you need a table similar to the Flisat table and different materials specific to each station. In winter, for example, you could place wet dirt, pine needles, pine cones, tree balls, a pomegranate, wooden kitchen utensils, and a wooden container on the table. Ideally, you should place the soil in one tray, the natural elements in another, and the utensils and wooden containers in the last.
The key here is that the child does not see the preparation but rather finds these materials already organized and can play freely with them so be sure to protect the floor. The idea is that you invite them to touch each element, explaining what it is but not what it is used for or how it is used and then you take a backseat and supervise.
With this sensory activity, children they know new materials, They increase their vocabulary, work on fine motor skills and transfers. They also experience touch and smell and observe the differences between different materials in shape, weight, color... In addition, you encourage free and unstructured play.
Model with plasticine
How many hours did you spend as a child playing with plasticine? Something as simple as playdough provides hours of fun for the little ones while at the same time stimulates your creativity, your imagination and helps you develop motor and cognitive skills.
Along with the play dough, provide the child with materials with textures that can help them work with the play dough without being aware of it: a curly dough cutter, a cookie stamper, an old toothbrush...