Ever wonder why your child can't resist poking, squishing, or sniffing everything? It's not just curiosity; it's biology. Children are hardwired to explore the world through their senses, and sensory play is their brain's favorite way to learn.
Sensory play is any activity that stimulates a child's senses—touch, smell, sight, sound, and even taste (though we try to limit that last one to things meant to be tasted). Think finger painting, digging in the sand, sorting mini figurines, or splashing in the water. These activities are powerful tools that support neural development, emotional regulation, language growth, and motor coordination.
Why Sensory Play Matters
When children engage their senses, their brains light up with activity. Research shows that multi-sensory experiences form stronger neural connections, especially in early childhood. Tactile experiences (like squeezing play dough or digging in a sensory bin) strengthen fine motor skills while helping kids feel calm and grounded.
Sensory play can act as a natural regulator. Feeling overwhelmed? A bin of Playfoam Pluffle or dried rice can calm frazzled nerves. As a mom and former teacher, I often used sensory play to help kids process big feelings, develop self-regulation, and build confidence in their bodies and minds.
Sensory Play at Home: Simple and Powerful
You don't need a Pinterest-worthy setup or a degree in neuroscience to support your child's sensory development. You just need a little creativity and a tolerance for mess (pro tip: play mats and large tubs are your best friends).
Sight – Bright, Engaging, and Visually Stimulating!
Visual play helps children make sense of the world around them. Bright colors, high-contrast patterns, and light-up features are captivating and crucial for developing visual tracking, depth perception, and focus. Activities like sorting colorful objects, watching glitter tubes swirl, or tracking a light-up toy strengthen early visual processing skills and are foundational for reading and attention.
Visual play:
Light-up or glowing objects, colorful scarves, light and shadow play, high contrast toys and books, sensory bottles filled with interesting items, or things that are sparkly and glittery.
What it looks like:
Activities that stimulate visual tracking, color recognition, and pattern observation.
Examples: Playing with kaleidoscopes, light tables, mirrors, light-up items, moving items, or colorful sensory bottles. Puzzles, high-contrast or colorful picture books, and color-matching games are also great.
Developmental Benefits:
- Visual Tracking: Improves the ability to follow moving objects, which is essential for reading and sports.
- Color Recognition: Helps children identify and differentiate colors.
- Pattern Recognition: Builds early math and problem-solving skills.
- Focus and Attention: Encourages sustained concentration.
- Hand-Eye Coordination: Develops precision as hand movement is integrated with visual input (like stacking blocks).
- Creativity: Inspires imaginative play through visual exploration of colors and shapes.
Touch – Tactile Play for Curious Hands!
From silky scarves and squishy putty to bumpy dino figurines and fluffy plush, tactile play is how kids learn the language of texture. Touch-based activities build fine motor skills, emotional regulation, and sensory integration. Tactile experiences are invaluable for kids with special sensory needs, whether sensory-seeking or sensory-avoidant. Hands-on play truly helps wire the brain for focus, calm, and control. And let's be honest, who doesn't love giving something a good squish now and then?
What it looks like:
Activities that involve exploring textures, temperatures, and consistencies.
Examples: Playing with plush pals, sand, slime, playdough, water, or textured fabrics. Items like sensory bins filled with rice, beans, Pluffle, or shaving cream are also common.
Developmental Benefits:
- Fine Motor Skills: Strengthens hand muscles and coordination through squeezing, pinching, and molding.
- Cognitive Development: Encourages problem-solving and experimentation (e.g., "What happens if I press harder?").
- Emotional Regulation: Provides calming effects, especially for children with anxiety or sensory processing challenges.
- Language Development: Expands vocabulary as children describe textures (e.g., "slimy," "rough," "soft").
- Social Skills: Promotes sharing and collaboration during group tactile activities.
- Sensory Integration: Helps children process and respond to tactile input more effectively.
Sound – Listen, Explore, and Discover!
There is a reason babies enjoy banging on pots and pans - sound is fun and fundamental. From gentle white noise machines to rhythm toys and musical instruments, auditory play helps kids learn to differentiate sounds, recognize patterns, and develop language and listening skills. Activities involving music, repetition, or sound-based cause and effect (like a bell that rings when pushed) support cognitive development and emotional connection. Plus, it's the perfect excuse to turn your living room into a mini concert hall.
What it looks like:
Activities that involve listening to and creating sounds.
Examples: Playing with musical instruments, listening to nature sounds, or engaging with audio boxes and music boxes, or toys that make noises (like rattles). Singing and clapping games also fall into this category.
Developmental Benefits:
- Auditory Discrimination: Teaches children to differentiate between sounds, tones, and rhythms.
- Language Development: Enhances listening skills and speech through exposure to sounds and words.
- Memory Skills: Strengthens memory by recalling songs or sound patterns.
- Coordination: Improves timing and rhythm through activities like drumming or clapping.
- Social Interaction: Encourages group play and turn-taking in musical activities.
- Emotional Expression: Provides an outlet for expressing feelings through sound and music.
Smell – Scented Fun for a Multi-Sensory Experience!
Scents are powerful memory makers. Smell-based sensory play can soothe, stimulate, or spark wonder. From scented playdough to scratch-and-sniff stickers and lavender rice bins, introducing safe, pleasant smells helps develop the olfactory system while supporting emotional regulation and mindfulness. Pleasant scents like lavender or vanilla can be soothing for overstimulated kiddos, while citrus or peppermint can energize sleepy ones. Smell may be the most underrated sense in play, but it's also one of the most impactful.
What it looks like: Activities that involve identifying and exploring scents.
Examples: Smelling scented playdough, exploring spice jars, or engaging in nature walks to smell fresh rain, flowers, and plants. You can also incorporate items like scratch-and-sniff stickers, scented pens or markers, fruit peels, or essential oils can also be used.
Developmental Benefits:
- Memory Association: Links scents to experiences, enhancing memory and recall.
- Emotional Regulation: Certain scents (like vanilla or lavender) can have calming effects.
- Cognitive Skills: Encourages categorization and comparison of smells.
- Language Development: Expands vocabulary with descriptive words for scents ("sweet," "spicy," or "flowery").
- Curiosity and Exploration: Sparks interest in the natural world through scent discovery.
- Sensory Integration: Helps children process and respond to olfactory input.
Taste – Safe & Engaging for Little Mouths!
For infants and toddlers, taste is often their first method of exploration, which is why taste-safe sensory play is essential. Think taste-safe sensory bin fillers and doughs, flavored ice, or safe dishes like silicone stackers or food-safe utensils that encourage exploration through mouthing. This play supports oral motor development, sensory integration, and food acceptance, especially in picky eaters. Incorporating safe, age-appropriate taste experiences allows little ones to explore new textures and flavors.
What it looks like: Activities that involve exploring flavors and textures through taste.
Examples: Tasting different fruits, making edible sensory bins (like with cooked pasta or Jello), or baking and decorating cookies.
Developmental Benefits:
- Taste Discrimination: Teaches children to identify and differentiate flavors (e.g., sweet, salty, sour).
- Fine Motor Skills: Develop precision through activities like stirring, scooping, or decorating.
- Cognitive Development: Encourages curiosity and experimentation with food combinations.
- Healthy Eating Habits: Introduces new foods in a fun, non-threatening way.
- Social Skills: Promotes sharing and collaboration during group cooking or tasting activities.
- Sensory Integration: Helps children become more comfortable with different textures and flavors.
Play Your Way to Happy
It's okay if your child prefers one type of sensory input over others—sensory preferences are part of every child's unique sensory profile. The key is to give them chances to explore safely and joyfully. Because the mess is temporary, the benefits of exploratory play are ever-lasting.
About the Author
Anji Audley is a former teacher and tutor with experience spanning preschool through middle school, bringing a deep understanding of child development and the power of playful hands-on learning. As a mother of two boys, an artist, a nature lover, and passionate advocate for hands-on, playful learning, she loves blending creativity, nature, and play to spark curiosity in young minds.
With a focus on STEAM and early literacy, Anji believes in the power of cross-content and multisensory learning to create meaningful educational experiences. She advocates for learning that is engaging, immersive, and filled with wonder. You can find her exploring nature, diving into good books, painting or creating, and continuously searching for new ways to educate the whole child.
Resources:
- Auburn School Department. "Sensory Motor/Self-Regulation." Auburn School Department, https://www.auburnschl.edu/departments/special_education/related_services_speech_and_language/ot_pt/sensory_motor_self-regulation.
- NAEYC. "The Importance of Sand and Water Play." NAEYC, https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/importance-sand-and-water-play.
- NAEYC. "A Toddler's Guide to Sensory Activities at Home." NAEYC, https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/toddlers-guide-sensory-activities-home.
- Leatherman, Jennifer. “Cognitive Development and Sensory Play.” Michigan State University Extension, 24 Jan. 2019, https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/cognitive_development_and_sensory_play.
