Children grow and develop by using all of their senses, which helps them understand the world around them. Sensory play is an essential part of child development, which helps children to develop many skills. Kids can develop fine motor skills, gross motor skills, problem-solving ability, language, and social skills by taking part in sensory activities.
With that in mind, let’s look at some stimulating sensory activities for preschoolers designed to stimulate cognitive development through play.
Rockers
Young children love rocking, whether that’s using a rocking horse, rocking chair, or baby rocker. Mom or dad can also rock the child in their lap to create a simple game that’s fun and stimulates the sensors. These activities target the vestibular system, which tells the body how you are moving, which way up you are, and deals with balance. Young children can use rocking to reach a calm or alert state. Slow rocking can calm children down, while games that involve faster rocking or unpredictable movements can make the child feel alert.
Therapy Balls
You can use a therapy ball to create sensory activities for preschoolers. These types of balls are readily available and affordable. They can be used to play games, or your child can simply bounce on the ball. Therapy balls help young children to develop their balance and coordination as well as agility. They can try many games and activities such as sitting on the ball and bouncing, rolling the ball to each other across the floor, or using the ball to rock from side to side.
Tactile Bins
Young children love to explore using all their senses. You can fill a plastic box or bin with rice or sand and hide small items for young children to find. This is an excellent sensory activity for preschoolers as it develops fine motor ability and sense of touch. You can even make themed bins to teach children about different topics and add scents or colors as well. Tactile bins can be used to play guessing games. Children can explore the bin and guess what they are feeling without looking. This will help them to get used to touching different textures.
Light up Toys
Light-up toys are a favorite for many children. Many toys are available that have soothing lights. These can encourage the visual system to develop and may also have a calming effect on many children. Some sensory toys use lights and music, which are great for babies and preschool children.
Young children can explore what their favorite colors are, do they prefer muted or bright colors. They can also try playing with the toy with their eyes closed, which will develop touch and hearing.
Scents
An excellent sensory activity for preschoolers is to put some essential oil on cotton wool and get them to smell. You can use scents when storytelling. Some scents such as lavender or rose will calm children, while others such as citrus or mint can make them feel more alert. Try to use calming scents if you’re doing a calming activity or if it’s almost bedtime. Leave alerting scents and activities that are stimulating in the morning.
As you can see, there are many simple activities that you can try at home and that your children will love. Sensory activities are not only fun; they also help with cognitive development. Kids can develop fine motor skills, gross motor skills, problem-solving ability, language, and social skills by taking part in sensory activities.