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WHAT IS A SENSORY PLAY?A GUIDE FOR PARENTS

For Infants (0–12 months)Teething toys with dierent shapes and surfaces for chewing.Soft textured fabrics or rattles that produce gentle sounds.For Toddlers (1–3 years)Water or sand play to explore textures and practice pouring.Stacking cups or blocks for tactile and visual play.Sensory activity is the very first experience available to an infant. Babies observe objects around them, listen to and perceive their parents' voices, and try to touch or grab a finger or toys nearby. In other words, sensory activity encompasses the entire spectrum of experiences a person can gain through hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste. Any activity aimed at developing the senses is considered a sensory activity and serves as a foundation for understanding and perceiving the world.Sensory play always engages multiple senses simultaneously and is typically practical. The more opportunities a child has to engage in such play, the more actively they explore the world through hands-on research and discoveries.This guide aims to delve into the concept of sensory play, explore its numerous developmental benefits, and provide practical ways to incorporate it into your child’s daily routine based on their age. We will also examine how sensory play is addressed in the Montessori method and provide the best ideas for simple and accessible sensory games at home, in daycare, outdoors, or anywhere else.The essence of sensory play lies in activities that stimulate one or more of the five senses: hearing, smell, sight, taste, and touch. Such play helps children process and understand sensory signals, whether they feel slime squishing between their fingers, identify scents during a smell game, or listen to calming nature sounds.The importance of sensory play stems from its deep connection to cognitive, social, and emotional development. Children can enhance language skills, fine and gross motor abilities, and even emotional regulation by engaging their senses. Furthermore, it provides opportunities for exploration, which is crucial for brain development and strengthening neural pathways that improve focus, learning capacity, and memory.UNDERSTANDING SENSORY PLAY

TYPES OF SENSORY PLAYTouch-based activities help develop fine motor skills, improve coordination, and enhance tactile perception. These can include playing with kinetic or regular sand, air-dry clay, toys with varying textures, or exploring textured surfaces like massage mats or natural materials (pinecones, pebbles, seashells).Tactile (Touch)This involves recognizing and comparing objects based on visual characteristics, promoting color differentiation, and enhancing focus and observation skills. Activities can range from simply observing the environment to sorting colorful objects, playing with light tables, or using kaleidoscopes.Visual (Sight-Based Play)These activities aim to improve listening skills, sound differentiation, and communication through auditory signals. Examples include listening to musical instruments, mimicking animal sounds, or playing sound-matching games.Auditory (Sound-Based Play)These activities encourage adventurous eating habits, develop sensory awareness of textures and flavors, and support language development (e.g., describing tastes). This can involve exploring new ingredients in the kitchen, tasting sweet, salty, and sour flavors, or baking cookies and preparing dishes together.Gustatory (Taste-Based Play)Smell-based games enhance memory and help children understand various aromas in their surroundings. Activities can include exploring scented playdough, smelling herbs or flowers, and identifying different fragrances.Olfactory (Smell-Based Play)

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