Early childhood is a critical period of development where the child’s brain begins to grow and acquire knowledge, behavior and health related aspects. Sensory play means activities which involve the five basic senses; sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell where a child explores and makes meaning of the environment. Sensory activities are incorporated in the Montessori system as a means of intervention that is educational at the same time, helpful in development of mental abilities, motor skills and in the regulation of the child’s emotions.
But what is Montessori sensory play, and why is this concept so valuable in the stimulation of child development? There are several advantages of sensory play; In this blog, these advantages and how sensory play aids the improvement of a child’s growth will be discussed.

What Is Sensory Play?

Sensory play can be explained as play that enhances a child’s senses and allows him or her to engage in a discovery process. This can involve anything from rough sandy, water and clay or even an array of textures, noises and smells. Montessori sensory play should not dictate the child’s move, but the child should play it in his/ her own manner and time. The objects in the Montessori sensory play are usually elementary, and can be sourced naturally so as to enhance the child’s creativity. For example, a bin with rice, beans or sand will engage children for hours because they will be able to sort, pour and sift among others.

The Benefits of Montessori Sensory Play

1. Enhances Cognitive Development: From this paper, it is evident that Montessori sensory play is very important especially in enhancing the children’s learning abilities. It is established that integrating action with sensory information enables the children to associate different aspects of stimuli to the meaning of the stimuli. For instance, when a child plays with an object that is rough, then he/she is taken through a process of associating that texture with that particular feeling. Tactile and kinesthetic explanations assist in the development of pathways for thought in the brain and thus memory as well as problem solving as well as critical thinking..

2. Develops Fine Motor Skills: Finger practice is a very common component of many Montessori sensory play ideas, this in turn helps to build up fine motor skills. For example, playing with small items on a sensory bin will enable the child to enhance his or her hand eye coordination and motor skills. These skills are important in the writing, drawing and putting on of clothes and forms the basis of other motor proficiency as the child develops.

3. Supports Language Development: Sensory also contributes to language development of children because they get to describe what they are experiencing at a given time. Every time the children are involved in sensory activities, they are told to use worship and feelings to describe what they are doing. For instance, instead of saying a material is smooth, they will use ‘soft,’ ‘scratchy,’ or ‘freezing.’ This usage of adjectives not only improves the child’s vocabulary but also develops their ways of expressing themselves.

4. Promotes Emotional Regulation: Sensory play is capable of helping children to relax hence can act as key in the handling of children’s emotions. Sensory experiences are useful to direct the kid’s attention to the current reality, which helps control stress and anxiety. For instance, when engaged in play activities such as water or sand play, the children tends to become relaxed and comfortable. These are skills that will help children regulate themselves throughout their lives, and hence, are very beneficial.

5. Encourages Creativity and Imagination: For its part, sensory play in a Montessori setting is characterized by elements of free exploration. Sensory play is more flexible as compared to the occupations that may consist of specific objectives which have to be achieved. In liquids they can play with different materials, touch new feelings and build up their own games and stories. This sense of liberty to experiment and produce something out of nothing gives the child the morale of being on his or her own which is very vital for growth.

6. Enhances Social Skills: Social interaction basically in a group is encouraged in most of the Montessori sensory play in order to allow children to engage with other children. In their play activities, the children are able to learn issues to do with sharing, turn taking as well as cooperation. All these social intercommunication assist children in the development of proper interpersonal skills and social skills in particular. Thus, sensory play is a way of connecting children who can use body contacts only in case they share certain difficulties with each other.

7. Supports Sensory Processing: Children with special needs could benefit from Montessori sensory play due to understanding of the physical environment by the child. Sensory play is a way of introducing children to various sensations and this helps in the process of making them adjust to hard stimuli in society. If this continues, they are likely to develop some sort of enhancement in processing the sensory impressions and handle various tasks as physical movements.

Incorporating Montessori Sensory Play at Home

While Montessori sensory play is a key component of the Montessori classroom, it can also be easily incorporated into the home environment. Here are some simple ideas for sensory play activities that you can try with your child:

• Sensory Bins: Fill a bin with materials such as rice, beans, or sand, and provide your child with scoops, spoons, and containers for exploring.
• Water Play: Set up a water table with cups, funnels, and sponges for your child to experiment with pouring and splashing.
• Playdough: Provide your child with homemade or store-bought playdough, along with tools such as cookie cutters, rolling pins, and molds.
• Nature Exploration: Take a walk outside and collect natural materials such as leaves, rocks, and sticks. Encourage your child to explore the different textures and shapes.

These simple activities not only provide hours of fun and exploration but also support your child’s overall development in meaningful ways.

Conclusion

When most people hear the term Montessori sensory play it can be considered as fun and games, but in essence it is one of the essential parts of early childhood. Through sensory activities, many cognitive, motor, language, social, and emotional development aspects that are important in children’s life for lifelong learning are developed. Sensory play like the one in the Montessori setting or at home is the best way through which a child can learn as he/she interacts with various aspects of life and shapes them to be better people. 

 In case you want your child to grow in a way that fulfills his/her potential and at the same time have lots of fun, it is high time that you introduce Montessori sensory play into the daily scheme of things. The benefits are far-reaching and prolonged effects on your child’s developing process and health will be everlasting.