When it comes to teaching toddlers and preschoolers, there are so many more ways than just helping them memorize the alphabet, numbers and reading stories. One of the most effective and fun ways to teach little children about the world is through sensory play activities.
What is Sensory Play?
Sensory play is any activity that can stimulate a child’s senses. These activities focus on the senses of touch, sight, hearing, and often taste and smell as well.
Sensory play is particularly beneficial for toddlers and preschoolers because they understand the world through their five senses, as well as balance and movement.
The great thing about sensory play is that it is a lot of fun and is often quite simple to set up. Let’s take a look at some sensory play activities for that the toddlers in your daycare would love.
Sensory Bin
A sensory bin is one of the most fun and easiest type of activity to set up for kids to explore. Creating a sensory bin is simple: just add some twigs, pebbles, leaves, beads, sand, or things with different textures to explore. Alternatively, you can also use food items like pasta, nuts, beans, rice, oatmeal, and toys to help your child explore.
However, be careful that nothing is a choking hazard and keep a close eye on them as they are playing with the sensory bin.
Sound Tubes
In order to create sound tubes and help your child connect with the noises in the world, you need only a few simple supplies.
Take a few empty paper towel rolls and then gather a variety of materials that can be placed inside each tube, like rice, beads, sand, and beans. Fill the tubes, each with a different material and seal them tight at both ends. Give them to the kids who will have a lot of fun shaking the tubes and listening to the different sounds coming from them.
Play Dough
There are several different ways to make your very own play dough at the daycare center. All you need are a few household supplies, some colors, and scents.
For example, take some flour and knead it well with water to create play dough that is safe enough to eat. You can divide the dough into various pieces and add a different color and scent to each piece for the child to explore. If you are feeling fancy, you can also add some tiny beads and glitter to the play dough as well.
If you don’t want to make your own dough, you can easily pick some from the nearest big box store or stationery shop. The kids in your daycare will have hours of fun picking apart the dough, rolling it into balls, and slicing it with their hands.
Balance Beam
If you have installed a balance beam at your daycare center, it is a great activity for toddlers. If you don’t have a balance beam, however, you can always create your own DIY versions of it at the daycare.
Simply tape some strips of masking tape on the floor and challenge the toddlers to walk the line. This is a great exercise that can improve balance in children.
Sandbox
As a daycare owner, it is a good idea to invest in a sandbox and a few sand toys to help children get a feel of the great outdoors. Although a sandbox might seem a very simple idea, it means a lot of fun for young toddlers.
You don’t need to make it super fancy and add complex objects to it as well. Just add some simple things like small balls and beads, spoons, toys, and shovels in the sand, and it will spark your child’s imagination and get them playing for hours.
DIY Musical Instruments
Another excellent activity that preschoolers will enjoy a lot is creating their very own musical instruments. The children in your daycare can create a literal band with just a few supplies found around the daycare center.
You can make a guitar from an empty shoe box and some rubber bands and a drum from an empty coffee tin and some fabric.
Water Play
Water play is a lot of fun and can help your toddler play with their whole body. You can get a baby pool, fill it up with water, and add some balls, rubber duckies, and other toys into the pool. This will allow the children to play with the toys and explore in the water.
If you do not have a baby pool, you can simply get some large tubs or pails and fill them with water. The little ones will have hours of fun splashing in the water and coming up with creative water games.
Bottom Line
Sensory play doesn't have to be complex. Just a few simple household items and toys can help you create dozens of sensory activities for the children in your daycare. The children are guaranteed to make a mess, but sensory play also gives them a chance to interact and learn about the world around them.
At Standout Daycare, we can offer daycare providers dozens of ideas on what type of learning games and activities they should prepare for their children. Take a look at our blog and resources to find out more.
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