As a parent, you have probably heard the term sensory play or messy play a lot. I'm sure, like me, the idea of having your child create a mess and having to clean it up afterward is enough to make you cringe. So, what exactly is sensory play, and why is it so important?
What is messy play?
The world is a big, exciting place for babies! They explore with their hands and eyes. Then, as they grow into toddlers, there are even more things to learn about - sound can be identified, touch or smell may lead you somewhere new in search of adventure, while sight reveals objects that were previously hidden from view.
Messy play is when you allow your child to make a controlled mess so they can use their senses in an educational way. The idea behind messy playing usually makes parents cringe, but the benefits are enormous and totally worth any inconvenience involved!
So, why is letting your child get messy so important?
When children are given an opportunity to explore and use their senses, they can better understand the world around them. As adults, we take these things for granted. Our brains process information received through sight or sound so quickly that it is invisible, but this doesn't mean those experiences weren't beneficial. Playing in the dirt helps build hand-eye coordination while exploring with your fingers how different textures and surfaces feel are all skills vital if one wants to stay healthy.
Sensory plays build vocabulary through speech or language, improve cognitive skills such as math concepts, and improve physical development, creative development, and social development too.
Physical Development
One of the best ways to promote physical development in children is through play. Messy play is an excellent way for children to learn about gross motor skills such as finger strength and shoulder stability. They also get the opportunity to practice fine manipulation with pouring or scooping, which helps them perfect their eye-hand coordination. These skills make up the future building blocks for other essential skills, such as handwriting.
Language Development
Children tend to talk more when playing with their imagination. It gives them a chance to work on vocabulary and use more complex language like descriptive adjectives or verbs in everyday conversation.
Sensory play with children can lead to amazing discussions about what you are doing. Are the toys soft, smooth, or hard? How does it feel in your hands - hot/cold? And so on.
Social and Emotional Skills
Messy play can be an excellent way for children to work together and cooperate in group activities or one-on-one interactions. They learn about personal boundaries, understanding other people's ideas/views as well as being able to express themselves.
Cognitive Skills
Messy play is the perfect way for children to learn about their environment and how it works. It allows children to use their hands-on experiences with various environments as well as experiment on them in order for him/her understand how different things work or don't work together. Encouraging them to problem solve, developing their number skills, science skills, and so much more.
Creative development
When it comes to sensory play, there is no right or wrong way. This leaves the child in control, giving them the freedom to experiment, test different theories and explore. It is an excellent way for children to use their imagination and engage in pretend play. They can become the captain of an ocean liner, create some doughty fellowship with toys or explore what would happen if they were stranded on a mountain!
Children are naturally drawn to sensory play - it's one of their favourite things! Their curiosity will guide them in exploring new textures, shapes, or smells and should be encouraged and supported both at home and in early learning environments.