Introduction to Sensory Play

Babies and young children explore and learn about the world using their whole body and all their senses – much more so than we do as adults.

Sensory play helps to further this exploration process and provides lots of opportunities for learning. The development of each of baby’s senses can be encouraged by consciously providing a variety of play experiences designed to stimulate one or more of them. Each of these experiences starts to build connections and pathways in the brain that provide the basis for all future learning.

Sensory play is not about expensive toys, but about using what you have around the house, find while out and about, or can easily make, to provide baby with a range of stimulation for all the senses and give them experiences they may not get through other toys and play things.

Sensory play is one of the core elements of the Tots Play programme, so in addition to the simple sensory activity you will find in each interactive class, for each session we have also included a sensory activity for you to set up and enjoy with your little one at a time that suits you.

Check out the bonus section for videos and guides of some more sensory items to make too.

Treasure Basket Play

A treasure basket is simply a collection of objects that you put together in a small basket, container or area that is easy for your baby to access, that are designed to stimulate one or more of the senses or provide a particular sensory experience.

The objects you choose should allow for what is known as open ended play, meaning that there is no particular way that the item should be used or played with, but rather that how it is used, examined or played with is decided by your baby each time they play. The way the items are played with will also evolve over time and between play sessions, so a wooden spoon may start as something to be mouthed, but may also be something to bang, a tool for touching something that is out of reach, a stirrer in a pot, or a drumstick to create music. Allowing for this creativity and imagination to develop is one of the most important benefits of sensory play.

You can put together a range of different types of items for your treasure basket, or you can create it around a particular theme, and we will give you some ideas for different types of treasure baskets you can create in later session of this course.

Today though, lets start off with a simple theme. A treasure basket focusing on the sense of touch.

Touch Treasure Basket

You will be amazed at the different things you have around the house with various textures, shapes and sizes that your little one will love to explore and that will expand their experience around their sense of touch, so go on hunt to find a collection of items for your treasure basket.

You could include things like a wooden spoon, a sponge, a sieve, a scourer, a bath mitt or puff, different types of brushes eg paint, pastry, shaving, a pine cone, a shell, different fabrics etc. You can see some more ideas in the pictures on this page.

Place the item is in a small, shallow basket or container, or on a tray, and sit with your baby as you let him or her examine the different objects. Let your baby be the guide as to which objects are of most interest.

Consider that your little one is likely to want to put the things in their mouth, so ensure none are small enough to be swallowed or have small parts that may come off.

Talk with your baby about how each object feels, hard, soft, rough, prickly etc.

Add or swap around the objects every so often to add interest.

Enjoy your playtime!

**A reminder that this and all the activities included in this course should be done under supervision, and are undertaken at your own risk.