Why Sensory Play Is So Important For Babies
Sensory experiences teach your baby how to understand and interact with the world around them. A baby’s brain is a busy place – constantly absorbing new information and developing new skills.
Trying to touch objects, putting things in their mouth, grasping, the feel of different textures against their skin, the sound an object makes, and how it looks can all teach your baby new things.
Sensory play assists your baby’s learning in a pre-language environment. That means they can start developing essential skills before they can talk or understand spoken language.
So, let’s have a look at what sensory play is, and why it is important for the development of
your baby.
What Is Sensory Play?
Sensory play refers to any play activity that stimulates the senses. We know the five main senses of sight, smell, taste, sound, and touch – but it also includes the sense of balance and sense of body awareness. Sensory play might include the use of handheld toys, items with different textures, or even water play.
By stimulating different senses and introducing new experiences, it helps children to developcreatively, socially, cognitively, and physically.
Here are some of the top reasons why sensory play is so important for babies:
Enhances Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are needed for performing everyday life skills like using cutlery or doing up buttons. They are also needed for skills and hobbies that your children might develop as they grow older. It is important that children develop these skills at early ages, and sensory play helps by exercising the smaller muscles in hands and fingers.
Builds The Ability For More Complex Learning
Sensory play is a building block for more complex learning as your child gets older. It strengthens brain development and builds their capacity for completing m ore difficult or intricate tasks.
Sensory play also encourages an understanding of cause and effect. Such as pushing acertain button to hear a certain sound, or what happens when you overfill a cup with water. Their problem solving and general understanding are both enhanced as they learn new concepts and encounter new materials.
Improves Memory Function
Engaging a child in sensory play helps build memory associations between actions and effects. The capacity to remember and recall is enhanced through practice, so regular sensory activities can help baby build a healthy and functional memory.
Develops Language And Social Skills
When children are exposed to new materials they also learn the different ways to
communicate about them. As they get older, sensory play will help them to associate words with different shapes, colours, textures, and sounds. It also encourages them to interact with others to share what they are learning.
Comforts Anxious Or Frustrated Babies
Sensory play can help calm upset children, as their attention gets focused on different colours and textures and other stimulating parts of the toys. This can help distract a child from what has upset them. All that learning and experimenting can also be quite a mentally draining activity, meaning that it can help to make your baby tired and get them off to sleep.
Plus, there is nothing nicer than having a soft and cuddly texture against your skin when you are tired and ready for a nap!
The Perfect Sensory Solution
You might be wondering what sensory play has to do with a soother minder?
Well, Gobstopperz are actually a fashionable and functional way to engage your baby in sensory play. These versatile cuddly toys can be attached to pacifiers, soothers, car seat straps, and cot bars, so your baby can learn and play while at rest or on the go.
Gobstopperz are made right here in Aotearoa New Zealand from a range of plush materials. They also incorporate different textures, patterns, and colours. Head on over to the store today to check out the range of patterns available and to discover your baby’s new favourite accessory!