THE IMPORTANCE OF SENSORY PLAY AT NURSERY

We look at why sensory play is so important for young children's brain development and shine a spotlight on the dedicated sensory processing programme at Ladybird Nursery Al Barsha.

Sensory play keeps young children's minds continuously stimulated and encourages them to engage their senses fully. It helps to make sure their sensory processing for sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch develops properly. As kids learn through exploration, curiosity, problem solving and creativity, they develop more nerve connections in their brain, which benefits their language skills, motor skills and overall ability to process their senses.

Gross and fine motor skills

Activities such as crawling, jumping, running and throwing a ball support the development of a child's gross motor skills and large muscle groups. Little ones do best when they are allowed plenty of time to explore and practise these skills freely.

Tactile play, which includes simple activities such as tying their shoes, writing the alphabet or pouring and mixing, helps kids to build up fine control over a variety of small muscle groups and improve their hand-eye coordination.

Healthy cognition

Encouraging little kids to ask questions is a great way to increase their curiosity and enhance their problem-solving skills. Providing children with a safe space to question how things work, experiment as they see fit, and analyse the results, supports healthy cognitive growth.

Language

Young kids often develop language skills naturally through sensory play at nursery. They do this by experiencing their environment, developing different ways to communicate their emotions, what they are doing and how they feel.

Lowering anxiety levels

Sensory play can also reduce stress and anxiety levels in young kids, allowing them to regulate their feelings better. This means they will be calmer and more composed when navigating challenges, which is a particularly important skill in a child's development!

Social skills and collaboration