Sensory play isn’t just fun, it’s a vital part of childhood development. It stimulates children’s senses, helps them learn about the world around them and improves both their fine and gross motor skills. Sensory play helps children integrate sensory input from different sources – sight, sound, touch etc. – to form a full picture of their environment. But what is sensory play and how you can you help a child incorporate it into their daily routine?

Sensory play is play-based activity that stimulates children’s senses of smell, sight, taste, sound and touch. It involves activities that captivate a child’s senses while encouraging them to learn. Sensory play is important for all children in the early stages of life. For children with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD, sensory play enhances focus, calmness and impulse control.

Sister Sensory is Australia’s ultimate destination for sensory solutions and toys. In part one of this blog series, we addressed the question “why is sensory play important?” Now we take a look into finding the right sensory solutions for the children in your life.

 How to incorporate sensory play into your child’s day

 What is sensory play in a practical sense and how do you make it part of a child’s routine?

Sensory play is a broad term and there are many ways to engage in it. Before you start your activity, determine what senses you want to stimulate. An activity can stimulate just one sense or, like finger-painting or baking bread, engage multiple senses at once. Also consider the environment you’re in. Some sensory play is fine indoors, but activities with ample mess or a lot of body movement are best outside. If you plan to try an activity that’s a little messy or involves using colourful substances indoors, make sure you have the right materials and protection in place.

Sensory play is easy to incorporate into your child’s existing daily play routine. You can even make it a part of regular daily activities such as grocery shopping, meal preparation or bathtime. The right fidget or stim toy can help your child regulate emotions, burn off nervous energy or concentrate better wherever you happen to be.

If you need more information about what sensory play is, Sister Sensory can provide you with activities to try, as well as fidget toys to make sensory-seeking easy.

Activities for sensory play

 What is sensory play like in action? Here are some of the most common sensory activities children are likely to engage in:

Messy play

A lot of slimy, sticky and messy substances can also provide great tactile experiences. Messy play stimulates creativity while improving cognitive and motor skills. Just make sure you have some good cleaning products on hand. Some common forms of messy play include finger painting, mud play, rainbow spaghetti and jelly digging.

Sensory bins

A sensory bin makes for an easy and fun activity. All you need is a large container and materials of various sizes and textures. Fill the bins with water, rice or cotton wool and have children explore for objects – throw in a blindfold for a little extra suspense.

Exploring nature

Even just a simple walk outdoors and a little time feeling natural textures provides visual, tactile and olfactory stimulation.

Toys for sensory play

 Having the right toys can help children understand what sensory play is and how to practice it. Some of the most common sensory solutions on the market fall into the following categories:

Fidget toys

Fidget and stim toys are a convenient, highly portable and mess-free sensory option. Tangles, chewable necklaces, pop bracelets, stress balls and other fun and lively toys make it easy for both children and adults to release pent-up energy wherever they go.

Kinetic sand

Kinetic sand provides various sensory experiences for children and helps with the development of fine motor skills. Kinetic sand is non-toxic, doesn’t dry out and is easy to clean, unlike regular sand.

Visual timers

Visual timers make it easier to time activities while using liquid, oil or water displays that are colourful and appealing. They help to provide a sense of calm and focus along with being visually stimulating.

Find your sensory solutions at Sister Sensory

Sister Sensory supports children with neurodevelopmental conditions as well as the parents, teachers and carers that care for them. An NDIS provider, we stock Australia’s largest range of sensory solutions including fidget toys, with new products added weekly. Our affordable, high-quality sensory products support both children and adults with autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, anxiety and other conditions. With over 10 years of experience and more than 2,000 sensory products, our toys are designed to meet everyone’s sensory needs and to be fun as well.

Need more information about one of our products? Maybe you’re wondering ‘why is sensory play important? Call us on 0401 689 313, e-mail info@sistersensory.com.au or drop into Factory 4, 4 Brooke Court Melton, Vic, 3337.