5 Sensory Activities

by Jennifer Jordan

We all use the five senses every day – sight, taste, touch, smell, and sound – but most people do not realize how important sensory play is to a child’s development. 

According to Julie McKinney, an occupational therapist at Opportunities, Inc., “sensory activities can build on a child’s fine and gross motor skills and coordination/ balance, offering children a way to express themselves in any manner they enjoy, without the added pressure of a ‘right’ answer.”

This summer, let your children experiment with sensory activities, and encourage creativity and motor development at the same time!

Using a sand table, create an archaeological dig with small
objects.  You can replace sand with rice or beans to move it indoors in the A/C.  You could place some small figures (like animals, cars, trucks, or people) and create various ‘scenes’ (such as city, jungle or race car themes). “This is a great opportunity for fine motor skills, communication, and cognitive skills,” says McKinney.  

Play a water-balloon catch game. After the game, throw the balloons and get wet!

Build an outdoor ice world.  Place frozen ice cubes in a tub with  plastic ocean animals.  Let your children feel the slippery, cold ice.  Go fishing for the animals with small nets to strengthen fine motor skills. 

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For babies and toddlers, engage in ‘food painting’ with pudding or whipped cream.  If done outdoors, you can hose off afterwards or let them run in the sprinklers, which provides more sensory experiences.

For preschoolers, using sidewalk chalk to draw requires children to apply more pressure and use larger arm muscles.  Also, try fingerpainting or writing with sandpaper underneath regular paper to provide a different textural surface. 

With a little bit of imagination and planning, you can turn almost every activity into a sensory experience for your children!