Last week I read 2 fun books from our collection with Roo and Harper {Where's My Mummy and 10 Little Mummies} when inspiration hit for a fun play session.
The kids liked the stories, especially Where's My Mummy. We talked about what the mummies are. I reminded Roo about our trips to the Ohio Historical Society where saw a real mummy. We talked about pyramids and how they look like triangles.
Then I captured his attention on the subject of mummies and Egypt for days with a new sensory bin.
For about 6 weeks I held onto the Egyptian Toob from Safari LTD. I knew I wanted to involve these figures in a sensory play session, but I was stumped on what to use on the base. I knew I could use real sand, but I wanted to take it a step further and avoid a sand mess.
It dawned on me to use granulated brown sugar, Roo could touch it, smell it and taste it.
I poured about 3/4 of a bag of Domino Brownulated Light Brown Sugar in a plastic bin.
Next I added assorted Egyptian figures from our Toob.
And a few plastic palm trees.
When it was time to play I gave Rolf a spoon, a fork and a small measuring spoon so that he could dig around in the "sand". He was really interested in digging. Then he smelled the sand and said "yummy!" I told him to taste it, he was hooked... things got a little out of hand from there, he was licking his hand, sticking it in the "sand" and licking it off! Ha! He didn't make it to playing with the Egyptians...
While this
sensory play session resulted in a sugared up, sticky little mess of a boy, it was fun. Rolf used his sense of touch, smell and taste... He got to dig in the sugar sand and he says he had fun... MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
What is Sensory Play?
Sensory play is any activity that engages a child's senses, such as sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. It is a vital part of early childhood development, as it helps children learn about the world around them and develop important skills.
There are many benefits to sensory play, including:
- Improved cognitive development: Sensory play helps children develop their problem-solving skills, memory, and attention span.
- Enhanced language skills: Sensory play helps children learn new vocabulary words and develop their communication skills.
- Improved fine and gross motor skills: Sensory play helps children develop their coordination and dexterity.
- Increased social and emotional skills: Sensory play helps children learn to interact with others and express their emotions.
- Reduced stress and anxiety: Sensory play can be a calming and relaxing activity that can help children cope with stress and anxiety.
There are many different ways to incorporate sensory play into your child's day.
Do your kids enjoy sensory play? I would love to hear about your favorite sensory activities in a comment.
