WHAT IS SENSORY PLAY AND WHY SHOULD YOU DO IT?
Sensory play is basically any activity that allows your child to safely explore using any combination of their senses.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SENSORY PLAY FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS?
By providing a variety of baby-friendly, open-ended activities through a various every-day materials, your child has the opportunity to discover how their senses work through imagination-based play and new experiences.
Research has shown that sensory play for babies actually plays an important role in the development of babies’ brains and bodies, building nerve connections in the brain’s pathways, which lead to the child’s ability to complete more complex learning tasks.
Sensory play supports their coordination, dexterity, and muscle strength. They enhance their fine motor skills when they have the opportunity to manipulate materials in a variety of ways. It can also help increase their vocabulary as they learn various sensory attributes such as hot, cold, slimy, wet, etc.
BUT IT’S SO MESSY!
Yes, I know. It can be. But that’s the fun of it, for your child at least. For us, the 3 minutes it takes to sweep and wipe everything up, is worth the 15-20 minutes of play and discovery my child will get. Luckily, Bumkins' Splat Mat and Art Smock make the perfect addition to any sensory play activity. It made the clean up so much easier.
I hope you will will try this fun washable window paint activity out. We had a blast!
For reference, my toddler, G, is 19 months at the time we are doing this activity.
Washable Window Paint
What you need for this sensory play activity:
Corn Starch
Water
Food Coloring
Dish Soap
Paint Brushes
Window or Baking Pan
Muffin Tin or Bowls
Bumkins Splat Mat
Bumkins Art Smock
What to do:
We used muffin tins to hold all our washable window paint colors in one place but you could use a bunch of bowls or cups.
In each tin mix together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch + 2-4 tablespoons water (play with the consistency and see what you like) + 1 teaspoon dish soap + 2-3 drops of food coloring
Show your child how to paint on the window, or on to the baking pan.
At the end my toddler discovered he could stick his fingers in it and paint. He loved the way it felt in his hands. Good thing these are washable.
Bio:
Angela Smith is a new mom trying to navigate this crazy, fun, scary, hilarious, uncharted territory while keeping a tiny human alive and maybe enjoying a cup of coffee that hasn’t had to be reheated 10 times…maybe. Once upon a time, her blog Run Like Kale used to be all about fantastic nutritious adult recipes and her rigorous running life, back when there was time for all that. Now you'll find her blogging about incorporating your baby into your workout and lots of sensory play activities. Oh, how the times have changed. You can also find her on Instagram and Facebook too!
