Giving tamariki the materials and time to explore sensory play builds a curious and active brain. It also encourages physical ability and language development.
Finger paint, slime and gloop, as well as mud and clay, give tamariki opportunities to learn about different textures and materials.
Tips for sensory play at home#
Your tamaiti can use their hands and fingers, feet and bodies to experiment with.
To create a work surface for sensory play, go to secondhand shops for dining tables and cut the legs down. If you do not have access to a large table, try a large sheet of plastic on the ground.
For messy sensory play, give your child an apron to cover clothing while they play and line the floor. You can also do sensory play outside to make cleaning up easier.
Many types of music such as classical or Pacific drumming and sensory play go together nicely.
Try making playdough, slime or paint at home using the recipes below.
Ideas for sensory play equipment
You do not need much extra equipment for sensory play.
Try items anything that might make an interesting pattern such as:
- brushes with different length bristles
- cardboard scrapers – flat or with patterns cut into the bottom
- natural materials such as leaves, twigs, stones, flower, or seed heads, without the seeds.
Learning through sensory play#
Sensory play can help tamariki to relax. It can be a very soothing activity. It also helps them to experiment with and explore what they are playing with. You could ask your tamiti | child:
- does it hold its shape or pour or run?
- what happens when substances combine?
Sensory play can help your tamaiti to:
- learn new vocabulary, for example, "this mud is gritty"
- learn about colour mixing, patterns, design, texture and rhythm
- develop hand-eye coordination and practise pouring, measuring, mixing, scooping and beating skills
- share in group activities.
Support your tamaiti#
You can help your tamaiti at home by letting them play in a way they are comfortable. Some tamariki might be reluctant to touch or feel something new or unusual. You can join in, show it is okay to play, offer a stick or paintbrush to use instead of their hands, and let them know it is okay to choose something else to play with.
You can also support your tamaiti by:
- watching younger ones to keep them safe
- encouraging experimentation – there are no right or wrong ways to engage in sensory play using descriptive words such as slimy, runny, warm, lumpy
- using chants, rhythms, songs, stories and music from a range of different cultures while playing
- encouraging them to talk about how it makes them feel (calm, excited, peaceful).
