Summertime brings many exciting events and rituals, like backyard barbecues, pool days, and 4th of July fireworks. But one of the benefits of summer that you may not have thought of is its multitude of opportunities for sensory play.
Please note: I am a participant of the Amazon Services Associates Program and have included “affiliate links” for all the toys. This means that when you click the pictures or links provided and make a purchase, I receive a small commission on the toy at no extra cost to you. You can read more about the Amazon Associates Program here.
Sensory play, or play that stimulates a child’s senses, is very beneficial for young children’s growth and development. Children learn about the world around them through play. Interacting with their environment using their seven senses (sense of movement and sense of pressure included) promotes cognitive development, tactile awareness, and both fine and gross motor skills.
With all the opportunities for outdoor exploration in the summer while the weather is warm, it is a perfect time to for young children to engage in sensory play activities. This summer, put down the tablets, close the browser windows, and step away from the screens. In this article we will explore several exciting sensory ideas to try with your little ones this summer!
Fun in the Sand (Beach Optional)
There’s nothing like the feel of sand between your toes. Sand presents so many amazing opportunities for sensory play. Whether it’s feeling your feet sinking into the warm sand when you step on the beach, or smooshing wet sand between your fingers to make the perfect sandcastle, there are so many things you can do with sand that appeal to the senses.
If you have a beach trip planned, this will the perfect opportunity to let your little one explore and play in the sand. But if not, you can still incorporate some playtime with sand at home. You’ll just need a sandbox, either at your home or a shared one at the park. You can make your own by filling a shallow storage bin with dry sand from a hardware store.
Here are a few of our favorite sensory activities to do with sand:
· Dry sand is fun for running through your fingers, especially for very young children and toddlers. Talk about how the sand feels when you touch it. Use sticks or other utensils to draw letters, numbers, and shapes in the sand.
· Give your child a few different sized containers to play with. Show him how to transfer the sand from one container to another. Notice how it takes the shape of each different container. Use a funnel and watch the sand pour through the small opening.
· Add water and let your children explore building castles and towers. Cups and bowls can be used to mold the wet sand, and seashells make great decorations for a castle. Try writing and drawing in the wet sand and notice how much better your designs show up in wet sand than they did in dry.
· Bury different toys and “treasures” in the sand. Challenge your child to see how many different things he can find. He will use his sense of touch and sight to feel the buried objects and describe them. Once he has found all the treasures, have him sort them by color or size. Another fun challenge is to bury magnetic letters in the sand and ask him to identify the letters he finds.
Water Play
Cool or cold water on a hot summer day is a delightful sensation – it’s no wonder playing with water is a childhood favorite. There are so many fun sensory play activities involving water, even if you can’t get to a pool this summer.
· For older infants and young toddlers, fill a water table and let them explore. They will love the feel of splashing their hands in the water. You can give them water toys such as small boats or rubber ducks to play with too. They will be amazed to see everything float in the water.
· Keep the water table interesting and exciting by adding different items. You can add small rocks or pebbles, toy fish, or even leaves and flowers. Your child will love splashing around with all these fun items while enjoying a sensory experience. You can even fill the water table with small plastic letters and have her spell as many words as she can by manipulating the letters in the water.
· Give your child different sized scoops to use in the water – from small measuring cups to big buckets. He will love pouring the water and will get excellent fine motor skills practice. Challenge him to solve problems with the materials, such as “How many scoops of water will it take to fill this bucket?” and see what he comes up with.
· Fill the water table or a large washtub or plastic bin with water and a little dish soap. Work with children to clean some of their toys such as balls, blocks, or anything else that can get wet. Scrub the toys in soapy water, then rinse with the hose. This is excellent fine motor practice and they will have fun watching the toys get sparkling clean.
· If you have a plastic or inflatable kiddie pool for the kids to play in, try adding different materials to the water to enhance the sensory experience. Bath bombs and bubble bath are tons of fun and have a very pleasing smell.
· If you don’t mind cleaning up the mess, water balloons are a great sensory experience. Learning to hold a water balloon with just the right amount of pressure so it doesn’t fall or break is great fun and a good exercise in balance. Play catch or Hot Potato with the balloons and see how long they last before breaking!
Fun on a Rainy Day
If you happen to live in an area with frequent summer storms, playing in the rain or stomping in puddles can be an exciting adventure. If there is no danger of thunder or lightning, go outside with your child in the light rain and feel the drops against your skin. Stick your tongues out to feel the raindrops – how do they taste?
If you are stuck inside during a thunder or lighting storm, ask your child to notice what sounds they hear. Practice counting second between the flash of lighting and the big clap of thunder. Turn off the lights in the house during a storm and light a flashlight. Talk about why it got so dark outside. Look out the window at the dark clouds.
When the storm is over, put on rain boots and venture outside. Splashing in puddles is great fun, and children will love both the sound and the feeling of making a big splash. Practice jumping on two feet into a puddle, then hopping on one foot.
If you don’t mind a mess, allow your child to play in the fresh mud. She will love shaping the soft mud to make mud pies and dig tunnels. Just look out for earthworms!
Blow Them Away with Bubbles
Bubbles are one of the ultimate sensory play experiences for young children. Whether blowing, catching, or popping, bubbles are great fun to play with! Experiment with different sizes and shapes of bubble wands to see the different sizes of bubbles you can make. You can even get creative with bubble squirt guns and bubble machines. Have a competition to see who can make the most bubbles.
If you don’t have any bubble solution, simply mix a few drops of dish soap into a bowl or bucket of water. Try taking the bubbles with you to a picnic or on a walk. What fun to see how high the bubbles can float in the air before they pop!
Go on a Nature Walk
If you can get to a local park and walk on a trail, there are so many things to take in with your senses. You may be surprised at all that you can see just on your own street.
Encourage your child to use his sense of sight by challenging him to see how many kinds of plants and wildlife he sees. You can make a Scavenger Hunt list and have him check off everything he notices. The older the child, the more detailed you can make the list. Younger children may enjoy looking for animals and colors. Older children might be challenged to look for a nest, a dead tree, or a sapling.
You can also talk about the sounds you hear in nature. Do you hear animals scurrying? Leaves blowing in the wind? Dogs barking? When we stop and listen, we can notice so many different sounds! Here are more ideas for Listening Games and Activities.
Explore Your Own Backyard
With longer days and warm weather, summer is a great time to enjoy outdoor play, even without leaving your property. You can create sensory activities for young children right in your own backyard. Here are a few ideas for sensory play that can be done just outside your back door.
· Make a sorting game. Ask your child to find several different examples from a given category, such as rocks. Once she has collected several, work together to think of different ways to sort the rocks. You might sort by texture or size or color. How many different ways can she sort the same objects. Try again with another category such as leaves or wildflowers.
· Use some of the materials they have collected to make art. Lay a thin piece of drawing paper over each object and make a rubbing with a crayon. Talk about how each rubbing looks different because of the different textures of the objects.
· Find a time when the sun is not directly overhead. Lay down in the grass. Talk about how the grass feels against your skin. Is it soft, itchy, or prickly? Now look up at the clouds (make sure your child does not look directly at the sun). Talk about the different shapes and colors that you see. Do you see a cloud that looks like an animal or a person?
· While you’re playing outside, it’s a great time to work on those gross motor skills. Practice throwing and kicking different sized balls. Grab some sidewalk chalk and draw a Hopscotch court to practice jumping and hopping.
· Make an outdoor obstacle course. Set up stations requiring your child to hop, jump over some objects and crawl under others, run, spin, and more. For another challenge, let him help create the obstacle course. Invite family members and neighbors to give the course a try.
· Searching for Spaghetti Worms is a fun sensory activity for children who are old enough not to try to eat the worms. Fill a shallow plastic bin with soil and cooked spaghetti “worms”. Adjust the amount of soil to make the game easier or harder. See how many worms they can find! They will love grabbing the slippery worms. For an extra challenge that also incorporates fine motor practice, have them use two popsicle sticks like chopsticks to pick up each worm.
Plant a Garden
Working in the garden can be an enjoyable sensory experience and a great way to keep youngsters occupied. Before you begin, you will want to do some research to see which seeds will grow in summer in your area.
Kids will love digging in the soil, planting the seeds, and covering them with dirt. Talk about what you notice while you are gardening – what are the smells, sights, and sounds? Observing the little garden as it grows will keep children enthralled all summer long.
If you don’t have access to a garden, your child can still enjoy sensory activities involving seeds and plants. Try wrapping lima beans in wet paper towels and leaving them in a sunny window. Check on them daily and observe what you see. Here is a more detailed post on Gardening Toys for Kids.
When you are looking for sensory activities to fill those long summer days, the best thing to do is get creative. For toddlers and preschoolers, almost anything can be a sensory play opportunity and an important learning experience. You don’t need to spend a lot of money – sensory experiences await in your own backyard.