
Children are wired to explore their surroundings through their senses. It is the most basic way for them to process and understand new information. This is why it is so important to provide young children with opportunities to engage their senses in a meaningful way that goes beyond a sensory table. Research has shown that there are many benefits to exposing children to multi-sensory environments. Some of the benefits can include:
Increasing concentration and focus Stimulating the senses and encouraging cognitive development Promoting creativity and dramatic play skills Helping children develop a sense of cause and effect Promoting increased social interactions Supporting language development Enhancing gross motor and fine motor skills Encouraging problem solving skills Some items to add: open ended loose parts, natural materials, flashlight and/or small light projector, sensory trays, and various types of blocks. Since children love snow, now is a great time to turn a flexible space into a Winter Wonderland. Sensory experience combined with meaningful adult verbal exchanges, allow for children to become more perceptive. It encourages language development as well as cognitive concepts specific to the experience.
"Children are born with an immense genetic capacity that enables them to explore, discriminate, and interpret reality through their senses. Sensory navigation that exalts the role of synesthesia in cognition and creation, fundamental to the knowledge-building processes and the formation of the personality." -Reggio Children
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