My absolute favorite type of activity to do with little ones is sensory fun! I just love to roll up my sleeves, break out the finger paints, and then stand back and watch the minds of my charges create beautiful and unique masterpieces. But as much fun as it is, it is also a phenomenal learning experience for the growing minds of children.
Children learn through experiences using their 5 senses and young children learn predominantly through the sense of touch. So, sensory experiences give them a wide array of knowledge through simple activities. A bowl of cooked spaghetti noodles, playing gently with worms in a bowl of dirt, and other sensory activities teach children that things that are slimy can be safe and fun to touch. The worms especially teach them how to be gentle with living creatures. A sensory activity that consists of a large bowl of water, measuring cups, a funnel, and a ladle can teach your little ones a whole different set of skills: helping them learn about volume differences in the various cups given, practice wrist and hand control in scooping and pouring, and learn hand-eye coordination when dumping from cup to cup to bowl.
Full list of Sensory Activities from Care Academy.
Reprinted with permission.