Playing with toys is a critical part of your child's development, including cognitive and physical development in toddlers, babies, and young children. During this phase, kids must be given lots of play opportunities and access to sensory objects to boost their development. The minds of young children develop and grow at a quick rate. Did you know that a child who is just a couple of months old starts to absorb lots of information from its surroundings? Usually, this learning happens through the sense of touch and by using the other senses.
Hence, the games children play and the toys that they are given help build their learning experience. We recommend that parents create a sensory environment for their children when they are young so that they become fast learners and their brains develop appropriately.
What are Sensory Objects?
When a child is young, it is best to get them involved in different games that will stimulate their five senses. These include touch, taste, hearing, sight, and smell. Children use their senses from the minute they are born to understand the world around them.
By making your child participate in playtime, you allow them to build a foundation of the skills they will use later in life—these skills including writing, reading, running, and solving problems. Playing with sensory objects helps children develop cognitive skills while encouraging brain development.
There are lots of sensory objects and toys that can help a child grow cognitively and physically. The main purpose of these objects is to use all five senses:
1. Hearing
Sensory objects that make sounds encourage auditory development. These sounds can include the way animals talk, the ringing of bells, the whistling of a cycle, or the sounds of different instruments.
2. Sight
Some parents build their child's nursery when they are born. This is a great way to boost sensory engagement as the interior of nurseries contains bright colours and contrasts. This helps captivate a child's attention and keep them visually interested.
3. Touch
Even though everything in life is tactile, sensory objects given to children are different. Their textures, finish, and forms make them different from other things. Children's toys use lots of materials, including fluffy and soft and bumpy and hard.
4. Taste
Toys given to children when they are teething are important. These toys provide oral satisfaction that is essential when a child is growing up and learning how to nibble and taste.
5. Smell
Sensory objects that have certain fragrances or scents are great for children. These help increase curiosity as the child learns to associate the sense of smell with its surroundings.
Sensory objects increase cognitive stimulation and can also boost language development. Moreover, they help with gross and fine motor skills and can also teach your child the art of socialisation. Creating awareness from a young age is essential, making sensory objects great for your child's development.