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Sensory exploration in our pēpi bubble
Sensory play is any activity that stimulates a child’s 5 senses: touch, taste, sight, sound, and smell. Learning through sensory exploration comes naturally to babies and young children. Research shows that sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain’s pathways, which lead to the child’s ability to complete more complex learning tasks. Sensory play supports language development, cognitive growth, fine and gross motor skills, problem solving skills, and social interactions.
After return to centre in Level 3, our tamariki are exploring their senses in their little bubble. They have explored different textures and tinkered their senses through art activities like finger painting, balloon painting, dropper art with coloured water, making their own paint with cornflour, ice painting using varied flowers and herbs. We also experimented and inquired about reflections using sequined cushions in our classroom. Our tamariki loved catching them alongside extending their fine motor skills and eye to hand coordination while tracing around the light sequins which looked like stars. Children developed their understanding about light, shadows, and colour mixing.