At BestStart Remuera, sensory play is a vital part of our under-twos’ learning journey. Through touch, texture, and imaginative experiences, our tamariki are developing important early skills in a fun, meaningful way.
Sensory play is an important part of our under-twos’ learning journey at BestStart Remuera. Recently, our tamariki engaged in an exciting activity using three sensory trays designed to stimulate their senses and support their language development.
One tray was filled with soft, powdery cornflour. As the children ran their fingers through it, they explored texture and observed how the flour fell and shifted with each movement.
The second tray held water, where they splashed and poured, developing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. They also experienced temperature differences, noticing how cool and slippery the water felt on their skin.
The biggest excitement came from the third tray, where cornflour and water mixed to make gloop! This unique substance changed between solid and liquid, encouraging scientific thinking as children experimented with squeezing, poking, and lifting it. They made predictions, tested ideas, and observed outcomes—key early learning concepts.
To extend their play, we added toy animals and sea creatures to each tray, sparking imaginative play and language development. Tamariki enjoyed naming the animals and describing how they felt in each texture.
This hands-on, messy play fosters sensory awareness, cognitive development, creativity, and social interaction—helping our youngest learners make sense of their world in a fun, engaging way.