The weather has been rather interesting lately. Some days it feels like fall and some days it still feels like summer! One thing is for certain is that fall is upon us. The children have been noticing the fallen leaves outside our classroom window and on the playground. The transition into the fall season is the perfect time to dive into the Tree Study. We have read a variety of books about trees and have done various activities using nature materials in the classroom this past month. The children are still trying to bring in pinecones as we have painted pinecones and made a “fall decor tray” which you will find outside our classroom. We also made birdfeeders using pinecones, sun butter, and birdseed. We places the DIY birdfood outside our classroom window. We didn’t see any birds eat them but we observed a couple of squirrels nibbling on them the next day.

Another thing we have observed this month was how engaged the children are when involved in sensory activities. In our classroom, sensory activities come in various forms. We have “individual” activities such as playdough, fingerpainting, cloud dough, floam, and individual water tubs. We also have “group” sensory activities such sharing the outdoor sandbox and our indoor media table. The benefits of sensory play are endless, and we strive to always keep the materials and activities engaging for the children. There are times that the children will stay at the table for ½ an hour interacting with their teacher and peers while involved in sensory play!

I have included an excerpt from an article regarding the importance of sensory play and a link with more ideas on how to incorporate sensory activities at home. If you have any questions or would like some more simple sensory ideas, please talk to Jen or I. We would love to hear about any type of sensory activities you do at home!

https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2017/sensory-play#:~:text=Sensory%20play%20enhances%20the%20way,reach%20and%20new%20to%20them.

The Importance of Sensory Play

By Kelly Hantak & Vanessa van der Graaf

Children are natural scientists—investigating, exploring, and experimenting with the materials found in their environment. In the past, children were expected to go outside to play. They picked up sticks, rocks, and flowers to sort and count. How many times, as a child, did you watch a caterpillar on the ground, following it closely to see where it was going? Did you ride bicycles around the block and play Hide-and-Seek outside with friends until you were called inside for dinner? These experiences helped us develop our senses and taught us to self-regulate our actions, preparing us ultimately for the more formal education of school.

Sensory exploration happens naturally during outdoor play, so what happens when kids spend more and more time indoors?

Today, many children are relegated to playing indoors. Video games, television, and computer games are the primary indoor occupations. Even though these activities provide visual and auditory stimulation, they are fast-paced and don’t allow the child to self-regulate. At the same time, parents and teachers are increasingly pressured to “prepare” children for school. Unfortunately, this results in younger and younger children being expected to complete worksheets and other inappropriate assessments. Playing video games, watching television, or doing deskwork hinders a child from using all their senses to explore, discover, and learn from their surrounding environment. 

The Importance of Sensory Play

Why is sensory play important? What factors influence sensory development for a young child? How do sensory activities add value to a child’s overall development?

Sensory play includes any play activities that encourage a child to explore materials which stimulate their senses. These activities can range from yoga or dancing to sand play or finger painting. Often adults are hesitant to offer a child opportunity to participate in sensory play as this type of play can be messy and loud, or could result in disruptive behavior. However, with a few simple rules, a thoughtfully prepared environment, and enough time, the benefits of sensory play for a child are invaluable.

Sensory play enhances the way in which a child reacts to their environment through visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and gustatory perceptions. Young children have a physical and emotional desire to see, hear, touch, smell, and taste things that are within reach and new to them. As a child grows, the need for exploring materials within their world continues. Sensory exploration enhances cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral development.

Reminders:

-Please remember to sign your child in/out of ProCare

-Please remember to call the center if your child will be late or absent

-The weather is changing. Please make sure your child has proper attire as we will go outside as long as the “REAL FEEL” TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 15 degees!

Until next time,

Nadine and the Pre-1 staff