Children enjoy learning with sensory play - ABC Nursery

Using different senses

In the 2-3 room, Wendy had to decide which sense to concentrate on initially. She decided to focus on touch but bringing in different textures and smells as well. The parents had to be made aware of the activities they had planned so that the staff were sure that none of the children had allergies to anything they were going to be using.

Ice balloons

The first activity they tried was the ice balloons and ice hands. The children helped to colour water and added in glitter. The water was then poured into balloons or rubber gloves. The children felt the balloons and gloves and talked about how squishy they were. These were then placed into the freezer. The children discussed what they thought would happen to them in the freezer.

Ready-made balloons and gloves

The staff had already prepared some balloons and gloves for the children to use that day as it would take a day for their balloons to freeze. The balloons and gloves were added to the water tray. The staff spoke to the children about how the balloons felt and helped the children remove the balloons and gloves. The children had great fun playing with the ice balloon and ice hand until the ice had melted. As the balloons and gloves had been made of coloured water and glitter, the water in the water tray gradually changed colour.

A digital record

The staff used the digital camera to record the activity. These photos were then displayed outside the room for the parents at the end of the day. This enabled the children to share with their parents their experience at nursery that day. The children were also able to recall the activity by watching a slide show of the photos on the computer. 

Making a mark with jam

Another activity they introduced to the children was 'jam mark-making'. Each child had their own biscuit tin lid or tray of jam. They used new paint combs and their fingers to make marks. Again the staff discussed with the children what the jam felt like. The children had great fun with the jam although some of it did end up in their mouths. Again the staff recorded the activity so that the parents could see what their children had been doing.

Gloves and gloop

The baby room staff introduced the children to more tactile activities with gloop, with filled gloves being the most popular. Strong latex gloves were filled with a variety of things such as jelly, water, gloop, etc and the babies had great fun feeling them. The staff also filled bags with a variety of materials of different textures for the babies to play with.

Recording activities to make a display

The children created a display of their activities to share with the rest of the nursery. These photos are displayed in the hall for everyone coming into the centre to see. As well as photos, the staff have added text to explain what the children were doing and how they benefited from this type of play. The children enjoy looking at their photos and still talk about the activities when they have physical play in the hall area.