Play is one of the easiest ways for a child to learn about their surroundings and develop fundamental life skills. Sensory play is any activity that stimulates a child’s senses such as touch, sound, taste, sight, and smell. Allowing your child the opportunity to freely explore with sensory activities helps to facilitate understanding and creativity.
Sensory play can be helpful in regulating and even preventing meltdowns for children with autism or sensory processing disorder. For example, allowing children to independently explore sensory activities can teach them how to calm themselves and self-regulate their emotions. So not only are they getting much needed sensory-input that will help in reducing meltdowns from over stimulation, but they are teaching themselves how to combat these meltdowns. Here are some tips to help.