How to Provide Sensory Activities for the Classroom

Sensory activities for young children in the classroom will increase learning while kids are having fun. A three-year-old's brain is twice as active as an adult's; therefore, this age is an important time in brain development. Stimulation is vital in the early years and sensory activities are an important part of this. The following will show you a number of ways to introduce sensory activities in the classroom.

Instructions

1. Fill a sensory table with materials that can be molded and squeezed such as wet sand or dough to exercise fine motor activities. You can also put play dough out with rolling pins, scissors and play dough cookie cutters.

2. Play a game of beanbag toss where children can throw the bags as hard as they can to promote gross motor skills. Rolling on mats and wheelbarrow walking also develop these skills.

3. Use a sheet or a parachute that a circle of children can collectively lift up in the air and back down again. Place a ball in the middle of the sheet and watch it bounce. Have the children take turns running through the middle of the sheet as it goes up and down.

4. Show the children how to experiment with different textures of paint. You can use different things to mix with tempera paint to get various textures such as coffee grounds, baking soda, salt, corn meal and so forth.

5. Set out a collection of items with different textures for children to touch and hold and talk about how each item feels. Use items such as cotton balls, sandpaper, dried leaves, aluminum foil, velvet fabric and other such things. You can glue them onto construction paper and label them to extend the activity.

6. Hang unbreakable mirrors in the classroom to let children look at their reflections.

7. Provide musical instruments for children to play together. You can also play music that the kids can sing along with. They can also play the instruments as the music plays.