It’s officially summertime in the Chi and we couldn’t be more excited! This perfect weather is practically begging our little ones to go outside and play. These fun, summer sensory rich activities are wonderful ways to engage our children’s tactile system and expose them to different scents, textures, and sensations.
Tactile input is important for our kids because one of the main ways they learn about their world is through touch! Our tactile system helps us understand our environment and explore different temperatures, textures, and sensations that we use to feel safe and comfortable. When a child has difficulty processing tactile sensations, they may feel uncomfortable in their bodies and have difficulty tolerating different foods, clothing textures, water temperature, bathing, and grooming tasks.
Check out these simple and fun activities that are a sure way to motivate your child to engage in some messy outdoor play!
Sensory Activities:
- Paint Sensory Bag
- Sand Painting
- Ice Chalk
- Nature Sensory Bag
- Muddy Animal Wash
- Sponge Water Play
- Beach Themed Sensory Table
- Ice Art
- Ocean Playdough Exploration
- Shaving Cream Finger Painting
There are also many other fun sensory activities you can do with your child this summer! Take a walk along the beach and dig for seashells, splash in the pool, or plant flowers in the garden. The opportunities for sensory experiences are endless in this great city we get to call home!
Questions or concerns?
If you have questions or concerns about your child’s sensory processing, please contact us at info@playworkschicago.com or 773-332-9439.
Cristina Brown, MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
References:
Carol. “Water Play with Sponges for Toddlers.” My Bored Toddler, 15 Sept. 2020, https://myboredtoddler.com/water-play-with-sponges/.
Chelsey. “Rocky Shore Small World with Ocean Playdough.” Buggy and Buddy, 23 Mar. 2017, https://buggyandbuddy.com/rocky-shore-small-world-ocean-playdough/.
Davis, Janice. “Primary Colours Squishy Bag Experiment.” Learning 4 Kids, 25 June 2022, https://www.learning4kids.net/2015/08/25/primary-colours-squishy-bag-experiment/.
“Erupting Ice Chalk Paint Recipe.” Learn Play Imagine, http://www.learnplayimagine.com/2014/05/erupting-ice-chalk-paint-recipe.html.
Evans, Shaunna. “Beach Sensory Play and Small World.” Fantastic Fun & Learning, 26 Sept. 2021, https://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/beach-sensory-play-and-small-world.html.
MacArthur, Brenda. “Colorful Sand Painting for Kids Using Beach Sand.” STEAMsational, 13 June 2021, https://www.steamsational.com/colorful-sand-paintings/.
Ranson, Anna. “Wash the Muddy Farm Animals Sensory Play.” The Imagination Tree, 17 June 2016, https://theimaginationtree.com/wash-muddy-farm-animals-sensory-play/.
Reimer, Jamie, et al. “A No-Mess Way for Toddlers to Explore Nature.” Hands On As We Grow®, 13 Apr. 2018, http://handsonaswegrow.com/nature-sensory-bag-suncatcher/.
“Summer Ice Art Scene.” Best Toys 4 Toddlers, 28 Dec. 2019, https://besttoys4toddlers.com/summer-ice/.
Photo Credit: Photo by Ana Klipper on Unsplash