What-Is-Sensory-Development-in-Early-Childhood

What Is Sensory Development in Early Childhood? Expert Tips to Support Your Child’s Growth

I’ve worked as a school nurse for seven years. During the first few years of life, sense development is crucial for learning, growing, and changing. Using a lot of different senses when you are young helps your brain grow and builds essential skills like movement and speech. Finding and fixing problems like sense processing issues is significant as soon as possible. Caregivers are crucial for ensuring kids reach their full potential because they watch how they grow and develop and give them activities that use all of their senses.

Young children learn to use their senses, such as hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch, and movement, to understand the world around them. This helps them grow and do well. These skills affect how kids get along with others, solve problems, and make friends. They also set the stage for their future mental, social, and emotional development.

This article will show why sensory development is essential if you are a parent, a caretaker, or just interested in how kids grow. It will explain how sensory skills work, what steps are necessary for kids, and simple things you can do at home to help them. You can help kids learn and grow in the best way possible if you know this.

Boost Early Childhood Growth: How Sensory Development Shapes Learning, Emotions, and Social Skills

Sensory Development in Early Childhood

An infant’s senses—sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell—develop in the first few years of life. This is called sensory development. Engaging in sensory play, such as touching things with different textures, strengthens brain links and enhances mental, physical, and emotional abilities. Milestones include:

  • Being able to recognize sounds and smells by 6 months.
  • Start to try new things in 12 months.
  • Figure out forms by age 4 to 5 years.

Regular sensory experiences strengthen the links in the brain that help us learn, move, and associate with others.

Early childhood development is mainly composed of sensory development since it enables children to connect with their environment, comprehend what they are learning, and acquire critical abilities. Children’s senses—including hearing, sight, touch, taste, scent, proprioception (body awareness), and the vestibular sense—balance—develop throughout this period. These senses guide children in learning and interacting with their surroundings.

Sensory learning starts as soon as a child is born. Newborns can distinguish between smells and tastes, and their hearing is excellent. Their ability to process sensory information gets better as they grow, which improves their responses to stimuli.

Sensory development helps with speaking, motor, and cognitive development. Sensory play and other activities like it help kids learn and socialize by making brain connections that help them learn. Adults can set the stage for a child’s exploration, learning, and general health by encouraging sensory development.

How Your Child’s Senses Develop

How Your Child’s Senses Develop

Touch: As babies’ first sense is touch, they can discover different textures, shapes, and temperatures, which helps them make connections with the world around them.

Vision: At first, babies can only see things close to them, but they quickly learn to track, see colours, and sense depth.

Hearing: Babies can tell the difference between sounds, associate them with things or people, and understand how language works as soon as they are born.

Smell: Babies can recognize known people and places through smell, like their mother’s scent.

Taste: Babies are born with taste buds that can detect sweet, sour, salty, and bitter tastes. This helps them choose foods early on.

Key Stages of Sensory Development

Before Birth:
  • Babies respond to touch, sounds, and movement by the third trimester.
  • Touch develops first, allowing exploration in the womb.
Infancy (0–12 months):
  • Newborns use their senses to learn, recognize voices, and focus clearly.
  • Touch is very important for babies as they grasp and look around.
Toddler Years (1–3 years):
  • Toddlers refine sensory skills through active play.
  • Better proprioception (awareness of your body) and balance make moving easier.
Preschool Years (3–5 years):
  • Sensory input lets us do things like dance and draw.
  • Children focus on important information like teacher directions and better filter sensory input.

Learning, memory, and interaction are all based on sensory development. To promote movement and coordination, touch, vision, hearing, taste, and smell collaborate with bodily awareness and balance. These skills enable kids to successfully see and react to the world.

The Importance of Sensory Development in Early Childhood

Why Sensory Development Matters

Through sensory development, your brain and body learn to work together to understand and react to the world around you. It makes you think, move, and talk to others. As you grow, this process is critical. Here’s how it works:

How Sensory Development Helps You

Helps You Think Smarter

Your brain grows as you use your senses—sight, hearing, fragrance, taste, and touch—to explore the environment. These activities enable you to pay attention, recall knowledge, and solve daily problems.

Makes You Feel Connected

A kiss or a voice that makes you feel better can do more than comfort you. They may also draw you closer to other people. These sensory experiences help you better understand how other people think, show knowledge, and deal with your feelings.

Improves Your Movement and Balance

Running, jumping, and playing games can improve balance and body awareness. These activities strengthen the processes that help you move and stay coordinated.

Makes Socializing Easier

Your senses help you pick up on social clues, like a friend’s tone of voice or a smile, so you can communicate and interact better with others.

Prevents Learning Problems

If sense problems are found early, they can be fixed so that it’s easier to learn and make friends as you get older.

How Sensory Development Happens
  • Babies (0–1 year): Babies learn about the world around them by looking at, listening to, feeling, and mouthing things.
  • Toddlers (1–3 years): Active play helps toddlers develop better balance, coordination, and awareness of textures and sounds.
  • Preschoolers (3–5 years): Focus gets better and kids in preschool can do more difficult things, like drawing and dancing.
Proprioceptive and Vestibular Development:
  • Newborns: Limited body awareness
  • 3–6 months: Begin controlling head and body movements
  • 6–12 months: Gain better balance and movement skills
  • 1–2 years: Improve coordination and spatial awareness

What You Can Do to Support Sensory Growth

Explore and Play to Build Your Senses

  • Try New Things: Play with slime, paint, or listen to music to try different sounds, colours, and textures.
  • Play Outside: Your balance and rhythm get better when you do things like run, climb, and swing.
  • Talk About It: Share what you feel, see, and hear to connect your experiences to words and ideas.

Sensory development helps you understand the world and connect with others. The more you explore and challenge your senses, the more confident and capable you’ll feel.

How Parents and Caregivers Can Help

  • Provide a variety of sensory experiences.
  • Encourage interactive play with toys and activities suited to your age.
  • Make places where people can explore safely.
  • Support physical activity and movement.
  • Pay attention to and respond to sensory needs.

These activities and support systems help build a strong foundation for growth and learning.

Why Is Sensory Processing Important?

Sensory perception helps the brain understand what it hears, sees, touches, smells, tastes, and moves. It’s an important part of learning, doing daily jobs, and making friends.

How Sensory Processing Helps

  • Builds Brain Connections: It makes kids smarter, happier, and better able to get along with others.
  • Supports Motor Skills: Kids use it to write, run, or play.
  • Boosts Social Skills: It helps kids understand faces, tone, and body language.
  • Improves Focus: It helps kids pay attention and solve problems.

Challenges of Poor Sensory Processing

About one in twenty kids has sensory processing issues. These issues can make it hard to focus, stay calm, or do well in school and with friends.

Why Sensory Activities Matter

  • Learning: Sensory play, like building blocks, helps kids think and solve problems.
  • Calm and Focus: Weighted blankets or squeezing stress balls help kids relax.
  • Physical Skills: Activities like climbing improve balance and coordination.

Early Sensory Development

Early sensory experiences help kids:

  • Learn and grow their brains.
  • Build motor skills.
  • Stay calm and manage your feelings.

Sensory activities help kids learn, stay calm, and connect with others. Simple play, like swinging or building, makes a big difference!

Sensory Development by Age: What to Expect

Infancy (0–12 months)

  • Babies use their senses to explore the world.
  • They respond to voices, track moving objects, and enjoy touching different textures.
  • Example: A baby turns toward their mother’s voice or grabs a colorful toy.

Toddlers (1–3 years)

  • Toddlers become more curious and refine their movements.
  • Kids learn best when they play with their senses, like when they paint their fingers or chase water.
  • Example: Drawing with their fingers helps them develop their fine motor skills and sense of touch.

Preschoolers (3–5 years)

  • They improve their coordination and learn to focus on multiple sensory inputs.
  • Puzzles and balancing on a beam are good ways to keep their minds and bodies active.
  • Example: It makes you more aware of your body, improves your balance, and lets you see better.

School-Age (5+ years)

  • Sensory systems mature, helping with learning and social interactions.
  • Group games and academic tasks develop auditory and spatial skills.
  • Example: Playing a team sport helps with listening and coordination.

Milestones

0–6 months: Tracks objects, responds to sounds, and recognizes familiar scents.

6–12 months: Explores objects with hands and mouth, enjoys movement like bouncing.

1–2 years: Becomes more independent and curious and begins toilet training with help.

2–3 years: Focuses longer and explores surroundings with greater interest.

Sensory activities, like puzzles, water play, and group games, help children grow and thrive!

How Kids Use Their Senses to Explore the World

Have you ever thought about how kids learn so fast? It’s all because of their senses! This is how their hearing, sight, and touch improve, which helps them learn about the world. The better this gets as they grow, it starts before they are even born. They can move, talk, and learn new things thanks to their abilities. Let’s learn more about these wonderful abilities and how they work:

Seeing (Sight)

  • Babies first learn to recognize colors, faces, and things that move.
  • Example: Bright toys and colorful objects catch their attention and help them focus.

Hearing (Sound)

  • Newborns can recognize voices, like their parents’ voices, and later figure out what different sounds mean.
  • Example: Singing songs or lullabies can help babies recognize sounds and words.

Smelling (Scents)

  • Smells are powerful for babies! They can recognize familiar scents, like their parents, which makes them feel safe and loved.
  • Example: A baby might calm down when they smell something that reminds them of home.

Tasting (Flavor)

  • Babies explore the world of taste as they try new foods, which helps them figure out what they like.
  • Example: Giving kids new flavors to try helps them enjoy different kinds of food as they grow.

Touching (Textures and Feeling)

  • Babies learn a lot by touching soft, rough, hot, cold—they want to feel it all!
  • Example: Playing with sand, water, or soft blankets helps them discover new textures.

Balancing and Moving (Balance Sense)

  • This sense helps kids stay steady when they walk or run and lets them move confidently.
  • Example: Swinging at the park or spinning around helps kids improve their balance.

Knowing Their Body (Body Awareness)

  • This sense helps kids understand where their arms, legs, and other body parts are, even if they’re not looking.
  • Example: Jumping, climbing, or crawling helps them feel more in control of their body.

Feeling Inside (Internal Signals)

  • Kids also learn to notice what’s happening inside their bodies, like when they’re hungry, thirsty, or tired.
  • Example: Recognizing they’re hungry helps them understand their body’s needs.

All these senses work together to help kids explore, play, and learn about the world around them. The more they experience, the more they grow—it’s pretty amazing to watch

Types of Sensory Play

Sensory play uses activities to help kids explore their senses.

  • Messy Play: Activities like finger painting or playing with slime develop touch and coordination.
  • Example: Finger painting improves tactile skills.
  • Movement Activities: Swinging, spinning, or dancing builds balance and strength.
  • Example: Climbing enhances motor skills.
  • Auditory Play: Listening to music or identifying sounds improves hearing.
  • Example: Singing rhymes boosts auditory processing.
  • Visual Play: Sorting colors or playing with light and shadows sharpens sight.
  • Example: Shape-sorters improve visual skills.
  • Taste and Smell Exploration: Food tasting and exploring scents develop smell and taste senses.
  • Example: Trying spices like cinnamon engages the senses.

Why Sensory Development Matters

  1. Learning
    • Sensory activities build problem-solving and thinking skills.
    • Example: Building blocks boost spatial awareness.
  2. Behavior Regulation
    • Sensory play helps kids focus and manage emotions.
    • Example: Deep-pressure activities, like bear hugs, reduce anxiety.
  3. Physical Growth
    • Activities like jumping and running build strength and balance.
    • Example: Playground games improve coordination and confidence.

Data and Facts on Sensory Development

  • Sensory development begins in the womb, with hearing starting as early as 18 weeks.
  • By age 5, 90% of brain development is complete, and sensory experiences shape how the brain grows.
  • Sensory-rich play helps kids reach milestones 30% faster than those without it.
  • About 1 in 20 children face sensory challenges like sensory processing disorder (SPD).

Sensory development lays the foundation for learning, communication, and emotional growth. Caregivers can support children by offering fun, age-appropriate sensory activities.

Sensory Development by Age: A Quick Guide

0 to 6 Months

  • Development: Babies focus on faces, track movement, and respond to sounds. They explore textures through touch and distinguish smells and tastes.
  • Activities: Use black-and-white toys, sing songs, and provide soft blankets for exploration.

6 to 12 Months

  • What’s Happening: Babies start seeing the world more clearly as their depth perception improves. They also begin to recognize familiar smells and tastes, like their favorite foods or the scent of their caregiver. Crawling and pulling up to stand help them build strength and balance.
  • How to Help: Place colorful toys out of reach to encourage crawling. Let them try finger foods to explore new tastes and textures. Rocking chairs or gentle swinging can also help develop their sense of balance.

1 to 2 Years

  • Development: Hand-eye coordination improves; they start walking and exploring textures.
  • Activities: Provide stacking toys, water play, and balance challenges like stepping on cushions.

2 to 3 Years

  • Development: Running and jumping refine balance, and sensory integration supports recognizing objects by sight, sound, or touch.
  • Activities: Create obstacle courses sensory bins, and dance to music.

3 to 4 Years

  • Development: Motor skills like skipping improve, and they integrate senses for social play.
  • Activities: Offer playdough or kinetic sand, scooters, and matching games with scents or textures.

4 to 5 Years

  • Development: Complex motor skills like hopping emerge, and sensory processing supports writing and drawing.
  • Activities: Use puzzles, climbing activities, and sensory-friendly art supplies.

Each stage builds on the last, helping kids grow, explore, and connect with the world!

Sensory Activities for Kids

Calming Activities

  • Weighted blankets for comfort.
  • Gentle rocking in a chair or hammock.
  • Listening to soft music or white noise.

Stimulating Activities

  • Jumping on a trampoline for energy and body awareness.
  • Spinning on merry-go-rounds for balance.
  • Sorting colorful objects or playing memory games.

Focused Play

  • Sensory bins with rice, pasta, or foam balls.
  • Scented markers or tasty snacks for exploring smells and flavors.
  • Crawling tunnels or yoga for body awareness.

How It Helps

  • Calming: Deep pressure and soothing activities reduce stress.
  • Focus: Movement breaks improve attention.
  • Well-being: Sensory play lowers anxiety and boosts emotional balance.

Supporting Kids Who Dislike Certain Sensations

What to Do

  1. Identify Triggers: Notice what textures, sounds, or sensations they avoid.
    • Example: If they dislike sticky textures, they may resist finger painting.
  2. Introduce Gradually: Slowly expose them to the sensation in a non-threatening way.
    • Example: Start with dry sand before introducing wet sand if they dislike gritty textures.
  3. Provide Alternatives: Offer substitutes that meet the same sensory need.
    • Example: If rough fabrics bother them, try softer options like fleece.
  4. Respect Their Comfort: Avoid forcing them to engage with disliked sensations; build trust with patience.
  5. Seek Help if Needed: Consult an occupational therapist for tailored strategies if sensitivities are severe.

How Play Helps Kids Learn and Grow

Play isn’t just fun—it’s a powerful way for kids to develop essential skills. Here’s how:

  • Fine Motor Skills: Activities like stacking blocks or playing with playdough help kids build hand strength and coordination.
    • Example: Stringing beads is a great way to improve focus and precision.
  • Language Growth: Pretend play and storytelling let kids practice talking, learn new words, and build communication skills.
    • Example: Playing “store” helps kids learn the names of items, numbers, and how to have conversations.
  • Cognitive Development: Games that challenge kids to think, like puzzles, boost memory and problem-solving skills.
    • Example: Sorting objects by color or size teaches logical thinking in a fun way.
  • Social Skills: Playing with others helps kids learn how to share, take turns, and work together.
    • Example: Games like “Simon Says” encourage listening, cooperation, and awareness of others.

Play-based learning allows kids to explore, grow, and build the necessary skills—all while having fun!

By combining sensory activities with play, kids can explore and grow in a fun, supportive way that builds confidence and life skills.

FAQs

What is sensory development?

Sensory development is how children learn to use their senses—like sight, touch, and hearing—to explore and interact with the world.

Why is sensory development significant?

It lays the foundation for learning, motor skills, social interactions, and emotional regulation.

How can parents support sensory development at home?

Encourage sensory play with activities like exploring textures, listening to music, or trying new tastes. Use toys like blocks or textured balls for added stimulation.

How does sensory play help?

It promotes problem-solving, motor skills, and social interactions, helping kids explore and learn in fun, meaningful ways.

When should I seek professional help?

Consult a pediatrician or occupational therapist if sensory challenges interfere with daily life.

Focusing on sensory development helps children grow, learn, and better understand their world.

Scroll to Top