Sensory Exploration & Play
Taste safe sensory play is all over social media, with DIYs, recipes and activities to engage your little ones. But is it really necessary? What is sensory play exactly and why is it important? How do you incorporate it without being overwhelemed?
What is Sensory Exploration & Play?
Infants and toddlers learn through exploring with all of their senses (smell, taste, sight, sound and touch). Exploring in this way helps them to develop an understanding of the world around them as well as how their own bodies function. Between the ages of 0-2 years old, oral exploration is a KEY stage in your infant’s development. This means that they will explore everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, with their mouths whether it is edible or not. Usually from birth to 1 year everything is explored through the mouth and other senses like sight and sound. From 1-2 years, babies will start to explore more with their fingers and hands (fine motor) and by the age of three typically your toddler will start to explore using their other senses.
The goal of taste safe sensory play is providing opportunities for your little one to explore a variety of textures without needing to constantly take things out of their mouth. Taste safe just means that the ingredients are safe if your child does put it in their mouth, even if it doesn’t necessarily taste good. Oral exploration helps your baby learn what objects are and develops their understanding of their environment. Providing taste safe play allows your baby to not only explore their oral sense safely, but all their senses at the same time, allowing them to work on skills like motor development (gross motor- big muscles and fine motor- small muscles), language skills, attention, problem solving and more. In addition, playing with a variety of textures, smells and tastes can actually lead to an increase of confidence and acceptance with trying new foods.
However this can be overwhelming for caregivers who don’t know where to start or who, quite honestly, don’t have the energy to clean up another mess. Here are some helpful tips to encourage safe and age appropriate exploration. And as a reminder all sensory play should be supervised by an adult.
Include what you can in your daily routine.
You can make space in your day for an activity, but it is also helpful to include sensory exploration within routines you already have. Use mealtime to introduce different textures and allow your child to play- yes- play with their food! This is actually an important part of their development and will increase their confidence in eating a variety of foods and textures. Use bathtime to introduce messier materials like washable and non-toxic paints or for a taste safe option use gelatin, yogurt with food coloring, whipped cream, or simply waterplay! Offer a drawer in the kitchen that your child can go into and explore as you also cook. Depending on age and supervision you can also add dry pasta, crushed cereal, oats, or beans for them to put into their pots and pans and spoons to practice scooping. If you have infants, tummy time is a great time to introduce sensory exploration, materials that crinkle, mirrors, silky scarves, sand paper. Even tummy time outside on the grass, if weather allows, gives infants a different sensory experience. Offer a variety of different textures for them to touch with their hands or that will encourage them to reach while in this position.
2. Keep the mess contained if that is helpful for your own anxiety.
Use a highchair, go outside to do sensory play, use a container on a sheet or mat for easier clean up. You can even place the materials and child in a big storage bin or laundry basket!
3. Try to not compare.
Milestones are a loose guide. There is a range and your little one is working on SO many parts of their development. Often if they are not advancing in one area, it is likely they are just really focusing on another. If you continue to remain concerned, check in with your pediatrician or get an evaluation done by the Early Intervention Program in your area. Depending on the state, it is free for families and you can always self-refer! But try not to compare where your child is to another child who is the same age. Every child is different in how they develop and what they are interested in working on.
4. Model, model, model - don’t force.
Sometimes little ones can have a difficult time exploring new materials and textures. Do not force them to touch or interact with it by placing their hands in it. Some helpful tips to exploring non-preferred textures include presenting it with something that the child also really prefers, like a favorite toy. Model how you play with it by showing them it is okay to touch it with your hands and not wipe it off right away. Make it a FUN low-pressure activity. If they don’t want to touch it this time, that is okay, try again later. Use tools at first for your child to interact with materials (toys, brushes, spoons, etc.) until they feel more comfortable. Example: If a child does not like to get messy with paints, start off with water play or some other more fluid material. Water is wet but does not leave a mess on their hands like paint. Plus a lot of kids usually enjoy playing with water. Gradually add the paint to the water, add the paint to a brush so they can see the water change color. Have them paint toys to then place in the water. Model using your fingers to then paint the toys. You can also add paint to a baggie to have them explore touching this without the initial mess on their hands. The goal is to communicate that it is safe to explore!
5. Have fun!
This goes back to the last point, but keeping these activities low pressure and fun is KEY to exploration and the overall experience! This should not be a time of stress for you or your little one, so create an environment that can allow for that. If that means letting them play in their diaper to reduce stress around getting clothing messy, so be it. If that means placing them in a high chair, storage bin with materials or on a blanket to keep it more contained, do it! Our children co-regulate with us, which means that they pick up and attune to not just our verbal cues, but our non-verbal cues as well. The more fun they see you have interacting with the materials, the more likely they are to try it as well.
Helpful Sensory Ideas:
For messier items you can put the baby in their high chair, bathtub, in a big storage bin/laundry basket or in the yard on a mat or blanket (for easier clean up). Have a designated outfit for them to make a mess in or strip down to their diaper. Sometimes doing bath time right after is helpful.
Taste Safe Sensory Play Ideas:
“Sand”- blend up cereal, oats, or cornmeal (or look up recipes for taste safe kinetic sand)
Look up taste safe play-doh recipes
Jello or plain gelatin play with toys stuck inside
“Paint” with water on dark construction paper/cardboard, paint with leftover tea/coffee water or yogurt (with or without food coloring).
Water play with cut up fruit or veggies (lemon/orange slices, peas, berries, etc.) or big ice chunks (freeze water in half a cup and add a toy in it!). Add different cups to place and dump water in.
Tissue box or toilet paper roll with different textures for littles to pull out (felt, cellophane wrap, scarves, foil)
Offer a drawer in the kitchen that can be theirs to open and play with while you are in their prepping foods
Have a “sensory” box and fill with safe items for them to pull out and explore
Good old fashion outdoors. There are such rich sensory experiences just by being outside! And it’s free :)
Just remember that sensory play does not need to be expensive or complicated. Everything is new to your little one, so take note of what they may be noticing and slow down to offer space for them to be curious. Have fun playing alongside and seeing the world through your child, as they explore through their senses!
Hi! My name is Katelynn. I have extensive experience in infant and early childhood development. I worked in Early Intervention and outpatient therapy for over 8 years, providing support to caregivers and their children. I am a licensed Mental Health Counselor and Registered Art Therapist along with holding a Certification in Early Childhood Services. I live in the Boston area with my husband and our sensory exploring son! I am passionate about early childhood development and helping caregivers learn how to incorporate play as they work on developing skills within their daily routines. Follow along for more ideas on Instagram @explore.through.the.senses
Katelynn Fisher, LMHC, ATR, CEIS
