To touch, taste, smell, hear and see are the most natural things to do for us as adults. We do all of it without thinking, but as children, these five senses are what let us experience the world vividly. Sharpening them in childhood leads to better growth and development, mentally, physically and emotionally. 

Which is why sensory play is so important for young children. Pretty much anything a child picks up or interacts with, like an instrument, building blocks, a patch of green grass, will all engage the senses but it’s important to create an environment that encourages this. One great way to incorporate this easily into your home is through a sensory wall. You may have seen these in waiting rooms to entertain restless children! The play area moves from the floor to the walls, encouraging children to reach out and play using their hands and their minds. 

Sensory play has multiple benefits:

•  It helps build stronger nerve connections in the brain 

• It leads to well-developed fine motor skills for hand-eye coordination 

• It improves memory when the activity is repeated 

• It helps with language development as the child learns new words. For example, different textures lead to recognising words like ‘hard’ and ‘soft’. 

• It encourages social skills when activities are conducted in groups because the child is more aware of his or her own thoughts and feelings and will learn to express emotions better 

• It can help with problem-solving skills and scientific thinking 

• It can help an anxious child to relax when the mind is focussed on experiencing a particular sense 

With our VertiPlay toys, you can set up a colorful, cute sensory wall at home very easily. The VertiPlay toys are all made of high-quality wood, with plenty of textural differences for tactile playing experience. They are designed to encourage interactive play and are therefore great for the senses and active imaginations. 

They feature popular characters like OldMcDonald and Incy Wincy Spider so that your child can start to recite nursery rhymes. There’s even one with a musical railroad to play tunes on! Every toy has blocks and pieces that help in developing fine motor skills as little fingers learn to play with them. Let your child pick his or her favourites and you’ll have a lovely sensory wall ready in no time! 

How do you help your child develop the five senses? If you have VertiPlay toys creating a sensory wall in your home, we’d love to know. Leave us a comment here!