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Incorporating the five senses into learning is crucial for children. Our senses not only play a role in how we experience our environment but help with memory retention. According to (Wordpress, 2023) the brain takes in and processes information through many different channels, such as our senses, touch, taste, smell, hear, and sight. Using our five senses through learning is not only fun but beneficial.

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Guide to inclusive play - sensory trust. Guide to inclusive play - Sensory Trust. (n.d.). https://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/resources/guidance/inclusive-play

Kristina. (2024b, November 1). How to incorporate play in the classroom. LTC. https://littletikescommercial.com/blog/how-to-incorporate-play-based-learning-in-the-classroom/

Norwoodcentre. (2022, April 14). Play and the developmental domains. NorwoodCentre. https://www.norwoodcentre.com/post/play-and-the-developmental-domains

Wordpress, 2U. (2023, October 27). The importance of the 5 senses in learning and studying. Maryville University Online. https://online.maryville.edu/blog/importance-of-5-senses-in-learning/

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Using creative play to teach children social skills is beneficial. Children can learn many important social skills from play, such as negotiating, turn taking, sharing, and seeing others perspectives.

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Play, particularly pretend play can help children express their feelings, practice empathy in creating pretend play scenarios, such as pretending to be a mom or a baby, and can help children self regulate their emotions.

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Play can help students to practice their gross motor skills. Students may play on playgrounds or run around outside at recess. This helps children practice balance, agility, coordination and strength.

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Creative play can help children with their cognitive development. Children will learn problem solving skills, memory skills, critical thinking, concentration and attention.

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Play helps children have opportunities to talk amongst each other and use language. Students may use more language when engaging in pretend play such as pretending to be a police officer, cook, or mom. Children would be engaging and using diverse language during these play activities.

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There are many different forms of play which help sensory development. Children can use music and instruments, students can use water tables or tactile experiences, students can use tasting food, students can use any hands on activities or learning experiences to develop their senses.

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Kindergartners can use building blocks to learn how to count. Students can build block towers as high as they can and count how many blocks they used to build their towers.

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How to Incorporate Play in the Classroom | LTC

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What is play-based learning? Click here to learn about this learning type, its benefits, and how to bring it to your school with Little Tikes Commercial!

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Preschool students can use patterns to start developing mathematic concepts. Children can start by clapping patterns, or drawing them.

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How to Add Play-Based Learning Activities to Your Early Childhood Curriculum

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Kids love to play. You’d be surprised at how much thought goes into play based learning activities that fit each child. There’s reason for that.

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Supporting Children with Special Needs through Play

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Supporting Children with Special Needs through Play

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Play can help students with special needs to develop essential skills such as cognitive, gross motor, and social skills. Ages 5-10

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Supporting Children with Special Needs through Play

Play is incredibly valuable for all children, but having special needs can present barriers which may make it difficult for them to fully enjoy the experience. The needs of little ones vary a lot, so it's often down to you, the parent or carer, to understand the challenges and adapt to your individual child.

It's really important to avoid losing play value in favour of accessibility; simply being able to do something isn't what makes it enjoyable. Just remember to focus on what your child can do, rather than what they can't, when planning play time. Play should be freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated - in other words, a child with special needs might need a little support, but they also need the freedom to decide what to play and how to go about it.

Importance of Play for Children with Special Needs

Play has numerous benefits for children with special needs. It can help them develop essential skills, such as social, cognitive, emotional, and physical skills. Additionally, play can be used to support specific difficulties that your child might have.

For example, if your child has a hearing or visual impairment, play can help them strengthen their other senses, such as touch or smell, to help them explore and interact with the world around them. Sensory play, in particular, can be a great way to stimulate different senses and promote cognitive and physical development.

The Importance of Freely Chosen Play

It's important to remember that play should be freely chosen, personally directed, and intrinsically motivated. This means that your child should have the freedom to decide what to play and how to play, with some support from you as needed. While it's important to adapt play to your child's individual needs, it's equally important not to lose the play value in favour of accessibility. The goal is to help your child enjoy play while also promoting their learning and development.

Benefits of Sensory Play

Sensory play can be particularly beneficial for children with special needs. Sensory play involves exploring different materials and textures using various senses, such as touch, smell, sight, and sound. Some benefits of sensory play for children with special needs include:

Cognitive development: Sensory play can help children understand how things work, compare the characteristics of different materials, and develop problem-solving skills.

Social skills: Sensory play can help children observe how others play, copy and share ideas, and learn to play cooperatively with others.

Self-awareness: Sensory play can help children learn what materials they like and don't like, increasing their understanding of themselves.

Physical development: Sensory activities can be a good workout for the small muscles in their hands and fingers, improving their fine motor control and coordination.

Emotional development: Sensory play can be a good way for children to release energy or stress and express positive feelings.

Communication skills: Sensory play provides opportunities for children to express their reactions to materials, such as showing excitement at splashing water or surprise when experiencing something new.

Tips for Adapting Play to Your Child's Needs

When adapting play to your child's needs, it's important to consider their strengths, challenges, and interests. Here are some tips to help you adapt play to your child's individual needs:

Use their interests: If your child has a specific interest, incorporate it into their play to encourage their engagement and participation.

Be mindful of sensory sensitivities: If your child has sensory sensitivities, introduce new materials gradually and be aware of materials they don't like or are uncomfortable with.

Make play accessible: If your child has a mobility impairment, make sure play areas and materials are accessible and easy for them to use.

Provide guidance: If your child has difficulty with social skills, provide guidance and support to help them interact with other children and develop relationships.

Encourage imagination: If your child has difficulty with imaginative play, encourage their creativity and help them develop new ideas.

Conclusion

Play is an essential part of children's learning and development, and it's particularly important for children with special needs. By adapting play to your child's individual needs, you can help them enjoy the benefits of play while promoting

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Supporting Children with Special Needs through Play - The Good Play Guide

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Play is incredibly valuable for all children, but having special needs can present barriers which may make it difficult for them to fully enjoy the experience.

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Supporting Children with Special Needs through Play

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Supporting Children with Special Needs through Play

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All children and especially students with special needs should have play areas that are inclusive, accessible, engage the senses and have different types of play. Ages 4-10

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All children benefit from being outside, interacting with their environment, learning from nature and developing through play. These experiences can be especially powerful for children with disabilities and inclusive play makes these opportunities available to all children, regardless of ability and background. Inclusive play doesn't mean that every element is accessible to everyone, but it does mean that the combination of experiences adds to something equally great for each child. Some children can't climb to the top of a rope, some don't want to, others really need to. The same is true with quieter, more creative activities. Diverse and flexible opportunities are needed.

It doesn't need to be complicated, but it does require thought. It means thinking about what different children can access - what can a child engage with if they use a wheelchair, or if they have autism or get distracted easily? Can disabled and non-disabled friends and siblings play together?

Diversity of play

Play is by nature diversity - how does this get missed so often in play design? Play can be physical, noisy and challenging, but equally it can be quiet, creative and reflective. Some children love the social aspects, others need more contemplative space.

Some children want to charge about and others are happier quietly playing in a sand pit. Some will be more prone to injury from others knocking into them.

Diversity of children

Some children use wheelchairs, either all or part of the time, and some use walking aids. Children with certain health conditions have reduced stamina or may need to avoid boisterous play.

Visual impairment can mean total blindness but more often partial sight with ability to make out some colours, contrasts and patterns.

Hearing impairment may be total deafness, and for some BSL as a primary language, and most commonly partial hearing.

Learning difficulties include leaning disability, sensory processing disorders, behavioural issues, Autism and specific forms like dyslexia.

Mental health problems can be short or long-term, and there is increasing prevalence of anxiety and depression in young people.

Designing inclusive play

Create a rich mix of play opportunities

Physical: eg open space for running/wheeling, tree or logs for climbing and balance; a wall for ball games; open space for running/wheeling; markings for chalk games; play equipment for different physical challenges.

Creative: eg quiet spaces with natural materials for making things; weeping trees and sensory domes for dens; story telling space; sensory plantings to support activities.

Social: eg areas for chatting and reading; tables and chairs for card and board games; open spaces for group activities.

Engage the senses

All children benefit from an approach that engages all the senses so aim to maximise opportunities.

Choose materials and activities to explore through all the senses - interesting textures, shapes, solidity, weight, pattern, colour, temperature.

Heighten sensory stimuli in some areas, reduce it in others, to provide choice.

Consider children with sensory impairments, eg things to explore through touch, reflected light or strong colours and contrast. Interest through sound and vibration.

Make different types of space

Make spaces where children have a choice of busier, more active areas and quieter areas.

Consider boundaries to reduce scope for children to wander, or for other security issues.

Provide quiet space that serves as time-out for children who need it.

Include shelter from inclement weather and strong sun, and seating.

Zone for type of use and avoid segregation.

Make it accessible

Children must be able to get to the play area - from school, home or car park - so think about the whole journey, not just the space itself.

Within the play area, aim for a surface that has good impact absorption but is relatively firm (avoiding deep loose materials for example)

Consider widths, height and reach for different children, including scope to include wheelchair-adapted play facilities.

With physical play, choose a range of physical options - some focused more on upper body motor skills for example.

Include options for wheelchair-users to fully engage. Ensure 'run-about' areas include options for trikes and wheelchairs.

Consider accessible information and signage, for example including symbols, braille or pictorial images as appropriate.

Don't forget parents and families

Make sure there is seating and shelter nearby for parents, grandparents and carers.

They may have disabilities so ensure good access from seating into the play area so they can support their children.

Ensure disabled and non-disabled siblings can play together.

Consulting with children and families - before and after you design something - is your best way of finding out what children want and how well your design has succeeded.

Search for examples of inclusive play and use the good ideas you find. Then be sure to share yours so everyone can learn from each other.

gofindit: inclusive outdoor play

We designed gofindit in response to parents and teachers wanting to encourage children to engage their senses through play. Tested and developed alongside children with disabilities, gofindit can be played and enjoyed by all ages and abilities.

The accessible design supports word recognition and language development and the flexible playing options allow everyone to get outdoors and engage with nature.

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Guidance by Sensory Trust shows how to design inclusive play opportunities so they are engaging for all children, regardless of disability and circumstance.