Tactile experiences play a fundamental role in the growth and development of preschoolers. Sensory play offers opportunities for hands-on exploration that deepen a child’s understanding of the world. At this stage, children learn best through their senses. The sense of touch is one of the most immediate and powerful ways young children have to engage with their environment and satisfy natural curiosity. When preschoolers manipulate objects, they feel textures, temperatures, and shapes forming concrete connections between what they see and what they feel. This sensory feedback strengthens neural pathways that support learning and foster creativity.
Were you aware social and emotional development is significantly influenced by tactile experiences? It is true, as they provide children with a calming, self-regulating outlet. Tactile play offers young children comfort and aids in emotional regulation. Unfortunately, many of the products our children encounter today are devoid of rich tactile qualities. Our world is overflowing with smooth, plastic surfaces. Toys often feature ultra-processed shiny plastic and glass screens offering their young users nothing short of a haptic desert. Let’s think about the things youngsters are touching. Could our children be hungry for meaningful tactile stimulation?
A parent’s commitment to being aware of and offering alternatives to what may be conveniently at hand can make a healthy difference in their child’s tactile sensory development. Fortunately for us, nature holds the key and offers endless support. From running fingers through sand, soil or water to touching smooth stones, rough bark and soft moss, natural surfaces offer children a tactile wonderland. Outdoors, every surface becomes an invitation to feel, immerse and satisfy a child’s sensory need. Nature-based exploration including digging, molding mud, collecting or crunching through leaves. Using sticks or snow to build allows children to express themselves freely through open-ended play. Nature offers tactile experiences and delights through every season of the year.
There are many studies supporting the fact that doing things with our hands makes us happy and I believe this includes children. Through a normal day, what tactile experiences can you offer your little one? Many a recipe would have been made quicker if I had done it myself, but seeing the engaged satisfaction as one of my children washed and cut vegetables or formed dough balls to be placed on a cookie sheet was infinitely more rewarding for us both. Make homemade play dough to be squeezed, kneaded, rolled, cut and molded. Empty dried beans, popcorn or rice into a bowl and create a sensory bin for your preschooler to manipulate.
With an emphasis on efficiency and convenience, many organic tactile experiences have been replaced. But, with thoughtfulness and a bit of effort, we can engage our young children in activities that satisfy their sensory requirements.
At Golden Days at Home, we understand the importance and significance of tactile experiences for young children. The Golden Days at Home playful preschool curriculum offers a generous portion of tactile sensory lessons and activities to teach and share with your 3 – 5 year old. Each full week lesson plan includes a specifically dedicated lesson to a Perceptual experience. The Perceptual lessons and activities focus on developing sensory awareness encouraging a greater perception of a child’s own body in space. As parent/teacher you instruct and share meaningful activities with your preschooler at home.
In essence, although tactile experiences are fun and satisfying for children they are not merely playtime. Exposure to tactile sensory stimulation is a holistic learning opportunity that nurtures a child’s intellectual, physical and emotional growth. As parents, it is our responsibility to provide these developmental opportunities for our young children. With mindfulness and creativity, we can offer the tactile experiences our children need for their healthy growth, development and happiness.
Written by Janet Nicole Meyer for Golden Days at Home
I am very excited to share this creative company with you just in time for the holidays. East End Press specializes in handcrafted, high-quality printed decorations, homeware and gifts. I especially love their screen-printed paper garlands to add a bit of festive spirit to each season of the year.
To learn more about the artist and creator, Ellie Hodesdon, read here for her interesting interview by Heirloom Art Co.
The founder and author of Golden Days at Home preschool curriculum savors all opportunities to play and travel with her now grown children. She and her husband hike, bike and enjoy living on a stream in Boulder, Colorado with their elderly English Mastiff, Roxy.
