With the spring time just around the corner, many of us are already dreaming of brighter, lighter and let’s face it, better days!
The arrival of spring provides the perfect opportunity to start getting outdoors, soaking up some much needed Vitamin D and making the most of warmer days with the people we love the most.
Kids also love being outdoors and the fresh air can do them the world of good! And, there are whole host of fun and exciting outdoor sensory activities that kids of all ages can enjoy this summer.
We’ve rounded up some of our favourites…
What are the benefits of sensory outdoor play?
There are a whole host of benefits that come hand in hand with outdoor sensory play, especially if your child suffers from conditions such as ADHD, SPD and Autism. This is becuae sensory play can optimise cognitive development by significantly increasing brain function, improving emotional regulation and of course, heightening ability to process new information and learn.
Playing outdoors also allows children to gain self-confidence, explore and learn about new surroundings, develop physical skills, increase gross motor skills and increase flexibility.
Water table
Kids absolutely love water tables. Providing hours of fun, water tables can facilitate copious amounts of sensory fin. Fill the water table with jugs and water toys and your little ones will enjoy a bucket load of sensory input.
Visit the seaside
Who doesn’t love a day at the beach? Jam packed with sensory experiences that will ignite your little one’s senses and spark their imagination, there’s lots of activities you can enjoy at the beach.
From paddling in the sea and exploring the rock pools through to building sand castles and playing sports on the sand, there are lots of unique experiences to enjoy. The seaside also provides the perfect setting to collect objects on the beach, swim, jump over waves and walk on the sand.
Swing through the skies
Did you know that playing on a swing engages all of the senses at the same time? And a great way to enhance your kid’s sensory experience is to get them to swing in different ways, whether they swing on their tummy or twist the swing up and let it go.
Get out in the garden
Spring time is the perfect time to get out in the garden and prepare it for the warmer months ahead. As well as teaching your favourite humans key valuable skills, planting flowers, sprinkling water, playing in dirt, pulling out weeds and watching seeds grow offer the ultimate sensory experiences.
Monkey bars
Kids love monkey bars and they really are the ultimate way to add a new and exciting dimension to playtime. Whether your little ones hang upside down, climb or move across the money bars, this is a great way to get them moving.
Sprinkler play
Sprinkler play never fails to keep kids occupied during the warmer months. Allowing them to enjoy hours of fun whilst staying cool, all you need to do is attach a sprinkler to your hose and allow your kids to run free. Trust us, this is one that never disappoints!
Sensory playmats
Sensory play mats can be used outdoors as well as in. So, if the sun is shining, why not take your play mats out into the garden or the park and allow your little ones to have lots of barefoot sensory fun in the sunshine and fresh air?
Explore our range of Muffik Sensory Play Mats here.
