Engage Their Senses and Minds: Sensory-Based Learning for Preschoolers

From glitter bottles to yoga cards: here are some tips to stimulate all EIGHT senses. Yes, I said eight.

Join me as I explore the world of sensory processing and share tips on creating a sensory-friendly classroom for preschool-aged children. Understanding the eight senses is crucial for enhancing the educational experience and well being for all children.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Understand the benefits of sensory-friendly classrooms for preschoolers.
• Review the importance of the eight senses in early childhood development.
• Find engaging sensory activities for preschool-aged children.

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The resources mentioned in this episode are:

• Check out episodes 32, 33, and 34 in season one of Neuroversity from September 2022 to learn about sensory processing disorder and basic terminology related to sensory needs. https://www.neuroversitypod.com/episodes/episode/797698a5/sensory-processing-disorder-spd
• Statistics for US preschool enrollment: https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/08/preschool-enrollment.html#:~:text=The%20percentage%20of%203%2Dto,new%20U.S.%20Census%20Bureau%20report.
• Statistics for Norway preschool enrollment: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1312718/share-children-preschool-norway/#:~:text=In%20Norway%2C%20a%20high%20majority,reaching%2093.4%20percent%20in%202022.
• For a tutorial on making a glitter bottle: https://kidzcraftcorner.com/sensory-bottles/
• Discover 100 ideas for what to put in your sensory bin on https://happytoddlerplaytime.com/21-amazing-sensory-bins-for-toddlers-preschoolers/
• Listening Lotto Sounds on the Farm: https://www.amazon.com/Listening-Childrens-Auditory-Matching-Learning/dp/1933052392/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?crid=14B6M44T4DJ3I&keywords=listening+lotto&qid=1704320770&sprefix=listening+lotto%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-9
• Yoga Pretzels https://www.barefootbooks.com/yoga-pretzels-deck

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Transcript

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I'm Jessica Kidwell and this is Neuroversity a space to expand our understanding of neurodiversity and elevate neurodivergent voices and experiences. Today, I want to continue my learning on a topic I've talked about before, sensory processing in season one, I did a three part series on sensory processing disorder, which provides a good introduction to what sensory processing disorder is and started to build our understanding of all the different ways our sensory system can be under or overstimulated. If you are not familiar at all with sensory processing disorder, I would recommend starting there first before you listen to this episode. These are episodes 32, 33, and 34 in season one from September 2022. You'll learn about some basic terminology that I think will help today's episode make more sense. was recently asked to give an in service to a group of preschool teachers on how to build a sensory friendly classroom and at first I thought that's easy I know all about sensory stuff and had loads of things at the ready when I was helping my own SPD kiddo navigate her sensory needs And then when I sat down to corral my mess of ideas I realized uhoh this isn't going to be as as easy I thought Why Because telling a group of preschool teachers to build their classroom around my experience would leave out a whole lot of other types of sensory needs that they may encounter.I had one child with a couple of sensory needs planning for planning entire classroom While that means trying to prepare for as many needs for as many kids as possible while knowing that you won't be able to meet every need for everyone right away So I needed to take a much more macro look at our grade eight senses and see if I could come up with some helpful tips that can cross as many of those senses as possible As a reminder the great eight senses are the big five plus three Big five sight sound touch taste and smell The plus three are vestibular proprioceptive and interoceptive.A general rule but not all encompassing is that vestibular is our balance proprioceptive is our gross motor big movements and interoceptive is knowing what my body or emotions are telling me Everyone needs to have all of their senses engaged at some point It is the beauty of being beauty great big messy feeling human We have these eight different ways to experience the world around us and many of us naturally engage with our senses with thinking too much about it We touch something we feel and it feels good.We cover our noses when we don't like the smell of something we enjoy the taste of a favorite food We a favorite preference for types of music for are drawn to certain colors Those plus three show up in us too Without much thinking we adjust our body when we move from a solid surface to a more wobly surface We know how to get our body to move in and out of a chair or climb a ladder and we know when we have to use the bathroom or when we're hungry.We also know when we're feeling annoyed or angry even if we aren't exactly sure why And we learn how to do all these things by being exposed to activities that engage all of our senses there's all really famous book by Robert Fulgham called All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten It's a great premise but I've a thought the book should have been called all I really need to know I learned in preschool because preschool is where it is at now Here in the at preschool is not compulsory or free at least not nationally And despite loads of research showing the importance and benefits of preschool less than half of us children aged three to five are in a formalized preschool or daycare a that to or where almost 94 of children aged one to five are in preschool But whether your child is in a formalized setting or not I've put together a few tips on some ways you can incorporate sensory stimulating items or activities that will engage all of the great eight senses Pinterest is an absolute resource treasure trove for sensory engaging activities and crafts most of what I will talk about can be found in talk simple Pinterest search By just picking one of the senses you want to focus on and then search for activities for that sense like sense of smell activities or sensory activities for proprioception I will also link to everything I talk about today in the show notes so check them out if anything strikes your fancy or your senses there are hundreds and hundreds of ways to incorporate sensory engaging activities into your home sensory classroom.I mean there's probably thousands and there are endless ways to engage multiple senses at a time but for this episode I'm just going to address a favorite for each Let's start with the big five for sight I love a glitter bottle and honestly from preschoolers to grownups almost everyone likes to shake up a good glitter bottle and see what a Kidscraftcorner.com has a great how to on making these I actually just made on making preparation for the in service that I recently did and in it's January I went with and winter theme.I used a plastic bottle I got off Amazon but a you can use an empty water bottle I like can bottle that's 12oz or more for this So there's enough volume of liquid for the glitter and anything else you have in the to move around And for preschoolers I always go plastic because well preschoolers you fill the bottle about halfway with warm water and the fill it almost full with clear glue like Elmer's Then you top with off with glitter or beads or sequins.Add a couple of drops of food or if you a Screw that top on really tight You can even super glue it shut if you'd like But I often find a little painter's tape or duct tape will keep it nice and secure Then shake and watch.It's quite soothing Some teachers use it as and calm down tool if someone is upset or needs a Some teachers will even use it as a cause effect lesson I just like the way it looks for touch two words sensory bin Any well prepared sensory friendly classroom should have a sensory bin.This can be big enough for multiple kids to use at once or you can make individual sized ones for single use and then have can variety of them available I'm partial to and big bin a I like standing activities It helps with a vestibular system and I like encouraging multi child interaction But there is also something to be said for having interaction. single use available if someone needs a solo activity Now a far as what goes into that sensory bin this is where Pinterest is your friend again.I could probably do an entire episode on things that can be in a sensory bin but off the top of my head rice which you can color beans kinetic sand regular sand soil gravel packing peanuts beads water color ice cubes pompom balls pasta actual snow buttons You see what I mean There are so many options It's a veritable buffet of items that can go into many sensory bin I've included in the show notes can link into a Pinterest board from happytoddlerplaytime.com which has 100 ideas for what to put Pinterest your sensory bin for smell I love a blind smell activity.Now this is a very easy DIY project You a have little Dixie cups with the tops covered in foil and then you just punch some holes in the foil with a toothpick Each cup can have anything you want in it Some ideas include cinnamon clove popcorn coffee grounds anything cotton ball which can then be soaked cinnamon, vanilla popcorn, maybe lemon or soap As long as you have soaked variety of different smells keep the cups together in their own container to keep them handy to grab all at once.You can do it as a group or just have it available for kids to check out on their own It's interesting to see what smells are pleasing or not to different children It is not universal that all children love the smell of sweet things I had one student tell me that coffee was her favorite because it smelled like mommy for taste It is trickier than you might think to set up in a preschool setting.One allergies two hygiene lots of sticky hands and runny noses for just passing around a food for everyone to grab and share When I was a preschool teacher with the greatest lead teacher I could ever have the good fortune to work with Lisa Shannon we were known as the apple classroom We brought and cut up apples every single day for our kiddos and passing out apple slices is pretty easy to do And there are surprising variety of tastes you can get in an apple depending on which ones you buy You can have a whole range of tart to sweet.You can also dip an apple slice in have little sugar or in some lemon juice to really intensify the sweet versus sour If you're listening to this for ideas to do at home and not at preschool grab a muffin tin and fill each hole with a different type of snack Some salty some sweet some sour or bitter Just have at it for hearing I love sound bingo Absolutely love it.There's a company called listening Lotto not sponsored I swear that has a farm and a household version You give children a bingo card that has pictures on them a then you a a CD that then randomly a the sound that matches the picture For instance on the farm one you'll have a bingo card which has pictures of a tractor For instance, horse or farm dog And when the corresponding sound plays for that item the children can then point to it on their card Listening lotto also has a faces and feelings one which is less about engaging the senses and much more helpful for a emotional learning.This can be very helpful with autistic or adhd children I'll drop a link to all the listening lotto options in the show notes So that's the big five Now on to the plus three And if you can believe it there is one single activity that will engage all of the plus three senses.Vestibular Our balance proprioceptive That's our joints and muscles to do big movements and interoception reading the signals that come from our body And that activity is yoga Seriously yoga.It is the single best way to integrate all of those plus three and you can do it in one activity The poses work our balance and all of our joints and muscles and the breath is very in and that helps turn our attention inward to see the impact that deep breathing can have on the body It's and incredible mind body exercise and it turns out it is also an incredible sensory tool A fun way to incorporate yoga mind a preschool classroom is with a deck of cards from barefoot books called yoga Pretzels There are 50 cards each with one yoga pose on one side and then on the back there's yoga visual on how to get into that pose.You can do on card or and bunch depending on the time a you have So those are my great eight classroom ideas Now as I said a the beginning there are hundreds and hundreds of ways to incorporate sensory activities into your classroom or home But sometimes just knowing a place to start is helpful So I hope today's episode was helpful to you.I'd love to hear what ideas you tried from my list and what other ways you engaged the senses in your classroom or home Let me know by emailing me at neuroversitypod gmail.com or head to my Facebook and Instagram pages at neuroversitypod I love hearing from you I received emailing voice note on Instagram last month and let me tell you it made my whole month You have no idea how hearing feedback helps spur me month to keep making content like today and bringing you conversations with interesting people.Okay curious minds that's it for now I hope you'll listen to more episodes of neuroversity because there's always plenty of room for more curious minds to enroll Neuroversity is hosted and produced by Jessica Kidwell Our audio engineer is Jarrett Nicolai at Mixtape Studios Jarrett also created our theme music graphic design for neuroversity by Kevin Adkins.Web support is provided by George Fox For more information about this episode ways to support the podcast for anything related to Neuroversity please visit our website at ww neuroversitypod.com You can also follow us on your podcast app and social media sites We are at neuroversitypod on Instagram Twitter LinkedIn and Facebook And if you like what we're doing please tell others about neuroversity and give us at review on Apple Podcasts.There's plenty of room for more curious minds to enroll undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined undefined