Petals, Paint and Textures: Sensory Play at Redfern Cottage
Learning That Starts With the Senses
Babies and toddlers are natural scientists. Before they have the words to ask questions, they investigate the world by touching, smelling, listening, looking and tasting. Each new texture or colour gives their growing brains information to sort, store and build on.
Sensory play is simply about giving that curiosity rich, safe and interesting materials to work with. It is a big part of daily life in our baby and toddler rooms, and it supports far more than most families realise. Our educators plan sensory experiences around the season, children's interests and what is happening in the world around them, so there is always something new to discover.
For families, it can be reassuring to know that the paint on your child's sleeves at pick-up is often a sign of a very busy, very productive day.
Brain connections: Exploring new textures, sounds and colours helps build the pathways children use for thinking and memory.
Fine motor strength: Squeezing, grasping and stamping build the small muscles needed for drawing and writing later on.
Early language: Educators add describing words like soft, bumpy, bright and cold as children explore.
Settling and focus: Calm, repetitive sensory play often helps children feel regulated and absorbed.
Confidence: Trying new materials in a safe space teaches children that new experiences can be fun.
A Season of Sensory Discovery
Spring has been a wonderful theme for sensory learning across our rooms.
In our Tiny Wanderers room, children explored the colours, textures and natural elements of the new season. They engaged with real flowers, leaves and natural materials, listened to music and enjoyed colourful sensory experiences, all within a safe and nurturing environment. These experiences encouraged them to use their senses, build curiosity and gain confidence as they interacted with the world around them.
Our Little Explorers took spring a step further with art and nature activities, exploring flowers, colours and seasonal changes. They expressed themselves through art, music, movement and play, while educators followed their interests and encouraged them to share what they noticed.
Colour, Costumes and Imagination
Sensory play does not stop at flowers and paint. During Superhero Week, even our youngest children enjoyed seeing and touching colourful superhero costumes, exploring different fabrics, colours and textures. For older children, the costumes became part of imaginative games, combining sensory exploration with movement and storytelling.
This is one of the great strengths of sensory play. It grows with the child. A baby might simply enjoy the feel of a shiny cape, while a three-year-old turns that same cape into the start of a superhero adventure with friends.
Our educators also use sensory moments to build connection. Sitting together on the floor, describing what a child is touching and responding to their sounds and gestures turns a simple activity into a shared experience full of language and warmth.
Movement and music are part of the sensory picture too. Shaking instruments, dancing to different rhythms and moving through the outdoor play space all help children understand their bodies, improve balance and coordination, and burn off plenty of energy along the way.
Easy Sensory Play at Home
Collect leaves, petals and bark on a walk and explore them together at home.
Let your toddler finger paint on a large sheet of paper outside.
Fill a container with dry rice or pasta and add scoops and cups.
Offer fabrics with different textures, like silk, wool and denim, to touch and compare.
Play music and let your child shake homemade shakers made from sealed bottles.
Growing Through Every Sense
Sensory play may look like simple fun, but it is building curiosity, language and confidence that will last well beyond the early years. To see sensory learning in action in our baby and toddler rooms, get in touch with our team and book a visit to Redfern Cottage in Minto.
