Working on the development of the sense of touch
Author: Corina de Boer-Vreeke
Guide and mother
Sensory silicone mats
Playing together and having fun working on the development of the sense of touch
sense of touch
During the workshop "De Kriebelkist" many games, materials and work forms pass by. Each of the activities and materials that pass by are aimed at stimulating children to use their sense of touch more.
The sense of touch is a valuable sense that is used less and less. Bubbling, feeling, discovering, touching, playing outside are often no longer part of the daily program. Most (guest) parents, pedagogical workers and teachers do not have time for it and/or are not looking forward to dirty clothes and dirty children.
And that is more than a pity, because activating and developing the sense of touch is very important for good overall development , both cognitive and motor .
For example, working with the sense of touch is important:
• for the development of a healthy body awareness
a healthy body awareness gives self-confidence and a feeling of security
• in supporting the learning process
the more senses you use, the better new learning material is absorbed
• to experience peace and relaxation
with desired, respectful touch, oxytocin is released, among other things. The hormone of peace, connection and recovery
• in learning to indicate and respect boundaries
Fortunately, in the aforementioned workshop you also get to know many materials where you use your sense of touch and don't get dirty? The Toys42hands webshop even has a separate section "feeling and touching" under the tab > senses. I was allowed to test one of these materials... the sensory silicone mats
Sensory silicone mats
Of these, easily washable, silicone mats, there are five large and five small, round discs in the box. Each large disc has a different color and texture. The small discs each match one of the large discs. When I had put them on the floor at home to try them out myself, it turned out that my sense of touch could also use some practice. I took the small discs in my hand and, with my eyes closed of course ?, searched with my bare feet for the matching large disc….. three out of five correct. I'll try again later….
That “later” was when we were visiting grandpa and grandma with the whole family. I had put the discs on the floor and it didn’t take long before the children (aged 5 to 15) asked if they could play with the sensory silicone mats. Playing turned out to be not only fun, enjoyable and educational. It was also a bonding activity, because the heiten and memmen were called over to come and feel it too ?
Game ideas
Below are some of the games the children invented with the sensory silicone mats.
1. Place the large discs on the floor and take the small discs in your hand. Close your eyes and feel the small disc that is on top. Find the large disc that belongs to the small one with your feet.
2. You can also do this the other way around. With your eyes closed, find a large disk and stand on it. Now try to find the matching one from the small disks in your hand.
3. If you find it difficult to keep your eyes closed, put on a blindfold or hide the small discs in a closed container or a container with e.g. sand, marbles or leaves and then find the matching small disc.
4. One child is blindfolded. Another child places the large sensory silicone mats in a circle around the blindfolded child. The blindfolded child now receives a small disk from the other child and searches for the matching large disk with his feet.
5. You can make the challenge a bit bigger by placing all the large sensory silicone mats in a row. The blindfolded child walks over all the large discs. At the end, he/she gets the small discs and tries to place them in the same order as he/she felt with his/her feet.
6. Number 5 can also be done the other way around. First, blindfolded, feel the order of the small disks and then place the large disks in the same order with your feet.
