Little ones do not explore the world like adults do, they learn and develop through all their senses, which is why it is very important to stimulate them. As more and more people understand and seek this out, sensory panels have been gaining popularity as they offer a rich and varied multi-sensory experience. In today's post, we will explain what a sensory panel is, what benefits they provide and we will give you 15 ideas so you can create your own sensory panels at home.

What is a sensory panel?

A sensory panel is an educational tool designed to stimulate children's senses, especially in their first years of life. It is almost always a flat surface, usually made of wood or plastic, on which various elements with different textures, sounds, colors and smells are mounted. Through them, children can freely explore different elements, manipulating them and experimenting with them, which helps them develop their cognitive, motor and sensory skills.

What does the sensory board stimulate?

The idea of sensory boards is that they manage to stimulate children's five senses simultaneously and in a complementary way. In other words games, sensory boards stimulate:

The touch

These types of boards usually have a wide range of textures, from smooth and soft surfaces to rough and rough. This allows children to explore and discriminate different tactile sensations, which promotes the development of tactile perception and fine motor skills. In addition, the elements of the sensory board, such as buttons, zippers, switches or wool, require children to manipulate them with their hands and fingers, promoting hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity and proprioception.

The view

When bright and striking colors are incorporated, children's visual attention is attracted and their visual perception is stimulated. The different elements of the sensory board have different shapes and patterns, which children can observe, identify and classify. This contributes to the development of visual acuity, visual discrimination and logical thinking.

The ear

You can always include items that make sounds when manipulated, such as bells, rattles, or simple musical instruments. This stimulates children's hearing and helps them develop auditory discrimination and auditory memory. Additionally, by manipulating some elements of the sensory board, children produce sounds, which teaches them the relationship of cause and effect.

The sense of smell

Sensory boards can incorporate scented items, such as spices, herbs, or essential oils. Of course, aromas stimulate children's sense of smell and help them identify and discriminate different smells, which they could later associate with objects or experiences.

Taste

Including edible items with different flavors, such as fruits, vegetables or cookies is also a great option. In this way, children's sense of taste is stimulated. We remember that young children already tend to explore the world with their mouths.

Benefits of a sensory panel in children

Sensory panels provide numerous benefits for child development, especially during the first years of life, among which we find:

Sensory stimulation

Sensory panels stimulate children's five senses: touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. What does this mean? That help them process and better understand the sensory information they receive from the world around them. By freely exploring the different elements of the sensory panel, children discovery learning their properties and characteristics, encouraging their curiosity, creativity and imagination.

Cognitive development

Children learn through direct experimentation with sensory panel elements, which helps them develop cognitive skills such as problem solving, logical thinking, and memory. Additionally, by manipulating panel elements, they discover cause-and-effect relationships.

Motor development

Manipulating the small elements of the sensory panel develops fine motor skills, since to achieve this it is necessary to coordinate the small movements of the hands and fingers. It also develops hand-eye coordination by having them explore items with their eyes and hands, which is essential for activities such as writing, drawing and playing with balls.

Emotional development

As children explore and master the elements of the sensory panel, they become more confident and their self-esteem increases. Additionally, these types of panels have a calming and relaxing effect, which is especially beneficial for children experiencing anxiety or stress.

Socialization

Sensory panels also encourage cooperative play between children, helping them develop social skills such as communication, collaboration and teamwork. Not only this, but it also helps them deal with emotions like frustration in children.

How to make a sensory panel for children? Step by Step

There is no way to doubt whether or not sensory panels are incredibly beneficial for the development of the little ones in the house. Although simple, this form of children's entertainment is not only quite practical, but it also helps them a lot, so here are 15 easy ideas for you to do at home:

Texture panel

• Materials: Cardboard,velvet, sandpaper, cotton, bubble wrap.
• Instructions: Cut and glue these materials into different sections of a cardboard rectangle, so children can touch and explore the different textures.

Button and zipper panel

• Materials: Buttons of different sizes and colors, zippers, any fabric.
• Instructions: Sew the buttons and zippers on a piece of sturdy fabric, where the little ones can practice fastening and unfastening.

Light and shadow panel

• Materials: Small LED lights or flashlights, cardboard or wood.
• Instructions: Install the lights on thin wood or cardboard, so that children can turn them on and off.

Musical panel

• Materials: Bells, rattles, small instruments, cardboard.
• Instructions: Attach the instruments to the cardboard panel so children can play them and explore different sounds.

Fabric and textile panel

• Materials: Silk, wool, cotton, felt, corduroy.
• Instructions: Sew each of the scraps of the fabrics you have chosen, one next to the other and glue them on a flat surface.

Rope and ribbon panel

• Materials: Ropes, ribbons, bows, cardboard.
• Instructions: Attach these materials to the cardboard panel so children can braid, knot, cinch, or scrunch.

Sensory Bottle Panel

• Materials: Transparent bottles, liquids of different colors, small objects (beads, sequins), wood.
• Instructions: Fill the bottles with liquids and objects, and fix them to a piece of wood, so that the little ones can shake or move them.

Nature panel

• Materials: Dry leaves, shells, twigs, stones, cardboard or wood.
• Instructions: Glue these natural elements on cardboard or wood so that children can touch them.

Touch panel and temperature

• Materials: Ice cubes, heated rice bags, wooden panel.
• Instructions: Place ice cubes and warm bags of rice on a thin wooden panel so that the child can not only experience textures but different temperatures.

Odor panel

• Materials: Bags with dried herbs, spices, cardboard or wood.
• Instructions: Grab small cloth bags and fill them with different herbs or spices. Then glue or tie them side by side on a cardboard panel.

Numbers and letters panel

• Materials: Raised numbers and letters like candles, cardboard.
• Instructions: Glue these items to the cardboard panel so children can touch them and become familiar with them.

Bead and Charm Panel

• Materials: Beads of different sizes and colors, rope, cardboard.
• Instructions: Pass the beads on a string and then attach it to a piece of cardboard, so the children can move and sort them.

Water and sand panel

• Materials: Containers, water and sand, wood.
• Instructions: Fill different containers with water and sand, then stick them on wood so that the child can turn them.

Velcro fabric panel

• Materials: Fabrics with velcro, cardboard.
• Instructions: Stick different fabrics with Velcro on cardboard so that your little one can tear it off and stick it on.

Pipes and funnels panel

• Materials: Plastic tubes and funnels, wooden panel.
• Instructions: Attach these items to the panel so children can pass small balls or marbles through them.

What should a homemade sensory panel have?

A homemade sensory panel should have a variety of elements that stimulate children's five senses. In turn, these elements must be safe and appropriate for the child's age. So that you can create boards safely, we give you the following tips:

Safe elements

It is essential that all elements of the sensory panel are safe for children. You should avoid small items that could be ingested, as well as items with sharp edges or that can be easily dislodged. Just as there are educational wall clocks of the brand Kiddus designed and designed for children, there are elements that it is better to avoid using, since they still do not fully understand the danger.

Secure fixation of elements

It is important that all elements of the sensory panel are securely fastened to the board to prevent them from detaching and causing accidents. To achieve this you can use screws, Velcro, hot silicone or any other secure fixing ABA method.

Personalization

The sensory panel must be personalized according to the interests and needs of the child. That is, when deciding what elements to include, keep in mind those that the child likes, that reflect their culture, or that help them develop specific skills.

Child participation

It is recommended that the child participate in the creation of the sensory panel, in order to motivate him to use it and give him a greater sense of belonging. The sensory panel should be a space for fun and learning for the child. Free exploration and creative play should be encouraged.

Periodic renewal

It is important to renew the elements of the sensory panel periodically to maintain the child's interest. Elements can be changed for new ones or rearranged differently.

Supervision

It is important to supervise the little ones while they play with the sensory panel, especially if they are young. This will help prevent accidents and ensure that the child is using the panel safely and appropriately.

Conclusion

In conclusion, sensory panels are an excellent way to stimulate children's comprehensive development through play. By offering a variety of textures, sounds, lights, and other stimuli, they can help improve fine motor skills, coordination, and sensory perception. Remember that by creating your own sensory panel, you are providing your little one with a powerful educational tool that will encourage their curiosity and active learning.