Sensory toys are designed to stimulate one or more of the five senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch). They are great for any child to play with but can be especially for children with autism.
Various sensory toys can be given to autistic children at home, in schools, or in Action Behavior Centers. They help to promote healthy development in all aspects of life from physical to cognitive to social.
Children who are on the autistic spectrum can often struggle to make sense of the world around them. They can often become overwhelmed and experience anxiety when there is a lot of noise, lights, or people around them.
Sensory play is a great way to encourage exploration in a safe and secure environment. It teaches them how to process different stimuli, such as sounds and lights, to enhance their development.
Different sensory toys have flashing LED lights, noises, textures, and scents to actively stimulate one or more of the senses as the child plays. The more confident the child becomes over time and the better their skills become.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which sensory toys can support children with autism.
Increased Physical Development
Sensory toys can promote enhanced development of gross and fine motor skills. They can also help children learn about coordination and balance.
Fine motor skills refer to those that require the smaller muscles groups to work together. Examples of tasks that require great fine motor skills are typing, writing, gripping, and squeezing. Gross motor skills use larger muscle groups, such as those used in walking, running, and jumping.
Many sensory toys contain levels and buttons that can be pulled, pushed, and pressed to promote the development of fine motor skills and coordination. These are skills that can often be slow to develop in autistic children.
When children are playing with these toys together, they might be running around the playground or jumping around the room. They can be used as a form of physical play to encourage the growth of new muscle and bone tissue.
Enhanced Cognitive Development
Sensory toys are a great way to promote the development of the frontal lobe. This is an area of the brain that is involved in cognition, spoken language, and sensory processing, and its development is often slower in autism.
Stimulation of any of the five senses will activate the frontal lobe, meaning almost any sensory toy can be used to enhance its development. In particular, sensory boards and puzzles can be great to get autistic children thinking!
Better Social Skills
Autistic children struggle in social situations. Continual sensory play can help to enhance their social skills so that they can more easily integrate into social groups with others their age.
When autistic children are exploring with a variety of toys and playing with other children, they will become more confident with social interactions. They will learn how to share with others and participate in a group play setting and this can make a huge difference to their overall social development.