When my kids were little I became obsessed with sensory play. So much that I turned my basement into a sensory play oasis and called it “Messy Play”. I did preschool classes, a dayhome, Mommy needs a Break respite and parented sessions.
Here is an example of one of the parented classes. I would set everything up to look clean and inviting….let the kids/parents play and create together…and then I would clean up the mess.
Waterbeads and a play kitchen
Sand (was always a favorite)
Homemade Playdough with fun tools to create monsters.
Learning Puzzles
Alphabet stickers
Markers with a long roll of paper
Chalkboard. Sometimes adding in paint brushes with water.
Magnatiles
Blocks
Paper clip/Magnets on light table
Painting with rollers/brushes turned into painting animals
Then we needed to wash animals…
And at the end we brought in a big bucket of real SNOW which was super cool to play with while warm inside.
We then spray painted the snow with water colours!
It was always real cool for kids that were a bit shy to slowly start to take interest in the centers.
Benefits for Anxiety
“There’s something about different tactile things that actually creates a sense of mindfulness” says Tracy Turner-Bumberry, a licensed professional counsellor and play therapist. “Sensory play helps children focus on what’s happening right now and tune out past sadness or future anxiety. They notice that right in that moment, they’re touching something that feels so good in their hands.”
In childhood development, sensory play promotes inclusive, open-ended play that helps develop skills, promotes self-regulation, encourages exploration, enhances problem-solving abilities, and nurtures creativity.
Touch:
For kids struggling with anxiety, tactile experiences can provide calmness. Encourage your child to explore different textures through activities like playing with kinetic sand, finger painting, or squishing stress balls. These tactile sensations can help ground anxious children in the present moment, providing a sense of comfort and stability.
Sight:
Can choose to create a calm and inviting environment for your child by incorporating soft lighting, soothing colors, and visually appealing elements like posters of nature scenes or twinkling fairy lights.
Sometimes just seeing an invitation to play and create is enough to draw them in. Engaging in visual activities such as drawing, paint mixing, coloring, or watching calming visualizations can help distract anxious minds and promote a sense of peace and relaxation.
Auditory senses: Sound has a profound effect on children’s mood and mindset, making it a valuable tool for managing anxiety. Introduce your child to calming soundscape playlists, nature sounds, or guided meditation recordings designed specifically for kids. Encourage them to listen to these soothing sounds during moments of stress or before bedtime to help calm their racing thoughts and promote restful sleep. In my classes it was more of an uplifting energetic music mostly. And would create playlists of different kids music for different holiday classes.
Aromatherapy: The power of smell can create a calming oasis for your anxious child. Experiment with child-safe essential oils like lavender or chamomile diffusing them throughout your home. The gentle aroma of these oils can help relax the mind and body. I would often have something to “smell” in my messy play classes. Whether it was lemons/limes in the water table, adding in lavender to play dough, playing with coffee grounds etc. One of the funnest days we had was using up a bunch of old spices and mixing them into play dough.
I encourage all parents to give sensory play a try. It can even be relaxing and fun for us to ground and just be in the moment. There will be some sensory play stations set up at the T1D Family picnic this summer! If you live near Red Deer and want details for in person events join my group here.
Lana Smid
Doing Diabetes Different 