17 Feb The Early Years Sensory Room
Introducing the Early Years Sensory Room at St. Paul’s School
This year at St. Paul’s, we have launched a new project which aims to complement and enrich our younger children’s learning experience. The creation of the Early Years Sensory Room offers a different scenario to what they would normally encounter in their daily routines. This purposely designed, softly lit quiet space provides opportunities for children to experiment with sound and visual effects, tactile sensations, vibration, aromas, and music all in many shapes and forms. A calm and relaxing area, intended to improve children’s’ emotional regulation through relaxation and manipulation of the elements, creating a positive inner working model for understanding the world, self and others.
Sensory exploration is an important part of early childhood development and can provide a strong foundation for future learning. Through the sensory room, our goal is to ensure that each child has access to the stimulation they need to explore the world around them with confidence and curiosity. Studies show that for optimum brain development during the early developing years, stimulation in the form of sensory experiences is of upmost importance.
Through this sensory-rich environment we aim to strengthen personal, social, and emotional development and encourage the improvement of communication and language. Sensory play also helps children learn how to express themselves in different ways such as through laughing and smiling.
A positive sensory experience can encourage children to use their imagination, increase their desire for future learning and boost their creative development. The activities which include the investigation of a sensory box prepared by the class teachers and focused on particular senses such as touch, sight, sound and smell aide children in understanding the world around them. By using their senses, children gather the information as they play and engage through experiences and contact, building an understanding about how the world works and helping to develop ideas that may be used later.
The Sensory Room is just one of our initiatives to provide an engaging, fun and educational environment for our youngest students. We are continuously looking for ways to further enhance the learning journey for all our pupils, ensuring a holistic approach to their development. We are confident that this project will have a positive impact on our students’ learning journey at St. Paul’s.
Ingrid Espinosa
Early Years Coordinator
