Our Bissell Child Care Centre team recently acquired several new toys and are using these simple toys for a much bigger purpose.
These toys, stored together in a sensory bin, are each specifically designed to stimulate specific senses to help relieve children experiencing overwhelming emotions. Ready at hand, our child care specialists can quickly reach in and find a toy and help a child who’s crying or feeling angry or frustrated.
Sensory Toys in Action
The toys feature bright lights, soft textures, and fun noises to hold the child’s attention and help them cool off. Better yet, using these toys when a child is feeling overwhelmed can actually build the skills in them that can help them with these emotions throughout their lives.
Some of the more popular toys include the Wondertube, which calms children with slow moving sand and sparkles, and the tangle fidgets, the perfect stress reliever that also helps build a child’s attention. Though this may seem small, these toys can do a lot to help children as they go and encounter other situations that may upset them.
Why Sensory Toys are Important
Children who spend their days at Bissell Child Care Centre come from a wide range of different backgrounds. This includes children who may be living with learning difficulties or may have other special needs. Our Child Care Centre has both free child care spots for families needing assistance and paid child care spots for those who can afford it.
Every child is unique and different toys will help different children. But research consistently shows how using toys like these to help children when they’re upset can help them with countless challenges down the road.
Our approach at Bissell Child Care Centre is always rooted in solid research. We use a Learn Through Play model of early learning, which is widely seen as one of the best approaches there is to early childhood learning. But we also treat every child as a true individual, helping them learn about accepting differences and including everyone. Using this sensory bin is just one way we’re helping shape the next generation.