Sensory play is an essential aspect of early childhood development. It helps young children to explore and understand the world around them, promote creativity, and develop important skills such as fine motor skills, language development, and problem-solving abilities. One of the most popular toys for sensory play is squishy toys. In this article, we’ll explore how squishy toys can help in sensory play for young children, and what are the best types of squishy toys to consider.
What Are Squishy Toys?
Squishy toy is a kind of soft, squeezable toy that are made from foam, rubber, or other pliable materials. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Since they come in various forms, including food, animals, and objects, young children find them visually stimulating and attractive to play with.
How Squishy Toys Help in Sensory Play
Squishy toys provide numerous benefits when it comes to sensory play. Here are some of the ways squishy toys can impact children’s development.
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Develop Fine Motor Skills
Squishy toys are perfect for developing fine motor skills in young children. Squeezing, stretching, and manipulating squishy toys require children to use their fingers and hands, developing their hand-eye coordination and strengthening their hand muscles.
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Ease stress and anxiety
Squishy toys can do wonders when it comes to easing stress and anxiety in young children. Their soft, squishy texture provides the sensation of touch, which can be very calming for children who are experiencing stress or anxiety.
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Encourage Imaginative Play
Squishy toys come in a variety of shapes and sizes, which can encourage imaginative and creative play in young children. Children can use their imagination to pretend that the squishy toys are different objects, like food, animals, or characters from their favorite movie or TV show.
Best Types of Squishy Toys for Sensory Play
There is a wide range of squishy toy available in the market, but not all of them are ideal for sensory play. Here are some of the best types of squishy toys for young children to consider:
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Sensory Balls
Sensory balls are squishy toys that come in different colors and textures. They are perfect for bouncing, rolling, and squeezing. The different textures and colors provide visual and tactile sensory input, stimulating children’s senses in multiple ways.
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Stretchy Toys
Stretchy toys are squishy toys that can be stretched and pulled in different directions. They come in different shapes and sizes, including animals, fruits, and common objects. Children can use their imagination and creativity to bend and reshape stretchy toys, allowing them to develop their fine motor skills and imaginative play.
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Food Squishies
Food squishies are squishy toy that come in the shape of different food items, such as donuts, hamburgers, and ice cream. They are visually stimulating and can encourage children to pretend-play food preparation and cooking, promoting imaginative and social play.
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Animal Squishies
Animal squishies is the squishy toy that come in the shape of popular animals like cats, dogs, and pandas. They can be used for imaginative play, role-playing, and storytelling activities. Animal squishies are also great for developing sensory skills as they come in different textures and colors.
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Liquid-Filled Squishies
Liquid-filled squishies are squishy toys that contain water and glitter, creating a unique visual and sensory experience when squeezed and shaken. Children love watching the colors and glitter move around inside the liquid-filled squishies, which can help stimulate their sense of sight and promote imaginative play.
Conclusion
Squishy toy is a kind of popular toy for sensory play for young children. They provide numerous benefits, such as developing fine motor skills, easing stress and anxiety, and encouraging imaginative play. When choosing squishy toys for sensory play, it’s important to consider the different types available, including sensory balls, stretchy toys, food squishies, animal squishies, and liquid-filled squishies. Incorporating squishy toys into sensory play can help young children develop important skills and positive experiences, making them a valuable addition to any child’s toy collection.
