How Sensory Toys Help Children Learn

Sensory toys and fidget toys do much more than keep your little one busy and entertained when out to eat or if you need some quiet time. They can actually help your child learn, focus, and improve many areas of their lives. Sensory toys can often be seen as distractions; however, they are actually the total opposite. If your child struggles in the classroom with paying attention, focusing, studying, and sitting still, sensory toys might be the answer you’ve been looking for. Keep reading to learn more about how sensory toys help children learn and  the best sensory toys you can get for the classroom.

What Are Sensory Toys?

Sensory toys are anything that gets your child’s stimuli going. Sensory toys are designed to stimulate a child’s five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. They might include elements such as bright, contrasting colors, sounds, or different textures. These toys are meant to help children develop their senses in a safe and natural environment using play. (source:  Carmenbpingree)

Your child might be hypersensitive (sensory avoiding) or hyposensitive (sensory seeking). Hypersensitive children do not like things such as:

• Toilets flushing 
• Sirens 
• Bright lights 
• Lawnmowers 
• Strong smells 
• Dishes clanking

Alternatively, hyposensitive children might seek things such as:

• Weighted blankets 
• Dancing 
• Jumping 
• Running 
• Spinning 
• Textured food

Either way, both hypersensitive and hyposensitive children need a way to calm their senses and give their brain the stimuli it is craving. This can be done through many methods, including sensory toys.

Understanding ADHD & Sensory Processing Disorders

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is a condition that affects how your brain processes sensory information (stimuli). Sensory information includes things you see, hear, smell, taste, or touch. SPD can affect all of your senses, or just one. SPD usually means you’re overly sensitive to stimuli that other people are not. (source: FamilyDoctor)

ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active. (source: CDC)

A child with ADHD might:

• Daydream a lot Forget or lose things a lot 
• Squirm or fidget 
• Talk too much 
• Make careless mistakes 
• Take unnecessary risks 
• Have a hard time resisting temptation 
• Have trouble taking turns 
• Have difficulty getting along with others

Benefits of Sensory Toys

When a child has ADHD, autism, or sensory processing disorders, many parents think that giving them a sensory toy or fidget toy in the classroom could be a distraction. However, studies have shown that it has the opposite effect. Sensory toys also help with the following:

• Fine motor skills 
• Language skills 
• Gross motor skills 
• Cognitive growth 
• Calming 
• Fosters social interaction 
• Fosters physical activity

Best Sensory Toys for the Classroom

Children, and even adults, learn best and retain the most information when they are stimulated. This is because physical exercise strengthens muscles, and stimulation strengthens your brain. Sensory balls are great exercise for your brain to help you focus and retain information better.

Spike balls are the best sensory toys for the classroom. This is because they are:

• Quiet. Spike balls do not make loud clicks, bangs, or pops. They are perfectly quiet, which makes them ideal for the classroom so as not to interrupt instruction. 
• Mess-free. Spike balls do not create a mess of any kind. You don’t have to worry about slime on your child’s homework! 
• Distraction-free for others. Other children can get distracted by another student’s fidget or sensory toy if it is bright, has lights, or is large. Luckily, Spike balls are small enough to fit in the palm of the hand, are bright enough to be fun but not enough to be distracting, and as no distractions for others to notice.

The SPIKE Sensory Fidget Ball

The newest addition to our fun fidget and sensory toys is here! The SPIKE Silicone Fidget Balls are going to be your child’s new best friend. Made in an adorable pineapple-like shape and three stimulating colors, kids (and adults!) of all ages won’t be able to put them down. Easy to fit in the palm of your hand, these balls have tons of textures and ways to enjoy them. Squish, pop, float, toss, or pull—these balls will help keep focus and fulfill sensory needs.

• NON-TOXIC: The SPIKE Silicone Fidget Balls are made of food-grade silicone, which means they are free from dangerous toxins such as BPA, Phthalates, PVC, latex, and lead. 
• MULTIPURPOSE: Use The SPIKE Silicone Fidget Balls on their own as a discreet fidget toy, as a pencil topper, or even in the bath! 
• PERFECT FOR SENSORY SEEKERS: Kids and adults of all ages can enjoy these discreet, non-distracting, quiet sensory toys at home, school, or the office! Perfect for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, focusing issues, ADD, ADHD, sensory processing disorders, and other attention conditions. The brushes are calming and therapeutic while also stimulating enough to fulfill sensory-seeking needs. 
• FUN FOR TODDLERS, TOO: Great for ages three and up, even the littlest member of your family will love to play with The SPIKE Silicone Fidget Balls! Whether as a bath toy or part of sensory exploration, it’s never too early to get your hands on a SPIKE Ball. 
• EASY TO CLEAN: Since The SPIKE Silicone Fidget Balls are made of food-grade silicone, all you need to do is pop them in the dishwasher or boil them, then shake dry, for a nice, deep clean.

Looking for more sensory toys, parenting hacks, sensory processing disorder tips, and other great family products? Visit us at  innobaby.com!