We all know about the 5 important senses (sight, touch, sound, smell, and taste), but we often forget about MOVEMENT as a significant sensory component. Play activities like going barefoot on a sensory play mat stimulate the proprioceptive and vestibular systems, which are integral components of healthy development. These systems contribute to everything from balance and visual skills, to attention and behavior. Exploring the world using the sense of movement further contributes to kids’ secure and organized sense of themselves.
Remember your childhood when kids ran barefoot on the grass, on rocks by the river, and on the pebbles and leaves in the garden or forest? We jumped over fallen logs and balanced on them. We waded by the sea or river, looking for empty shells and building castles of sand or mud. Such fun memories, and we were fortunate to have felt these amazing experiences under our feet.
But what about our children? Our lifestyles and where we live have changed, and we are less surrounded by nature, and more by the roads and concrete of high-density living. Too much screen time and less active play are primary reasons for poor physical, social, and intellectual development in kids.
The solution sounds pretty simple: Give our kids exposure to nature and the outdoors by visiting forests, walking barefoot on natural elements, or letting them jump from wooden logs
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