Rainbow Cones + Sensory Exploration

After being on the hunt for these cones that I would see pop up on many accounts that have always been a point of inspiration, @homegrownfriends has brought ALL the best Rainbow Cones to @openplaytoys.  

Open ended materials such as these rainbow cones have endless play opportunities that spark creativity, curiosity, & wonder. You can use them for building, dramatic play, fine motor skills, light exploration, loose parts, sensory play, and more. 

To kick off our first time using these cones we did two sensory invitations in our Cosy Direct Tuff Trays. 

1. Slime Exploration: Placed Nicole Jacklyn’s Crystal Slime that we mixed confetti with.

2. Oobleck Exploration: Squeezed Colorations BioColor Metallic Gold Paint from Discount School Supply into our water and then mixed it with corn starch to create Oobleck. 

Children who have a diversity of sensory experiences learn to use & enhance their senses in new ways. The benefits of sensory play in early life are numerous. Sensory stimulation & play-based learning will help all children, regardless of age, developmental stage, or learning style. It helps create nerve connections inside the growing brain’s neural pathways, triggering a child’s inclination & aptitude to compete for more difficult learning tasks. It also enhances linguistic development, cognitive growth, physical capabilities, problem-solving abilities,  social interaction, & enhances memory function. 

Sensory play and open ended hands-on experiences are a gift to the child's mind & some of the most effective ways of learning in the early years. The greatest play advocate Bev Boss once said, “If it hasn’t been in the hand and the body…it can’t be in the brain."