{"id":212,"date":"2017-09-26T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-26T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/preschool.utahdanceartists.com\/blog\/?p=212"},"modified":"2017-10-25T22:56:53","modified_gmt":"2017-10-26T04:56:53","slug":"multisensory-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/preschool.utahdanceartists.com\/blog\/multisensory-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Eyes, Ears, Mouth and Nose- The Benefits of Multisensory Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"multisensory<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

There is no question that babies are learning to identify the world around them with their senses. \u00a0From the familiar smell and sound of mom, to feeling swaddled and warm, babies are participating in multisensory learning. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Multisensory<\/a><\/p>\n

It should be no surprise that preschoolers are continuing in their quest to identify and explore their environment through multisensory learning. \u00a0For those of us who are not immersed in the child development vernacular, <\/span>multisensory<\/span><\/i> just means using more than one of the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch) in a learning activity. \u00a0So here is an easy rule of thumb: the more senses the activity uses, the more effective the learning will be.<\/span><\/p>\n

Benefits of Multisensory Learning<\/b><\/h2>\n

We all have a different<\/span> learning style<\/span><\/a>, the most common being visual or verbal. But one of the great benefits of multisensory learning is utilizing all learning styles. \u00a0Furthermore, did you know that multisensory learning can also help children with l<\/span>earning and attention issues<\/span><\/a>? \u00a0These children are better equipped to collect data and problem solve as they participate in a more hands-on approach to learning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Studies<\/span><\/a> have also shown that multisensory learning increases proficiency and effectiveness of learning as it accesses more parts of the brain, improves memory, and enhances brain development. Don\u2019t be surprised if your child is repetitive when doing a multisensory activity. \u00a0This type of learning is <\/span>all about the process!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

What Does Multisensory Learning Look Like?<\/b><\/h2>\n

To the untrained eye, multisensory learning may look a lot more like play than learning. \u00a0Look a little closer and you\u2019ll find that multisensory <\/span>play<\/span><\/i> is actually their little brains at work. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"multisensory<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Put together a puzzle and your little guy is using his sight as well as critical thinking and kinesthetic learning. \u00a0Talk about the puzzle as you complete it and you\u2019ve added verbal and social learning styles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"multisensory<\/a><\/p>\n

Role play gives children the opportunity to handle objects in their world as they discuss and apply their usefulness, using logical–and sometimes not-so-logical–thinking. \u00a0They are able to develop social learning skills as well as a combination of visual, verbal, and even auditory learning. \u00a0(When was the last time you noticed your preschooler singing while playing? \u00a0Yep! \u00a0That was auditory learning!)<\/span><\/p>\n

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Water tables are fabulous multisensory learning tools, as they just beg to be played in! \u00a0Whether using rice, water, sand, beans, or water beads, the feel of the medium on your hands and fingers are firing those synapsis all over the place! \u00a0Add the toys, and our preschoolers are busy little bees learning laws of physics while their processing brains go wild.<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Multisensory Learning Activities to Try at Home<\/b><\/h2>\n

Puzzles and role playing are easy to play at home, too. \u00a0Get a plastic tub in the back yard and fill it with water, add a funnel, and you have your own water table as well. \u00a0But here are a few more fun multisensory learning activities to try at home:<\/span><\/p>\n

1-Play-doh<\/b><\/h3>\n

The store-bought or homemade kind both work great. \u00a0Not only do they work their little kinetic minds while kneading the dough, they process so much more when you give them tools to use. \u00a0\u00a0Here are a few ideas:<\/span><\/p>\n