Toddlers are Sensorial Explorers

Dr. Montessori observed that children go through sensitive periods during which they are mainly disposed to develop specific abilities. 

A Sensorial exploration is a sensitive period of the toddler years. They want to touch, see, hear, smell, and taste everything! Through sensory exploration, young children learn about the fantastic world around them.

You may have noticed your child turn at the sound of every airplane, notice small insects, explore objects with their mouths, and want to feel water pass through their fingers. 

Dr. Montessori designed her learning environments to appeal to this drive for exploration within young children.

Montessori Guides are trained to offer rich and varied sensory experiences to their students in many ways, for example:

• fabric to match
• interesting rocks to sort 
• natural fruits and vegetables to touch and taste 
• water activities 
• unusual music, instruments to listen to 

What does it mean for you, the parent of a toddler, to know that they are a sensorial explorer?

Understand that sensorial attributes are what your child is drawn to. So, for example, the smooth feel and color of an apple peel and the sweet taste of the apple itself will interest them - as opposed to how to cut an apple, uses of apples, varieties of apples, or other things you might tell an older child. 

At home, slow down to appeal to your sensorial explorer, and remember that everything in this world is new to a young child!

Point out sensorial attributes: "What does the apple feel like to you? Smooth, bumpy, or rough?"

-Ladybug Teacher