Sensory Exploration Seek and Find "I Spy" Sensory Bags

Sensory Exploration Seek and Find "I Spy" Sensory Bags

Jeanette Loftus

Sensory exploration is very important for a child's development because it fosters cognitive growth, fine motor skills and language development too. One way to encourage sensory exploration is through sensory "I Spy" sensory bags which are also known as seek and find sensory bags. They are handheld scavenger hunts that can have a lot of different benefits for children and adults too. These sensory busy bags are an on-the-go fun quiet time sensory activity. 

Sensory "I Spy" bags are made with a clear resealable bag that is filled with a variety of visual items. These can range from buttons or some pom-poms to natural materials like leaves and stones. The aim is to encourage a child to explore, identify and describe what they find in the sensory bag.

There are quite a few benefits for when a child is using a sensory seek and find bag. These bags provide a sensory activity for children to explore different textures, colors, shapes and sizes. They can help a child develop sensory awareness and they can be especially beneficial for children with sensory processing differences.

When a child is searching for the items in the sensory seek and find bag, they are encouraged to use descriptive language which expands their vocabulary and improves their communication skills. The "I Spy" promotes problem-solving , memory and attention skills too because the child needs to remember what they are looking for in the sensory bag and verbally communicate what they are finding. 

When a child is reaching, grasping and manipulating the objects within the sensory "I Spy" sensory bag, it strengthens their hand-eye coordination and their fine motor skills. Sensory seek and find bags offer a fun way for children to learn, play and keep them occupied during road trips and travel, waiting for appointments or in line ups, quiet time or when they are out at an event and feeling overwhelmed and anxious, they can be a great distraction. 

Using sensory "I Spy" bags are fun and they are easy to make too. You will need a resealable plastic bag or a clear container that the child can see the contents. Then select a variety of items with different colors and shapes that you will place into the bag or container ensuring there's enough space for children to easily explore.

Some add rice or beans to hide the items in the container or sensory bag. Make sure you seal the bag or container really well and always supervise your child. Allow your child to explore the sensory bag freely, using their hands and senses. Encourage them to describe what they find. Create a list of photos or words of the items for them to look for. This is a great sensory activity for some one on one time with your child as you look for the items together. 

Create sensory "I Spy" bags with different themes such as farm animals, ocean life or construction. You can also create themes for different holidays such as Halloween, Christmas, Easter or birthdays. Hide a particular item in the seek and find bag and ask your child to search for the hidden object challenge. Create multiple seek and find bags with different themes so your child always has a different fun scavenger hunt. 

Sensory "I Spy" bags offer a fun sensory opportunity for playing and learning. These sensory bags promote sensory development, build language skills and encourage engagement.