31. Corpus Callosum - why do sensory play

"The Corpus Callosum would serve as a marker for an intelligent brain."

- NIH

I had a friend recently tell me, "I know sensory bins are really trendy right now, but I just don't get all the hype."

We LOVE sensory bins.

For more reasons than just because they are Pin-worthy.

Sensory bins engage the whole brain. They promote brain integration and cooperation.

In short: they make kids more agreeable, confident, independent, and adaptable!

That's crazy,

but not as crazy as you might think.

For those of you who don't know, our brains cooperate in two hemispheres. The Right Brain controls the movent and function of the Left body and the Left Brain controls the movent of the right body. This was discovered by Roger Sperry in the 1960's when he medically severed the connection of the Corpus Callosum. Additionally, the Left brain is in charge of order, reason, and logic; critical skills in problem solving. The Right brain controls creativity, empathy, and intuition; critical skills for emotional intelligence.

The Corpus Callosum is a part of the brain that houses more than 200 MILLION connections between the two hemispheres. the more connections, the faster the information-highway processes the world around us. Development begins in the womb and is fully formed by age 12. That said, it can still be developed further later in life as well through intentional practices. Our brains are neuroplastic, which means they can keep growing and changing over time. Trauma, specifically in childhood, is shown to damage the connection between the parts of the brain, but they can be rebuilt!

The language of children is play.

When kids use sensory bins, they are integrating, or training, their brains.

Feeling and seeing new things stimulates that process.

Top 4 reasons for sensory play:

👅 Picky eaters- Food-safe sensory bins introduce new sensory experiences and help with picky eaters. They get to explore the unknown in a safe way (without pressure to perform) and they build self-confidence that inspires food exploration. I want to note: only put things in that you're confident are not allergens or choking hazards. 🐛 Wiggle worms- Sensory bins are perfect for teaching littles to hone their attention and learn FOCUS. My 1yo prefers to stand and work in short bursts at the Flisat table from Ikea. But my 3yo would rather sit. He has a developed a sense of purpose in his work. He focus for long periods and hates to be distracted or interrupted. I find that they play with the same bin for about a week at a time. Even my big kids can't resist getting in on the action. 🤯 Disorganized thinkers- It's best to introduce the bins in simple forms at first then add more stimuli. If you kids don't like new textures (mine hated sand and grass at first) try something familiar like rice or beans. The first bin I introduced to my 3yo was dry pinto beans and river rocks. Then we tried dyed warm and cold water and cups for pouring. As they explore these new experiences their brains are forming neural-highways for higher learning and organization. 👥 Stage 4 clingers- Sometimes they want me to play with them but USUALLY they don't. They like to take control of this tiny world. They are learning independence and self-confidence by having a safe place to be in charge. Resist the urge to correct their play and let them make messes! That's part of the fun! Now, I do draw the line at throwing materials or other unsafe play. But this is their space to be creative. Just enjoy the show! (and get a good vacuum)

Brain training isn't just for kids though!

Adults can practice building stronger connections to fight against memory loss in a variety of different ways as well. It all goes back to PLAY!

There are apps out there for "training your brain" and they probably work well, but they usually require a membership subscription. I created a Pinterest board to share some easy at-home games that are not only FREE, but they promote a healthy relationship with your kids too.

Your kids want to see you having fun!

Be sure to follow me on Pinterest because I'll be continuously adding more fun and games to my Corpus Callousum board and Sensory bin board.

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