World of play – taste
Taste and smell go hand-in-hand. They are not often thought of as significant senses when gathering information about our surroundings, but they play a really important role – even more so for a child with a vision impairment. It’s time to put your sense of taste to the test!
Taste and smell go hand-in-hand. They are not often thought of as significant senses when gathering information about our surroundings, but they play a really important role – even more so for a child with a vision impairment. It’s time to put your sense of taste to the test!
In your Sensory Discovery Pack!
In your Early Years Sensory Discovery Pack you’ll find a sensory chew toy. Young children who have a vision impairment tend to chew things more so than children who are sighted. Sensory chews are a good way of providing them with something safe to chew, while being able to place a restriction on when and what they can chew.
Why explore taste with your VI child?
Like sight, hearing and touch, the senses of taste and smell can help your child to gather information about the world around them. When it comes to weaning and dinner time, your child will be using taste to identify foods and know what to eat. Sight plays a big part in the preconception of what something will taste like, so when this is taken away, taste and smell become the key senses in eating. Getting feedback about what an item is using the mouth is a behaviour you are likely to notice in your child. Babies and young children do put items in their mouths until they learn not to – for children with a vision impairment this ‘mouthing of objects’ phase tends to last longer. Therefore, edible games/activities and toys that are safe to be put in the mouth are a really good option to keep play safe and fun.
Getting started!
Most forms of sensory play can incorporate something that is edible or safe to go in the mouth. Some will taste delicious and the tasting will become part of the play and some will be taste safe. They may not want to eat them but if your child does put them in their mouth, you can breath easy knowing the are non toxic.
Sensory trays and messy play are a great place to get started. You can use items such as water, ice, porridge, cereals and rice. Visit the links below for taste safe sensory play ideas and recipes to make your own taste play items such as edible dough.
Perfect toys for scented play
Our Early Years Sensory Discovery Pack is a great place to start, if you don’t have one already, you can apply for one by clicking here.
If you don’t have a pack or would like to add to it, our toy directory has lots of ideas and suggestions for toys you can purchase, or items you can just find around the house.
Find out more about the RNIB Toy Guide, toy lending libraries and finding a sensory room near you.
