Beyond Rice: Integrating sensory play in your early childhood classroom

If you scroll the PreK side of Pinterest and Instagram you’re bound to come across a lovely picture of colorful rice neatly organized in a pretty wooden container with the hashtag #sensoryplay.

And it looks magical, creative, and fun!

Until teachers whip out their own sensory bins…

After a few minutes of enduring kiddo’s tossing the rice on the floor, the bin is closed up, pushed into a corner, and used as a storage table.

It seems sensory play has become another social media moment and a hassle of mess for teachers and nothing more.

But what if I told you sensory play

A: is more than just colorful rice in a bin?

And B: can actually be helpful for all kinds of things in the early childhood classroom, from letter recognition and social skills to behavior management!

Yup!

That’s right.


 

The benefits of sensory play are more widely understood in occupational therapy spaces but when educators understand the different sensory systems and how they impact a child’s development and behavior, it can be an amazing, everyday method of play inside the early childhood classroom as well.

The key is knowing that sensory play is more than just slime, rice, and kinetic sand.


Beyond Rice teaches early childhood educators the different sensory systems and their purpose and how to intentionally use sensory play in your classroom.

Inside this online professional development course you’ll get access to:

  • Online lessons are broken down into short videos
  • The Ultimate Sensory Play Workbook
  • Sensory Diet Ideas
  • Certificate for 1.5 Hours of professional development



>> This training is perfect for teachers who want to learn more about sensory play

>> Teachers who already use sensory bins but would like to use sensory play with more intention

>> ECEs who have neurodiverse children in their classroom with sensory needs

>> OR educators looking to expand their early childhood knowledge and explore a new topic


Ready to get started?


 

Course Curriculum


  Sensory Play in ECE
Available in days
days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like, including any updates and additions - across any and all devices you own.
Is this just a bunch of slime recipes?
Nope! You can easily search for slime recipes on Pinterest. This course teaches you about the unique sensory systems our bodies use to navigate the environment around us and how this can impact a children’s behavior. After this training, you’ll be able to use sensory play with more intention and effectiveness!
Will this help for classrooms with children who are autistic?
Absolutely! While each child on the autism spectrum is unique, understanding how sensory input can impact a child’s behavior can be hugely beneficial for behavior management and meeting a child’s needs. That being said, this training and sensory play, in general, is beneficial for both neurotypical and neurodiverse kiddos.
Which age groups will this training help?
All children benefit from sensory play in one form or another but we recommend this training, particularly for ages 2-9.

Get started now!



Your Instructor


Early Childhood Educators Academy
Early Childhood Educators Academy
Founded by Co-owners Amanda Comage-Trower and Laneic Lavalle, ECEA was founded in 2014 before being reorganized as Early Childhood Educators Academy in 2017.

We've combined our years of experience in the early childhood industry to support and develop strong leaders, provide training that leaves a lasting impact on educators, and help create high-quality environments and programs for children to thrive.

Our Vision is to reignite the passion for early childhood education, be loud advocates for play in the classroom, and equip teachers with the skills they need with hands-on, engaging professional development.