Blindfolds can be a very important thing to have in a child’s toy or play box. Children when the sense of sight becomes the more dominant sense, rely on that sense too much, and this is why blindfold games are very important to their development.
Being blindfolded means that they have to use their other senses to discover the world around them. Blindfold games are also very important for balance and spatial awareness.
According to Blindfold Sensory Play, Blindfold games are also very important for trust and teamwork and for “seeing” the world differently. One could also suggest that blindfolds can help parent-child bonding as blindfold games are good for developing the sense of touch, which can help in enjoying a reassuring cuddle when upset.
Blindfold games are used for birthday parties, sensory games at school, and fun at home.
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Blindfolds Games Benefits
Sensory development needs to start very early, Say you are breastfeeding a newborn, they are using balance and knowing where they are in space, they can see you and hear your voice. They can feel you cuddling them, they can smell you and taste the milk. This is why developing their senses in a multi-sensory approach is important.
Sometimes it is important to develop the other senses by removing the sense of sight. The sooner you can get your child comfortable with being blindfolded the better.
Eye Masks for Sensorial Activities and Guessing Games
There is some discussion about whether you should use eye masks or a folded-up piece of cloth for sensory play. Whilst a cloth can be used, eye masks are perfectly designed to fit comfortably to your child’s head and they are not too heavy on the child’s face.
Quality Eye Masks such as Sleep and Sounds Hush Sleep Mask for Children can be easily adjusted without having to pull a tight knot in a piece of cloth at the back of the child’s head, but best of all a sleep mask for sensory play provides great light blocking and they are easy to put on and take off. Sleep and Sound also offers a variety of quality handmade, luxury eye masks for sleeping and sensory blindfolds for adults.
Blindfolding your children might also help them to be able to go to sleep in the dark as they become used to the darkness, also handy for times when traveling to help children sleep.
Blindfold Games for Kids
Here are some practical suggestions for blindfold sensory play with your children.
Start off by blindfolding yourself and explaining what a blindfold is, then blindfold your child on your knee and give them their teddy bear to feel and guess, if this works you are ready to move on, Here are some more suggestions.
- Feel toys or people’s faces and identify them.
- Smell different objects or oils
- Guess who is talking just by hearing their voice.
- Serve afternoon tea after you blindfold them.
Or just play the traditional blindfold games like Blindman’s Bluff or Pin the Tail on the Donkey. You could encourage your children to go to sleep in the dark by playing blindfold games in their room, especially with their soft toys. There are more suggestions on my website and in my book, which can be purchased there.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is impossible to emphasize the importance of blindfolds in sensory play for kids. These straightforward but functional instruments bring up a world of sensory discovery, encouraging imagination, creativity, and cognitive growth. Blindfolds help kids develop a deeper knowledge of their surroundings by encouraging them to use their other senses while momentarily removing their sense of sight.
Therefore, introducing blindfolds into sensory play may be a wonderful and engaging experience for kids of all ages, whether it’s a game of taste-testing while blindfolded or an imagined voyage through touch and sound.
