Sensorial
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Sensorial work focuses on the development of the five senses, sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. It is important for children to be adept at using all their senses to learn. Concrete exposure to experiences through the five senses is a fundamental step toward learning and provides a bridge from the concrete to the abstract.
Children learn to differentiate between sizes, colors, weights, textures, sounds, odors, and tastes. Organization and classification are central concepts of the sensorial portion of the curriculum.
The purpose of the sensorial materials:
- Learn classification and organization
Children learn to classify and to organize their environment. Classification and organization give clarity to the mind and the consciousness. - Strengthen the powers of discrimination
Strengthening the powers of discrimination brings refinement to the senses. The sensorial materials isolate specific senses, focusing on one sense at a time. It allows the child to discriminate, to see the differences and appreciate the distinctions. - Establish greater mental order
The way we present things leads to the development of more neurological pathways as the child matures. Learning in context allows the child to understand more, and remember more.
"The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge"
-Maria Montessori
