Page 227 - Čotar Konrad Sonja, Borota Bogdana, Rutar Sonja, Drljić Karmen, Jelovčan Giuliana. Ur. 2022. Vzgoja in izobraževanje predšolskih otrok prvega starostnega obdobja. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem
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Sensory Integration as the Path for Nurturing Toddlers’ Wellbeing
By providing an overview of the existing studies from the neuroscientific
and sensory integration area, we have tried to emphasize the significance of
sensory integration growth from an early age. Also, this contributes to raising
the educators’ awareness about this highly important area for early age edu-
cation because, ‘if sensory-motoric processing is well organized in first seven
years of our lives, a child will learn mental and social skills in the forthcoming
time much easier’ (Ayres 2009, 19). One more important goal to achieve, as
highlighted in National Curriculum for Early and Preschool Care and Education
(Ministarstvo znanosti, obrazovanja i sporta 2014), refers to integral develop-
ment, children’s education, and their competencies development, and it is
based on understanding the child as the whole being and excepting the in-
tegrating nature of his various ways of learning in the organization of the ed-
ucational process in the preschool institution. Ayres’ (2009, 48) definition of
sensory integration can be attached to this since she explains it as the process
of sensory input organization, which classifies, arranges, and combines all of
the sensory inputs in complete brain functioning. She concluded that, ‘when
the functioning of the brain is completely balanced, the body movement is
highly adaptive, learning is easy, and good behavior is natural outcome.’
The Role of the Preschool/Nursery School in Sensory Stimulation
and Activities with Toddlers
The research paper (Olson et al. 2016) that used ‘the sensory processing mea-
sure – preschool test’ (Miller Kuhaneck et al. 2010) for children in the age 2–5
years, is guided as the initial and final test so they could evaluate the effects
of sensory processing challenges with four preschool children, in their home
and in preschool institution. The selection and implementation of strategies
based on the knowledge about sensory integration and from parents’ and
educators’ point of view, during the three and a half months’ period have
been monitored. The results of the test conducted in the preschool institu-
tion have shown much more progress than the ones conducted at home.
Parents and educators have highlighted the evident progress in social partic-
ipation and the everyday activities that depend on the sensory processing as
well as in the praxis, which is, according to dr. Ayres, the ability to understand,
organize, and exhibit control in (for a child) new unknown everyday actions
such as washing his teeth, eating, and sleeping. As the child displays difficul-
ties in the sensory modulation at an early age, it can pose a challenge for his
ability to focus on important senses and simulative incentives. Sensory mod-
ulation is the ability of regulating and organizing intensity and the nature of
responses to sensory input in a way that the responses are appropriately di-
227
By providing an overview of the existing studies from the neuroscientific
and sensory integration area, we have tried to emphasize the significance of
sensory integration growth from an early age. Also, this contributes to raising
the educators’ awareness about this highly important area for early age edu-
cation because, ‘if sensory-motoric processing is well organized in first seven
years of our lives, a child will learn mental and social skills in the forthcoming
time much easier’ (Ayres 2009, 19). One more important goal to achieve, as
highlighted in National Curriculum for Early and Preschool Care and Education
(Ministarstvo znanosti, obrazovanja i sporta 2014), refers to integral develop-
ment, children’s education, and their competencies development, and it is
based on understanding the child as the whole being and excepting the in-
tegrating nature of his various ways of learning in the organization of the ed-
ucational process in the preschool institution. Ayres’ (2009, 48) definition of
sensory integration can be attached to this since she explains it as the process
of sensory input organization, which classifies, arranges, and combines all of
the sensory inputs in complete brain functioning. She concluded that, ‘when
the functioning of the brain is completely balanced, the body movement is
highly adaptive, learning is easy, and good behavior is natural outcome.’
The Role of the Preschool/Nursery School in Sensory Stimulation
and Activities with Toddlers
The research paper (Olson et al. 2016) that used ‘the sensory processing mea-
sure – preschool test’ (Miller Kuhaneck et al. 2010) for children in the age 2–5
years, is guided as the initial and final test so they could evaluate the effects
of sensory processing challenges with four preschool children, in their home
and in preschool institution. The selection and implementation of strategies
based on the knowledge about sensory integration and from parents’ and
educators’ point of view, during the three and a half months’ period have
been monitored. The results of the test conducted in the preschool institu-
tion have shown much more progress than the ones conducted at home.
Parents and educators have highlighted the evident progress in social partic-
ipation and the everyday activities that depend on the sensory processing as
well as in the praxis, which is, according to dr. Ayres, the ability to understand,
organize, and exhibit control in (for a child) new unknown everyday actions
such as washing his teeth, eating, and sleeping. As the child displays difficul-
ties in the sensory modulation at an early age, it can pose a challenge for his
ability to focus on important senses and simulative incentives. Sensory mod-
ulation is the ability of regulating and organizing intensity and the nature of
responses to sensory input in a way that the responses are appropriately di-
227
