How Waldorf education promotes tactile development

My Duobao was delivered by caesarean section. As early as before he went to school, he had learned that children who had not given birth naturally and had not been squeezed by the birth canal might cause some problems, such as sensory disorders.

My Duobao did have some tactile obstacles when growing up:

For example, his adaptability to new stimuli is weak. We took him to many theme parks when he was a child. He is not as excited as we thought, but fidgety.

When I was a child, I refused to cut my hair and wash my face. When I grew up, I refused to take a bath for a while.

I changed from long sleeves to short sleeves in early summer, and I was also very uncomfortable.

When playing with children, they will fight back against casual collisions and become emotionally unstable.

Later, I came into contact with Waldorf education and got to know and understand these presented States, which is a typical tactile sensitivity.

So what happens if the sense of touch is not well developed? There are two main types, tactile sensitive type and dull type.

Tactile children

Generally, it will show weak adaptability to new external stimuli.

Like to be in familiar environment and action;

I like to stay the same, using repetitive language and actions.

Afraid of crowding, refusing to line up;

Fear of rough clothes and labels;

Don't like to touch some rough clothes or articles;

Afraid of the wind (the airflow will make its hair flutter and produce an itchy feeling);

Wear long-sleeved clothes on a hot day;

Often refuse to get a haircut, wash your hair or wash your face;

Picky food and partial eclipse; It tastes delicate;

Take things with your fingertips;

Personal space is too large, and casual collisions will also fight back;

Interpersonal tension, inattention, and difficulty in concentration.

A child with a dull touch

Usually slow response.

The movements are inflexible and clumsy, the brain's ability to distinguish is weak, and it lacks self-awareness and low learning enthusiasm.

It is also manifested in clinging and cuddling, which requires a lot of touch from parents;

I always like to touch other people's faces or a toy, bedding, etc. Otherwise I won't sleep;

Poor fine resolution;

Unclear pronunciation;

Lack of safety awareness, careless bumping or bleeding, often unaware;

I don't care about beating and cursing, I like to touch all kinds of things too much, and I have compulsive behavior.

Cognitive touch

In the embryonic stage, human beings have three layers of structure, and the outermost layer will develop into skin and nervous system in the future. In other words, human touch is related to the nervous system, and touch is the most important nutrition of nerve tissue. The sensitivity of touch will affect the recognition ability of the brain, the flexibility of the body and the mood. Touch is the strongest feeling in the first seven years after birth, and it is also the most delicate feeling in the human body.

Waldorf education divides human senses into twelve kinds, including touch, life, movement, balance, smell, taste, vision, warmth, hearing, language, thought and self. Only by understanding the healthy senses can our inner life experience the world around us more richly and fully. Touch is the most important of the twelve senses, and it is also the earliest to be developed.

The development of touch will make people have boundaries and boundaries. We will see that many children like to disturb others, like to attract others' attention, such as their hands and feet, they move quickly and can't concentrate on completing the game. This belongs to the fact that the sense of touch is not well developed and there is no sense of boundary. The deep meaning of this boundary consciousness is that when we are in contact, we feel separated, and at the same time, our self-consciousness will gradually awaken.

Children can gradually realize the boundaries of their bodies, especially their limbs, through contact, so as to continuously develop their inner selves and adjust their behaviors.

Both Montessori and Waldorf education have their own unique aspects and are very knowledgeable in the study of tactile development.

Montessori attaches great importance to children's perception of different surfaces, such as roughness, smoothness, hardness and softness. Among the teaching AIDS she designed, there is a set of tactile boards with sandpaper of different thickness on the surface. Children touch with their fingers, then distinguish subtle differences and name them. Montessori's attention to touch is one of the important sensory entrances for children to absorb external information. By providing rich tactile materials, children have the opportunity to absorb all kinds of tactile information, thus expanding their sensory experience.

In Waldorf education, children are immersed in an environment with rich sensory experience. Outside are different materials of ground, grass, soil, sand pools, stakes and various stones. There are toys made of various materials in the room, such as wool, wool felt, cotton and linen, silk, wood blocks and various plant seeds. Although the way is different, it is the same as the original intention of Montessori education, hoping to bring children a colorful sensory experience.

Help children develop their sense of touch.

Some parents think it is necessary to train only children with tactile impairment, but it is not. According to a large number of scientific investigations, almost all children have tactile disorders, but their performances are different. Tactile disorder will not disappear naturally with the increase of age, and it needs to be given necessary guidance and attention.

Good tactile stimulation can bring children a sense of security.

As parents, we need to treat and accept children properly, calm their emotions, help them eliminate their fears and gain a sense of security. The tactile stimulation of adults to children must be with love wholeheartedly, making children feel that they are treasures worthy of love and respect, such as tight hugs, sweet kisses and gentle touches. These children who grow up in love will have a better sense of self and know how to establish love ties with others.

Tactile stimulation should be gentle and firm, and should not be overly perfunctory.

Tactile stimulation should be gentle and firm in order to give children satisfaction. Tactile stimulation is not enough, nor can it be perfunctory.

To help you understand, give two examples: one is too positive. Many adults pinch their lovely children's cheeks when they see them. The children have refused and resisted, but they still have to kiss and hug. This is excessive tactile stimulation. There is also a typical left-behind child whose parents go out to work when they are very young. The child is in a "stocking state" and has no idea what it feels like to be close to his parents. The students I consulted described their state at that time. They meet their mother once a year, and when her mother comes to hug them, the whole person is stiff, afraid and refuses. I still feel alienated from my parents when I am old. This belongs to the lack of good tactile stimulation. When I grow up, I will be cautious in interpersonal relationships and lack courage. I will always feel that I am unprotected and unloved.

Children need touching and hugging, kissing and watching. This is the foundation for children to build trust in the world. The establishment of trust is considered by psychologist Eriksson as the first step in the stage of children's psycho-social development.

Games to promote tactile development

1, sandbox game

Children devote themselves wholeheartedly, and all parts of their bodies can contact mud and sand, especially their hands, which can be made into mud balls and various things. And pay attention to observe children's refusal or acceptance of contact with various substances, not only substances, but also sand, mud, grass, gravel and so on.

Step 2 play water games

It is a child's nature to love playing with water. You can feel the wonderful feeling of floating when you are immersed in water. When taking a bath, you can pour some warm water first, then some cold water, so that children can feel the different stimuli of hot and cold. There are also happy water gun fights, carefree fountain plays and so on.

Step 3 walk barefoot

Develop the child's sense of touch by pressing the soles of the feet and awaken the child's understanding of the body.

4. Wrap in a bath towel

Children's sense of touch can be developed by playing games such as "Bao jiaozi", "Bao Chun Juan" and "A caterpillar turns into a butterfly" with children wrapped in bath towels. Interesting parent-child time can also enhance interaction with children and make them full of pleasant experiences.

There are many tactile games, which will be supplemented in future articles for your reference.