An Examination of the Effects of Teacher Intervention During Sensory Play on the Emotional Development of Preschoolers

Abstract

Implementing specific interventions during sensory play time to stimulate the emotional development of preschoolers’ at a Midwestern university Child Study Center was investigated. The constructs studied were (i) children’s ability to label the emotions expressed by other children, (ii) their ability to self‐regulate or control their impulses, and (iii) the frequency of their aggressive acts. A new instrument, the Expressed Emotion Identification Tool, which measures children’s ability to label the emotions of others and uses only pictorial stimuli is described. Measurement of changes in preschoolers’ self‐controlling behaviors, aggressiveness, and nonaggressive problem solving showed no statistically significant differences between experimental and control groups. Anecdotal data, however, show positive outcomes and indicate a need for further study to determine the benefits of using interventions during sensory play to aid in preschoolers’ emotional development.