The relationship between sensory processing patterns and play preferences of young children

We know little about what play materials preschool-aged children prefer and why they prefer them. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sensory processing and play preferences of preschool-aged children. Parents completed the Sensory Profile and a demographic form. Researchers observed 53 children's play activity level and toy preference during free play. To examine play activity level, researchers conducted Spearman rank correlation coefficients using scores from the sensation seeking and avoiding quadrants of the Sensory Profile, and all the levels of body position and body movement as variables. Analysis revealed a significant relationship between the avoiding quadrant and the standard deviation of children's body position during play (p=.23), suggesting sensation avoiding children are less likely to vary their position during play. To analyze play material preference, researchers used the constant comparative method to categorize toys into 15 categories and conducted ANOVA using toy categories and total scores from the sensation seeking and avoiding quadrants of the Sensory Profile as variables. ANOVA revealed a significant difference between toy categories and children's sensation seeking scores (F=2.814, p=.038).{09}LSD post hoc analysis showed children preferring miniature pretend toys had a higher mean sensation seeking score than children preferring creative art (p=.039), building materials (p=.013), or no toy preference (p=.043). Children preferring vehicles had a higher mean sensation seeking score than children preferring building materials (p=.017). Descriptive statistics showed children preferred play dough (11.9%), wooden blocks (5.3%), bright builders (4.5%) and coloring with crayons (3.6%).