Sensorial comes from the word sense/senses. The sensorial materials are used to help children develop and refine their five senses, allowing the child to experience the material in this area in a sensory manner. Children are presented with various sensorial activities, which introduce the concept of size and dimension, colour, weight, temperature, smell etc. The sensorial area of the classroom also provides a solid foundation for further intellectual growth in other areas of the classroom such as language and mathematics.
The materials in this area are scientifically designed to bring clarity and order to the child’s world. Through the senses the child studies his/her environment, the child then begins to understand the environment around them. In a Montessori environment the child is a “Sensorial Explorer”.