Understanding Touch the World Around Us
Created with support from Whangārei District Council
Feeling
Feeling is one of the ways children understand the world through touch, pressure, texture, temperature and physical contact with people, objects and environments.
Understanding the sense of touch
The sense of touch helps children recognise textures, pressure, pain, temperature and the physical qualities of objects around them.
Touch can support comfort, connection, play and learning, but for some children certain sensations may feel overwhelming, distracting, painful or difficult to tolerate.
How touch can affect children
Children can respond to touch in different ways. Some may seek more tactile input, while others may avoid certain textures, clothing, foods or physical contact.
Texture Sensitivity
Some children may dislike certain fabrics, labels, messy play, sticky textures, sand, grass, food textures or unexpected touch.
Touch Seeking
Some children may enjoy deep pressure, squeezing, weighted items, textured objects, fidget tools or hands-on sensory play.
Personal Space
Children may need support understanding boundaries, safe touch, body awareness and how close to stand near other people.
Why feeling matters
Touch is part of everyday life. It can affect clothing, eating, play, hygiene, school activities, sleep, emotional regulation and social interaction.
When adults understand tactile sensory needs, they can respond with patience and support instead of assuming a child is being difficult, fussy or uncooperative.
Supporting tactile sensory needs
Support may include offering choices, introducing textures slowly, avoiding forced touch, using sensory-friendly clothing, providing deep-pressure activities or creating calm spaces when touch becomes overwhelming.
Every child is different. What feels calming for one child may feel uncomfortable for another, so observation, respect and individualised support are important.
Helping children feel safe and understood
Understanding tactile sensory needs can help children feel more comfortable, more confident and better supported in everyday environments.
When children’s sensory experiences are respected, they are more likely to feel safe, included and able to take part.