Sensory play is extremely important for infants because it allows them to explore their environment through their five senses. Providing opportunities for babies to touch, taste, smell, see and hear different textures, objects, and materials stimulates their brains and helps to develop their cognitive and physical abilities. Sensory play also helps develops fine and gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and language skills. Sensory play will also allow babies to manage their emotions and reduce stress. Engaging in sensory play with babies and infants is an enjoyable and beneficial activity for both the children and their caregivers. Here are 10 engaging sensory play ideas for babies:
- Sensory bags: Fill a ziplock bag with different materials such as glitter, beads, and water to create a fun and safe sensory experience for baby.
Sensory bags - Texture exploration: Give infants a variety of textured materials such as a soft blanket, a rough towel, and a bumpy toy for them to explore with their hands and mouth.
- Scented playdough: Make scented playdough using essential oils or food extracts to provide a multi-sensory experience.
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Water play Water play: Fill a shallow bin with water and add toys, such as cups and rubber ducks, for babies to splash and play with.
- Sensory bottles: Create sensory bottles by filling bottles with materials such as rice, beans, and pom-poms and allow babies to shake and explore.
- Messy play: Let infants explore messy materials, such as cooked spaghetti or shaving cream for a fun and tactile sensory
Messy play experience.
- Music and movement: Play music and encourage babies to move and dance along with the beat.
- Nature exploration: Take children outside to explore different textures and smells in nature such as grass, leaves, and flowers.
- Sensory story time: Read books with sensory elements like textures or scratch-and-sniff pages.
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Sensory blocks Sensory blocks: Provide a variety of blocks of different textures such as wood, foam, and fabric for them to stack and play with.
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