How to Get Babies Excited About Sensory Play
Babies are little sensory machines. They are curious about nearly everything and will often go to great lengths to explore new objects with their eyes, ears, nose, hands and mouth. However, new tastes, smells and sounds can also be a source of anxiety and fear. You can avoid this hesitation and fear by introducing new sensory experiences to your baby at her own pace and using your established physical and emotional bond as a comforting constant during new exploration.
Things You'll Need
- High-chair
- Blanket
- Plastic bowl
- Plastic infant spoon
- Uncooked rice
Instructions
Choose a comfortable location for your sensory play that makes your baby feel comfortable. You can change this around with different activities. For example, sponge and water activities can be done in the high-chair, while texture activities might be done on the floor. Make sure the place you choose is one your baby is already familiar with. Slowly introduce the activity to your child. You might place your child on his tummy on a soft blanket and encourage him to grasp it or begin playing a song at a low volume and slowly increase the volume as your baby adjusts to the noise. Demonstrate each activity and continue to be involved throughout the activity. Consider giving your baby a bowl of uncooked rice and a spoon at the table. Show your child how to move the rice around with the spoon or feel the rice with her fingers. Pick up a few pieces at a time and place them on the table. Say, "Feel the tiny pieces of rice. That's right. You can touch it, too. Can you pick some up?" Remember that dry grains like rice will swell if ingested, so encourage your baby to play with it rather than eat it. A little bit of tasting is a normal part of sensory play. Talk to your child in a happy and uplifting voice. Many parents will instinctively raise the pitch in their voice when talking to babies, and this is exactly the tone you want. Babies naturally pay closer attention to an adult speaking in a high tone. You might happily say, "Oh, feel this! The blanket it so soft. Feel how soft it is," as your baby grasps the blanket. Introduce silly faces and expressions into your activities. Babies pick up on cues from you, so if you think an activity is exciting and fun, your baby will often think it's fun, too. You might pour a few tablespoons of water in the tray of your baby's high-chair and make little splashes with your fingers. Encourage your baby to copy you and say, "Splash, splash! Look at your wet little hands. You're all wet!" or "Is the water cold? Yes! Feel the cold water."
