The Baby Times! 12th Edition: Sensory Activities

Today I took the baby outside not only to see nature around him, to hear the sounds of the birds chirping, but also for him to feel nature.  Little man had the biggest smile on his face as he sat in the grass.  He kicked his legs and kept feeling the long blades of grass with his toes.  We talked about the green grass.  I love giving him the opportunity to explore outdoors, but also to have the opportunity to feel different textures.  Indoors today, I gave him different pieces of clothing to feel- silk, tulle, etc.  He loves rubbing the silky fabric on his cheek or learning about them by putting them in his mouth.  He also loves to scratch different textures and listen to the sounds.

  

Another sensory activity that Little Man enjoys are Touch & Feel Cards.  They are made for 2 years old and up (and he's only 6 months), so I just need to be careful that he doesn't poke himself in the eye with the cards when he is handling them. I show him the pictures and talk about them with him. They have sparkly numbers on them and fun pictures of animals with different textures.

Water play is a huge hit with him as well.  He loves to splash in a large bowl of water and absolutely soak Momma!

Why do I think it's important to give my 6 month old these opportunities?

1. To learn about the world around him.
2. To give him sensory experiences that will enrich his overall development.

Activity Mom posts a lot of great sensory activities for babies.  Recently, I was inspired to try the following activities:

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   Sensory Water Bags
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   Sensory Bottles

Other helpful resources:

1.Activities to Encourage Sensory Development 

Learn more about sensory development and how to make a material book. 

2.Infants and Toddlers: Sensory Experiences Galore!

Do you have any great sensory activities that you've been doing with your baby? Please feel free to comment and share your ideas!

Visit past editions of The Baby Times! 

Take Care!

Jen