As a new parent, it can be overwhelming to think of sensory activities to do with your baby every day. But fear not, there are plenty of simple and fun activities you can do with your little one to help them develop their sensory skills.
These activities don’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Just a few minutes of sensory play each day can go a long way in helping your baby develop and thrive. Even better if you can combine sensory exposure with daily routine activity, such as during a diaper change or while cooking.
Below, discover five easy ways to promote your newborn’s development through early sensory stimulation.
Why are sensory activities important?
Did you know that newborns are very sensitive to the world around them? They are sensory beings and react strongly to all sorts of stimuli.
Sensory activities are crucial for a baby’s development as they allow them to explore and discover the world around them using their senses. These activities can help to stimulate their brain and promote the development of essential skills such as hand-eye coordination and language.
By engaging in sensory play, babies can learn to differentiate between different textures, sounds, and colors, which can help to build their cognitive abilities. Additionally, sensory activities can promote emotional regulation and provide a calming effect for babies, which can be especially helpful during times of stress or discomfort.
By engaging with babies through sensory activities and offering plenty of opportunities for sensory stimulation, we can help them build important skills and lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning, exploration and wellbeing.
But what are some simple ways to help your infant develop? Below are my favorite simple sensory activities for early childhood development.
1. Baby-wearing
Warmth, scent, movement, balancing and looking, seeing what’s happening in the world, being part of mother’s rhythm.
Baby-wearing is a great way to bond with your little one while also providing them with numerous benefits when it comes to their sensory development. When a baby is worn, they are able to feel the warmth and heartbeat of their caregiver, which can help to regulate their own breathing and heart rate. Additionally, being held close can provide a sense of security and comfort that can help to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Research has shown that baby-wearing can also have a positive impact on your baby’s visual, auditory and speech development. When a baby is worn, they are able hear their caregiver’s voice and feel movements up close, which can help to stimulate their senses and promote cognitive development. This also makes babies partake in the caregiver’s daily rhythm and household activities.
Wearing your baby can help improve their sense of balance and spatial orientation by stimulating their vestibular system. Additionally, your baby will be working hard to balance your movements, which can lead to the development of their neck muscles and range of motion.
Overall, baby-wearing is a wonderful way to promote sensory development in your little one while also providing them with the comfort and security that they need to thrive. So, if you haven’t tried it yet, consider giving it a go and see how it can benefit both you and your baby!
2. Use toys made from natural materials
One easy activity to stimulate your baby’s senses is to play with toys. Natural toys in particular can be a great addition to your baby’s playtime activities. These toys are made from natural materials such as wood, cotton, or wool, and are free from harmful chemicals, making them safe for your baby to play with.
Natural toys offer more sensory input for your baby as they provide a variety of textures that differ from those of plastic toys. For example, wooden toys can provide a different texture and weight than plastic toys, which can help develop your baby’s tactile sense. Many natural materials also have distinct scents and can teach your baby about nature and real materials.
You don’t necessarily have to buy toys. Instead, you can introduce your baby to different textures using common household items like soft blankets, rough towels, linen or silk fabrics, wooden spoons, and pine cones. Simply let them touch and explore the materials, describing the textures to them as they play.
Natural toys can provide numerous benefits for your baby’s development, including sensory stimulation, imaginative play, and durability. Consider adding some natural toys to your baby’s playtime activities to help support their growth and development.
3. Getting outdoors is a simple sensory activity
The simple act of just being outdoors can have a positive impact on a baby’s development. It can help them develop their sensory skills by exposing them to different sights, sounds, textures and temperatures such as hot and cold.
Fresh air can improve respiratory health, and natural light can help regulate baby’s sleep patterns, which will help with a good night’s sleep (say no more!). Babies love to look at trees and the sky and the contrast between the two can highly stimulate their visual sense.
Once baby can crawl or walk, being outside can provide opportunities for physical activity and help build gross motor skills. Touching and feeling different textures, such as grass, sand and gravel will also develop their sensory skills.
Incorporating outdoor time into a baby’s routine can have many benefits for their growth and development. Don’t let bad weather discourage you. The key is to have appropriate clothing to stay comfortable. Remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices!
4. Allow baby to be naked
Have you ever seen your baby fully naked outside of bath time or diaper changes? Modern humans may feel embarrassment around nudity but there is nothing more normal and adorable than an unclothed baby!
On top of that, there are several compelling reasons why allowing babies to be naked for certain periods throughout the day can be beneficial. It fosters increased skin-to-skin contact between the baby and caregiver which has been demonstrated to improve bonding and reduce stress levels for both parties. This physical closeness and intimacy help the baby feel secure and loved, which is essential for their overall well-being.
More importantly for sensory development, being naked enables babies to move around freely and explore their environment without the constraint of clothing. This freedom of movement gives baby more ease to stretch, crawl, and eventually walk, promoting the development of essential motor skills. By providing a conducive environment for movement exploration, parents can help their babies achieve developmental milestones more quickly.
If you are afraid of a potty accident during naked time, use a disposable or even reusable pee pad under baby to absorb any accidents. If going full commando isn’t your thing, you can also start with just bare feet! This helps your baby to map their body from head to toe and can help them notice their feet as part of their bodies earlier, which is an important milestone towards crawling!
5. Let baby move freely
There’s a time and place for everything. And while there may be a time you need to contain or distract your baby in a contraption such as a swing or bouncer, it is best to let them move freely to the best of their abilities. Allow for lots of floor time so baby can enjoy movement in all directions. Avoid pushing baby into positions they are not ready for, for example by using positioners or moving their bodies for them.
Allowing babies to move freely and explore their surroundings is essential for their sensory development. When babies’ movement is restricted, their ability to experience the world around them is limited, which can negatively impact their sensory development.
Free movement helps babies to develop their sense of touch, balance, and coordination. It also helps them to learn about cause and effect, as they begin to understand how their movements affect their environment. Lastly, it will strengthen all the muscles needed for proper gross motor development.
It can be as simple as using a blanket or mat and placing baby on the floor. Place a few items of interest around them and let them work their bodies!
Letting them move around on their own can also give them a sense of independence and self-confidence, which is super important for their overall growth and development. So, always encourage your little one to move around and explore as much as possible!
Watch and enjoy seeing your baby develop
Encouraging the development of sensory skills through these simple sensory activities can establish a solid foundation for their future learning and overall growth. These activities can help babies improve their cognitive, physical, and social skills, as well as boost their creativity and imagination, while being of nearly zero effort and cost to the parent. Double-win!
I hope I could show you how easily you can provide sensory experiences for your baby in a fun and engaging way to enhance their learning and support their overall development.