Tips

Tips on how to create a sensory experience.

You want the sensory experience to be a positive experience. Pick a good time to start your activity. Not when baby is tired or hungry. Make sure you are both in a comfortable safe area and have all your items to hand. Baby will learn a lot from your facial expressions and tone of voice. Be happy with lots of smiles. Talk about what your doing, what your showing them. Tell them about the colours and textures. When talking use soft positive tones, not to loud or over excited. Move objects slowly so they can focus and not be startled. Most importantly enjoy the time together, it’s an important bonding time for you both.

All sensory items are to be used with adult supervision. If  you notice baby is showing signs they are not enjoying it, then stop.

 

Feathers –

  1.  With the soft end use the feathers to stroke the babys skin softly. arms, legs, feet & hands.
  2. Use the feathers in songs/ nursey rhymes; ” round & round the garden” “This little piggy”.
  3. Place the feather in your hand, bring your hand up and blow them towards baby. As they grow older you might find they will blow them back. Talk about what your doing. You can count down before you blow ” 3, 2,1, Blow”. you can encourage catching too.
  4. As baby gets older you can use the feathers to tickle them. they might try to get you back.

Foil blanket –

  1. You can place the item near baby’s feet so they can kick and feel the foil blanket. As they wont be able to see the blanket only hear, you can give them the reassurance, smile and talk to them explaining what its is how it crinkles and rustles.
  2. Place the blanket near to babys hands, let them reach out and grab and move the blanket. let them feel and touch. watch them explore the different crunchy & crinkly sounds.
  3. You can use the blanket at tummy time. place the blanket in front of baby and move the blanket for them let them follow the sounds.
  4. Play peak’a’boo with the blanket
  5. The blank is a great reflector of light. You can use the flashing spikey ball with the blanket.

Bells & rattles –

  1. Hold the rattle/ bells up in front of baby. Let baby visually track the item as you move and shake them.
  2. Use the Rattle/ bells to make baby use there head and turn to noise. Shake one side of them slight our of eye sight. Good for tummy time when encouraging them to lift their heads.
  3. Let baby grasp and hold the rattle. Encourage them to move and shake the rattle.

Black & white Sensory Cards –

  1. Hold the card around 40cm away from baby. Let baby catch eye with the card for around 10 seconds. then turn the card. repeat with all cards.
  2. When baby is focused on the card, very slowly move the card up, down, left to right. as baby gets older you an move the card further away.
  3. Place/stick the cards on a wall or propped up so baby can see when laying down.
  4. You can also use the cards when baby is on there front.  Hold the card at a distant baby can see and move the card slowly.

Paper Fans –

  1. Gently fan the baby, let baby feel the cold air on their skin. talk about how it feels.
  2.  Learning the cause of effect.. “if I move this, this will happen” )Use the fan to make items move. Eg Feathers & bubble.

Bubbles –

  1. Blow bubbles near baby. They are eye catching and slow moving. Easy for baby to track and watch them float by.
  2. Developing hand eye coordination, When baby is sitting, Encourage different ways of popping the bubbles. Start with pointing to the bubbles then leaning to grab, catch or clap to pop them.
  3. Use the bubbles to develop language skills. talk about the bubbles.  Etherising the ‘buh’ in bubble and ‘puh in pop. explain how they are, small, wet, slimy, moving fast or slow. even looking for the colours inside the bubbles.

Ribbons clips & rings-

  1. Let baby hold the ring and feel the ribbons. Encouraging baby to grasp using fine and gross motor skills.
  2. Use the ribbons to stroke baby’s skin. talk about how it feels, soft and tickly.
  3. Move the ribbons in font of baby to encourage reach and grasp. move the ribbons slowly.
  4. Use the ribbons clips to attach to car seat, pushchair & activity gyms. baby will find the colours and ribbons mesmerising when moving.

Scarfs –

  1. Hold the scarf up infont of you and blow it towards baby. or next to baby.
  2. Play peak-a-boo with the scarf.
  3. Slowly move the scarf over baby let baby feel it on there skin. talk to baby, explain what is feels like.
  4. Use the scarf to throw up in the air and play catch. or watch it fall gentle to the ground.
  5. Hide a item (flashing ball or their favourite teddy) with the scarf, play peak-a-boo with the item or “where’s it gone” “there it is”.

Foam Mirror ( Fish )

  1. Light weight and great for baby to grasp, let baby hold and explore the mirror.
  2. At tummy time place the mirror in front of baby, propped up or laid down. let baby see its reflection.
  3. Talk to baby through the mirror so oyu can see baby and baby can see you. When baby can see themselves explain ” there’s the baby” tell them there name.
  4. The Fish Foam mirror can also be used at bath time and in water.