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5 Sensory Activities for the Little Ones

Mar 6, 2022 | Wellness | 0 Comments | 119

Ever since birth, your baby’s mental and neural developments are happening at warp speed. Within a span of a few months after birth, babies are able to see the world in color and this, in turn, sets off the Sensorimotor Stage as popularised by Piaget- one of the most celebrated names in pediatric psychology. Understanding object permanence, using their developing senses to understand the world around them by touching, feeling, sucking are some of the ways babies develop their mental capabilities. This development can be accelerated by engaging your kids in sensory and motor activities to widen their knowledge about the world around them. This is why many doctors consider the early newborn to age 5 years extremely crucial in terms of milestones and benchmarks, as it forms one of the most crucial stages for your child’s brain development. Here are some ways you can introduce sensory activities to your little ones! 

Skin To Skin- This sensory activity is especially crucial for newborns. You can activate sensory activities from birth! Skin to skin can not only help accelerate the sensory feeling through textures and warmth, but it can also enhance your bonding with your newborn. In fact, there have been scientific studies on this that detail the benefits of skin-to-skin within the early months of your baby’s birth. Like this research article says-’The intervention appears to benefit breastfeeding outcomes, and cardio-respiratory stability and decrease infant crying, and has no apparent short- or long-term negative effects.’ Skin-to-skin is one of the most preliminary forms of sensory activity you can introduce to your child. 

Colouring- You can start your child’s art activities from a young age! Playing with bright, contrast colors can serve as excellent sensory activities for your kids to develop their sight and visual perceptions. By including activities like finger painting and crayons, you can help your child explore different textures and go crazy by mixing colors and more. Dabble is a brand that you need to check out if you are looking for non-toxic all-natural organic crayons that come in ergonomic sizes and shapes that your child can easily grip on while making their first masterpiece! 

Bath Time Fun- Babies during bathtime explore a wild variety of sensations! Not only is it the feeling of water touching their skin, but also the foam from the bath products, the shiny metal taps, and of course the colorful bath toys! Make bath time a vibrant sensory experience by incorporating as many colorful balls and toys as you can include. It can also vary in textures and sizes to give your baby the ultimate experience during bath time. Like this beautiful blue whale toy,  or these fun bathtub crayons from Crayola! 

Dough- If you are trying to introduce sensory activities for your child, then play dough is truly one of the best activities! Tried and tested, this activity has been recommended by all development psychologists and pediatricians as a great sensory activity to introduce from a young age. It helps boost fine motor skills through playing with textures and also helps improve your child’s hand-eye coordination. More than that, it teaches your child how to be more independent, as they create new objects and things with their own hands. This article from the Michigan State University states that-” Young children learn through using multiple senses simultaneously. Hands-on learning with concrete objects, like Cassie’s experience in the scenario described above, leads to abstract thought as she grows and develops. In-play experiences, combining the sense of touch with the senses of vision, hearing, taste, and smell helps build cognitive skills.” Check out this handmade playdough for your little genius! 

Outdoor Time- As things start opening up, vaccination mandates become more robust, parents can finally take their babies for a good old stroll in the neighborhood! This becomes more important for children as they slowly begin to develop their sights and recognize sounds. It is a perfect multi-sensory experience as they get to see new colors and scenes and hear new voices and sounds that really help with their neurodevelopmental milestones.

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