Sensory Playtime

Even though my daughter is just 18weeks old we have included sensory time in her daily routine since she was just a newborn. I think it is so important to interact with your little one-from the moment she was born I was chatting and singing to her, as all other mummies do too, and I really believe that is why she is such an alert baby. Even at a few days old she was so alert and everybody always commented on how alert she was for such a young baby. She was noseying all around her at a few days old. I remember every time the heath visitor would come she would always say you could tell that she was a well stimulated baby and I would sit there proud as punch.

Sensory play is so important for a baby's development-mental, intellectual and physical-it allows them to develop so many skills and become aware of their senses. Stimulating babies helps them to become more aware of their surroundings and helps aid their social and cognitive abilities and it is so easy to do. It's not about expensive sensory toys-its just the little things you can do yourself at home. It's great for bonding and I probably love it as much as she does.

Singing and Talking are the easiest two things to do-and not just baby talk-actually having a conversation-even if it is one sided, really helps to stimulate babies and aids their language capabilities as they grow older. I love to read so from she was only a few days old I would read nursery books to her. Animated story telling is great for babies to allow them to distinguish between different sounds. As she has got older she now stares at the pages in the books and seems enthralled by the colours. Books are super cheap-you don't need to buy expensive ones-bargain stores and charity shops are a great place to buy some-or even the library.

We have a playmat with lots of hanging colourful toys which she loves and will lie and grab at the toys and coo and ahh to them. She loves lights so we have plenty of those-Bm Bargains is great for cheap and cheerful lights-stick off the lights and put on the toy and there you have sensory time. Cheap glowsticks are great for this too-but obviously I would be apprehensive about letting her near them. We have a mixture of different light feature toys-some play nursery sounds as well, and they double up as great ways to send her off to sleep too.

Different fabrics are great to allow her to develop her sense of touch-cosy soft blankets and soft fluffy Teddy's, as well as other everyday items such as bubblewrap which she can lie on and pop away as she rolls about. You can also use scarves-silk, woolen-any kind of fabric really. Stuff you have around the house!,

Noisy toys are great-rattles and all those sensory type of toys are great-again they are cheap but if you wanted you could  make your own-just fill a plastic bottle with items such as pasta, sweets, rice, buttons-just ensure you have the lid really really secure and never leave the baby with it if you aren't 100% that you have secured it well enough. There are so many things you can do with items in your house-just look around and use your imagination.

Baby Massage is a great sensory activity as it incorporates sense of touch and smell and awareness of their little bodies. We do massage at every bath time and she loves it-I wish someone would massage me every day!.  We also bought one of those Bubble blowing machines and blow the bubbles which she loves to watch-make your own with water and fairy liquid! .I.m excited for all the things we can do as she gets older-playing with paint, water, ball pits and making play dough.

Sensory play does not have to cost you a penny-just use what you have around the house, your little one will love it!.