5 Easy Sensory Play Activities for Babies To Do at Home
Playtime is the best time! And when your baby starts to become more interactive and engaged in the world around them, it just gets better! We're huge advocates of ignoring the housework for a few hours while the baby is alert and ready to learn, which, of course, they do through playing.
A word on sensory play
Babies thrive by exploring the world through their senses— and this starts pretty much from the minute they're born. Sensory play helps nurture their cognitive skills, and the games you play with them will change over time. It's through this exploration that they will learn how it all works. So the next time you're down on the floor blowing raspberries with your baby, remember that you're actually teaching them some valuable life skills!
Don't be afraid to embrace sensory play or the mess it inevitably brings. Your baby is going to appreciate that mess more than you think, and it will do more for them than you know!
With this in mind, here are five of our favourite activities to do at home with little ones. Enjoy!
Explore tastes and textures with jelly
We love this one! Yes, it's messy (sorry!!), but it's an absolutely amazing way to help your baby learn and explore different textures with their hands. We recommend this activity for older, weaned babies, as lots of this exploring is done with their mouths. All you have to do is set everything up and let them dive in! You can also use Angel Delight or different cereals to introduce contrasting textures.
Make sure you supervise at all times, and why not get stuck in there too? Such a simple idea, but guaranteed to make your baby smile!
When you're done, simply spray your surfaces down with our Sticky Stopper, and you're good to go.
Explore touch with a baby massage
Baby massage is such a wonderful sensory experience for your baby, and one that can be done at any time— although we love doing this at the end of the day because of the way it relaxes, calms, and soothes little ones.
You can go along to a baby massage class, or there are plenty of how-to videos on YouTube to guide you. Take cues from your baby, stop when they show signs of tiring- and enjoy this lovely quality time! Do some research beforehand if choosing to use lotion or oil to ensure that what you have in mind is safe for your baby's skin.
Make sensory bottles
This is another super simple idea, and all you need is an empty plastic bottle (perhaps a milk buster bottle *wink wink*) and a few bits and pieces from around the house. Fill each bottle with different items for your baby to explore safely- pompoms, dried pasta, feathers. Think about engaging the five senses, like things that make different sounds when you shake the bottle or brightly coloured items that are intriguing for babies to look at.
You can also make treasure or sensory baskets for older babies— simply fill a basket or box with various items for your kiddo to explore (with supervision!!)
Ensure you regularly check the bottles to ensure they're safe to use, and spray them down with Sticky Stopper after each use. The same goes for the baskets- regularly clean each item after playtime.
Blow bubbles
Baby toys really do not need to cost a fortune! Blowing bubbles has to be one of the most simple pleasures in life, and it's not just babies who can become mesmerised by them! All you need for this is some bubble solution and a wand, and you're set!
Water play
Depending on your baby's age, this can be done in the bath, sink, or on the highchair tray. Water play is a fantastic way to let your baby really explore different senses, and there are so many different ways that you can adapt it to engage them over and over again.
A drop of food colouring in the bathtub can go a long way for older babies! You can add bath lights or play music, and don't forget to bring some jugs, sieves, and other containers so your baby can pour and sprinkle as they play!
Younger babies can splash in much shallower water and still have fun. Sometimes a simple washing up bowl on the kitchen floor is all you need to keep your baby amused!
Again, constant supervision is essential, and always ensure that the water is warm and not hot. Use a bath thermometer to check the temperature, and always swish around with your hand to disperse hot spots.
Bonus activity: tidy up time!
Babies are never too young to help tidy up, so don't be afraid to involve them in this activity too! Allowing your baby to help with simple, age-appropriate tasks is another way for them to explore and learn, and it may help you out in the future. Keep all cleaning products tucked away, supervise at all times, and embrace the 'help'!Use our Sticky Stopper to really clean inside any toys that you use during messy/ water play. We also recommend our Laundry Lover and Cuddle Lover to restore dirty clothes.