Tag: senses

Smell New Scents

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As you help your baby learn about the world and develop their senses, don’t neglect the sense of smell! Your infant is born with an acute sense of smell already, but new items will be a delight.

While she was happy and alert today, I sat Veronika down for this little game, and gathered together a plate of items with strong smells.

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The vanilla bean was a great hit. Her eyes went wide.

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Hmm, she wasn’t so sure about pungent nutmeg.

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Cloves also got a big wide-eyed look; offer the whole jar in this case, since the cloves are so tiny.

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She also really seemed to love the rosemary.

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And was tickled pink for fresh lavender.

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Fresh flowers make a great option, too.

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As you play, definitely let your little one feel the items as well (just be sure to supervise closely, as several are choking hazards).

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Since the sense of smell is strongly linked to memory, I had the fond thought that these scents might imprint in her brain. Will vanilla forevermore take her back to a feeling of infancy and comfort, now? It’s a nice thought!

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Textured Talk

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This game is a nice extension of the hand control activity Veronika and I played a few days ago. This time, I was less concerned with her grip, and more interested in using language to describe what she was feeling. You can use the same toys from that activity, or introduce a new set.

I did present her with mostly fresh toys, to keep things interesting. As I handed her each object, I said words about its texture out loud.

This one is smooth and plastic, Veronika.

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This one is soft and squishy.

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Bumpy was fun!

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It’s definitely okay for your child to move all these items right from hand to mouth. Babies learn a lot about the world through their mouths, so as long as the item is too big to be a choking hazard (use the toilet paper tube test), then it’s safe to hand it to your child.

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Veronika loved testing each one in her hands first, and quickly in the mouth second!

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In sum, this was a nice activity for language and sensory development, plus it was a delight just to watch her happy expressions!

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New Household Sounds

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Today was all about the auditory for Veronika and me! I devoted our together-time today to exposing these cute little ears to a variety of sounds – it helped that big brother was at school, and the house was quiet!

Even the most mundane sound will be new to your baby, so do a walk around the house and pause at anything that makes a noise. The kitchen was full of interesting examples, from the hum of the microwave…

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…to the splash of water from the faucet.

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The kitchen timer startled her a little with its beep! Perhaps she would have preferred an old-fashioned ticking timer… I get nostalgic for childhood evenings whenever I hear that noise.

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Other good noises include the hum of a dishwasher or fridge. Some won’t be as obvious, but tune in to sounds like the opening of a drawer…

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…or the crinkle of newspaper pages.

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Even diapers make a cool noise, at changing time!

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Veronika’s favorite seemed to be the ticking of Travis’s clock. We paused calmly together to listen to the second hand work its way around.

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Overall, I liked taking a day to zero in on noises. I tend to be more tuned in to the visual than the auditory, but I could tel Veronika liked our emphasis today, too!

Touch and Feel

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Today Veronika played around with new feelings and textures! Set out a little collection of toys, make sure baby’s tummy is bare, then have a little textured fun.

I collected a pile of different sensations: a woolly lamb toy, a squishy bird toy, a leather glove, and a rubber sensory ball.

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One by one, I rubbed each item on Veronika’s tummy. As I rubbed, I described the item, saying “woolly” or “soft” or whatever was appropriate to the item.

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Then I held it up, giving her the chance to see what the item was, and to reach with her fingers, if she wanted to.

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The leather glove was the most interesting to her, probably because she hasn’t encountered this material in toys before!

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I also let her try to hug the soft, squishy toy with both hands, although this type of grasp advanced for her age.

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Overall, her eyes were wide, and I could tell she liked the new sensations!

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