Tag: Sensory Play

Jell-o Sensory Activity

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Jello Sensory (5).JPGThis twist on jell-o play will be a delight for any baby around 7 months old! Not only are babies at this age making their first forays into finger-feeding themselves, but any activities involving texture are a hit. Add a prize to dig for and an edible medium, and you pretty much have the prefect game.

First I made jell-o with our favorite vegan brand, Simply Delish’s jel desserts. Big brother Travis picked the flavor – strawberry!

Pour the jell-o over soft toys in Tupperware containers (make sure all are large enough not to pose a choking hazard).

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I thought large containers would be easier, but the toys popped up to the surface! Instead, it was easier to “trap” them in small containers.

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You can also wait for the dessert to set slightly, then push the toy down inside.

I presented Veronika with the Tupperware and the task to dig up the toy treasure. Of course at first she was just fascinated with the container and lid!

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Then she became aware of the items buried inside. Little fingers began digging. Once the toys were out, it was straight to her mouth. Yum, it tastes like strawberry!

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Now she wanted more of what was in the bowl. After feeling around…

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…the dessert plopped out into her lap.

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I rescued her from this and now it was fun to squish around on the tray. Soon she had big fistfuls going right up to her lips.

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Basically this was messy and perfect fun.

Pasta Play

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Looking for the perfect sensory game for your baby? Look no further than cooked pasta from your pantry! As soon as your baby can pick up food and chew, you can safely play this texture game.

I cooked a batch of rotini pasta, figuring the swirls and ridges would make for the most exciting texture. Let cool completely, then set out a bowl or strainer of the pasta for your little one. It helps to have a blanket underneath – this game is about to get messy!

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Veronika got her hands right in there.

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First we simply talked about texture. I used words like soft, squishy, and cool to describe the noodles that she pulled up by the handful.

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Picking up individual pieces is great for developing her pincher grip.

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She also loved scattering them about on the blanket.

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And of course a few made their way up to her mouth!

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In sum, this is simple fun, as cheap as it comes and perfect for kicking off a summer of play!

Fabric + Wipes Container

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Veronika and I have played with fabric before as a texture sensory activity. Today, we played with fabric again but it was less about texture and more about the fun of putting in and pulling out!

An empty diaper wipe container is the ideal container for this game. It’s deep, but small enough for little hands. And the pop-up lid is perfect! In fact, before we introduced fabric into the game, Veronika just wanted to check out the box and pop the lid open and closed!

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Next, I filled it with a variety of fabric scraps from our craft bin. I had some eye-catching patterns like bright green and little foxes, which provided visual stimulation.

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A loosely-woven burlap and a few silky scarves provided textural variety. Old washcloths would work well, too!

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Fill up the container and simply let your little one pull out the scraps.

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What fun!

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Then I made it more challenging, putting on the lid so she could pull the scraps up through the opening.

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This was a little tough for her fingers at seven months old, but this is the kind of game we’ll revisit; it will be toddler heaven!

When she tired of the fabric, she went back to the box.

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Playing with it lasted the whole time I made dinner – the perfect way to self entertain!

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Scrunchy Sock

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This easy DIY toy will delight your baby both in sound and looks!

To start, you’ll simply need to use any old sock. I actually used a pair of girl’s tights, which meant I could have a longer snake… and could also make two, one for big brother, since he eagerly needed one after seeing the project.

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Fill each sock with crumpled cellophane, and securely knot at the end. The sound of the cellophane seemed to alarm Veronika somewhat…

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But already she loved it!

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To make it a snake, I cut out details from felt: a red tongue, white and black eyes, and yellow triangles along the back.

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Hot glue on the pieces securely before baby plays.

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Now our snake was ready to slither and scrunch!

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Exploring Taste & Texture

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Your five month old may have just begun solids, or tasted a few purees by this point – and even if he or she is still only drinking milk, babies this age love mouthing everything. Taste is such an important way in which little ones learn about the world, and this game lets them explore with the mouth safely!

I sat Veronika comfortably in her high chair and placed a few curated objects in front of her: a wooden spoon, a rubber spatula, a frozen teether, and a few toys.

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She got to pick what came first. Hmm, the wooden spoon looked so interesting…

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…but it was hard and probably not very nice in the mouth.

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The rubber spatula came next. Aah, this was a bit softer. I talked about the texture as she gnawed, as well as its bright bold color.

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She always loves her frozen teether, and that got picked up next. This time I talked about its cold temperature, the soft nubby texture.

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If you’re supervising closely, let your baby have a piece of banana to explore. Veronika loved holding this. It smelled good too!

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She seemed very surprised when she put it in her mouth and found that it was really food. Be careful, since you don’t want a five month old biting off chunks. I did then smoosh some onto her tray for her to play with.

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Any other small toys work great for this game, too. Talk about the different textures of each as you play, and help your baby learn so much about the world!

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Baby Sensory Sound Activity

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This easy little activity is great for sensory play – auditory sensory play that is! You can either play during baby’s tummy time or just when he or she is lying down comfortably on a soft blanket.

Big brother Travis helped me set up the game. We needed two tupperware containers, dried rice, dried beans, a wooden block, and a spoon.

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We filled one tupperware with rice, and the other with beans. It was fun to shake them and see the different sounds they made. Her eyes lit up at the rice, a fast, curious favorite. Beans were louder, and didn’t interest her as much.

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For a different tone completely, Travis and I took turns tapping on the block with a metal spoon. This makes a nice drumming sound that isn’t too loud for a newborn’s hearing.

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I also encouraged her to wrap her fingers around the spoon and helped her tap the block, which involved her in the process of making noise.

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We’ll definitely return to this game; as she gets older, Veronika can shake the containers all by herself!