Once your baby can grasp and better hold onto things, it marks an exciting play milestone. Now, they can move into hands-on, sensory play! Here is a short checklist of tactile play ideas to activate your baby's sense of touch.
A “fabric” treasure basket:Provide different fabrics like silk, velvet, or fleece for your baby to touch and feel. You can use scarves, blankets, or soft toys for this activity. Place them all in a small basket to keep the pieces together.
Squishy sensory bags:Create sensory bags filled with materials such as rice, pasta, or beans. Seal them tightly and tape them to the floor, then invite your baby to squish and manipulate the bags during floor play. Always supervise sensory play.
Water Floor Mat:Enhance tummy time with a baby-safe water floor mat!
Tactile board books:Invest in board books with textured “touch and feel” pages. Let your baby touch the different textures while you read together.
Nature play:Take your baby for a gentle outdoor exploration. Let them touch leaves, grass, tree bark, or flowers.
Food play:Introduce your baby to different food textures through safe exploration. Offer soft fruits like bananas or avocados, cooked vegetables, or even cooked pasta for them to squish and feel.
Texture boards:Create a texture board by gluing various materials like sandpaper, felt, bubble wrap, or cotton balls onto cardboard. Let your baby touch and explore the different textures.
Remember to supervise your baby closely during tactile play activities and ensure that all materials are safe and age-appropriate.