Summary: Activity professionals conduct kids’ home activities. The activities planned in these care facilities are to help improve the quality of life for the seniors in long-term care and are designed to meet their physical, emotional, and social needs.
A baby’s senses develop quickly from the moment they are born. They are inquisitive about the world around them as they are exposed to so many new things. Parents can use sensory activities for babies to further their baby’s development. This article focuses on sensory activities specific to baby development and why these activities are important.
The activity develops your baby’s motor skills
Baby sledding is an activity you can do before your baby is able to walk or crawl from about 6 weeks old. It sounds dangerous but it is just a way of simulating forward motion. By using a piece of cardboard you can give your baby a sense of freedom.
This activity develops your baby’s motor skills as eventually, they will try to propel themselves along. Place your baby on the cardboard on their stomach with their arms out in front of them. Gently push and pull the cardboard over a rug or carpet to create a sensation of crawling.
Transfixed by moving shapes and patterns
At about 3 months old your baby will become transfixed by moving shapes and patterns; the television may even catch your baby’s eye. This is the perfect time to get them involved in a shadow game. This sensory activity helps improve your baby’s visual skills and all you need is a torch. Start with your baby in your lap and shine the torch at the wall.
Use your hands to block the light and create a dancing shadow on the wall. You don’t have to be an expert on hand animals, start simply by waving your hands in front of the light, then holding up different numbers of fingers. Your baby will no doubt be captivated by the shapes and movement. Get your baby involved by helping them to make their own shadows. This sensory activity is ideal for nighttime before putting your baby to bed.
Language & voice skills will develop
Babies are fascinated with the world including animals and insects. Sensory activities for 1 year old you can do together that play to this is the butterfly game. Start by sitting on the floor with your baby in your lap facing away from you. Bend over raising your arms to make a roof above your baby’s head mimicking a cocoon. Explain that the caterpillar is going to wake up and become a butterfly.
Gradually raise your arms, as you do this sit up and gently move your baby’s arms up too. Then flap your arms to the side like the wings of a butterfly. If you practice this sensory activity regularly your baby will soon learn to participate by moving there too. Games like this can improve your baby’s verbal and motor skills.
Different signs which allow you to understand your baby better
Your baby’s motor and language skills will develop long before their first word. Baby signing is an activity that can be used to help your baby progress with communication. Words are paired with different signs which allow you to understand your baby better. It is a common misconception that baby signing has a negative effect on speech development when in actual fact it can enhance language skills and vocabulary.
There is a variety of 2 year old lesson plan that will help improve the development of your baby’s senses. From cardboard sledding to shadow puppets and baby signing, there are lots of fun sensory activities that you can do with your baby that will create a stronger bond between you. Set up a sensory course. Children always seem to enjoy making and playing on indoor sensory courses.
You can set up a simple course in your living room, bedroom, or basement using household materials. Couch cushions, pillows, flat sheets, and other items are wonderful materials that you can use to create a sensory course. Your children will have a blast jumping into a pile of cushions, or crawling under a sheet!
Increase tactile input
Many children enjoy touching or manipulating sticky or textured surfaces that provide them with great tactile input as well. Playing with shaving cream on a table surface can be very enjoyable, and it is also a great cleaning activity! You can make sensory stress balls by filling balloons with flour or sugar. Finally, finger painting with pudding or Jell-O can be enjoyable, too.
Take part in physical activities
Even when the weather is cold outside, you can still participate in physical activities. Playing hide and seek, doing the crab walk, or log rolling is great for sensory input as well as increasing physical activity.
You can even do a 3-legged race indoors! If the weather is tolerable, then shoveling snow, ice skating, sledding, making snow angels, and building snowmen are great outdoor physical activities.
Turn daily chores into the winter
Playing games while doing chores always seems to make them more enjoyable for everyone. You can use those chores to help meet sensory needs as well. Shooting baskets with dirty clothes, playing pretend hockey with brooms and dust pans, and being a figure skater while picking up toys can be great fun!
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