Sample of Sensory Play
CONTENTS
Introduction 6
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Maxi Sensory Play 7
Visual Stimulus Cards List 8
Shopping List 10
Getting Ready to Play and Learn 12
Let's Play! Let's Learn
Birth–1 Month 14
1–2 Months 21
2–3 Months 27
3–4 Months 32
4–5 Months 39
5–6 Months 45
6–7 Months 52
7–8 Months 59
8–9 Months 64
9–10 Months 70
10–11 Months 76
11–12 Months 81
12-15 Months Physical Development 89
15-18 Months Physical Development 97
12-18 Months 101
18-24 M o n t h s 114
Toys for Learning
Birth-6 Months 131
6-12 Months 132
12-24 Months 133
Visual Stimulus Cards
Birth-12 Months 136
12-24 Months 174
BIRTH to 1 MONTH
DURING THE ACTIVITIES DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BABY UNATTENDED
Physical Development
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Head flops forward and backward without support
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Back curves without support
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On tummy the knees are drawn up underneath and the head turns sideways
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Hands are usually closed
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Has voluntary hand grasp reflex, will lose this around 2 months
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Toes fan out when sole of foot is stroked
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Has primitive walking reflex, which will disappear within 2-4 weeks
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Sucks, yawns and coughs
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Towards the end of the first month may lift head from parents shoulder
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In prone position turns head from side to side
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Has uncoordinated movements
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Cries without tears
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Responds to light by blinking
Activities
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Place your finger into the palm of your baby’s hand and your baby will grasp onto it.
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Play with your baby’s hands and fingers and stroke the soles of his feet.
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Blow gently on your baby’s face and he may blink.
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Gently touch the side of your baby’s cheek and he will turn toward the cheek being touched. This is known as the rooting reflex.
Visual Development
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Sight is blurry and nearsighted but has a sense of movement, shape and light
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Sensitive to light and eyes will turn towards light source such as a lamp or window
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Will blink or close eyes to a bright light shone in face or will blink or close eyes to a fast moving object
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Unable to fix both eyes on an object
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Will stare at a person’s face
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Will follow an object moving slowly in line of vision from a distance of 20cm - 25cm. This is the distance that a nursing baby sees his mother’s face. Faces or objects that are closer or further away from this distance will be a blur to your baby
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Sees what is at the side of the eyes and not what is directly in front of eyes
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Prefers high contrast black and white, organized and simple patterns
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Will look around in the dark
Activities
5. Put your face 20cm - 25cm from your baby and poke out your tongue and your baby may imitate you. At other times you can do different facial expressions such as smile, blow up your cheeks, open and close your mouth, look surprised, raise your eyebrows, blink and nod. Your baby is absorbing and enjoying your different facial expressions.
6. Babies love faces. Hold your baby close to your face and allow him to study your features quietly.
7. Hold your baby 20cm - 25cm from your face and looking at your baby move your head very slowly from one side to the other side. Your baby may track your head as it moves from one side to the other.
8. Newborns initially prefer well-ordered, black and white patterns to colour patterns. Choose a card from Card 1, Page 136, and show your baby the black and white pattern.
9. Show your baby a card from Card 2, Page 140. Faces intrigue babies.
10. To help your baby’s visual tracking hold the star, Card 3, Page 144, 20cm - 25cm from your baby’s line of vision and slowly the item horizontally from one side to the other side. Vertical tracking comes around 3 months. Tracking prepares your child for catching, throwing and kicking.
11. Take your baby from one room to another so he can see contrasts in natural light.
12. Hang a mobile with black and white designs not directly above your baby but to his side.
Hearing and Language Development
Activities
16. Gently click your fingers together 20cm - 25cm from your baby’s line of vision and he may fix his eyes on your fingers. Your baby will hear and see the movement of your fingertips snapping.
17. Place your baby against your chest and he will hear your hearbeat.
18. Keep your baby near you while you do household chores. The sound of the washing machine, vacuum cleaner, pots and pans rattling will help stimulate your baby’s hearing
Social and Emotional Development
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Attempts to focus on faces and to make eye contact
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Begins to establish bonding
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Associates food with mother
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Can settle in response to touch and voice
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Shows emotions, for instance, nappy change
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May imitate facial expressions
Activities
24. Have skin-to-skin contact. Lay your baby across a parent’s chest. Skin to skin contact will give a sence of bonding, security and comfort to your baby.
25. When your baby cries it is for a reason and he needs your attention. Being responsive to your baby is a building block for your baby’s healthy sense of self. Your baby will feel nurtured.
26. Appropriate nursing by other people will get your baby used to people. Nursing of your baby, however, should not be like “pass the parcel” as your baby will get tired of extensive handling.
Tactile Activities
28. Stroke your baby gently on his arms, hands, legs, feet, tummy, back, and forehead with a feather. You may also like to stoke your baby with cotton wool and a tissue. Make sure your baby is not sensitive to any materials you use to stroke his body.
29. Blow gently on your baby’s tummy and soles of his feet.
30. Gently walk your fingers up and down your baby’s legs, arms and around his tummy.
31. Using ribbons gently wave the ribbons on your baby’s hands, back and tummy.
Smell and Taste
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Babies recognize thir mother’s scent
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Will turn their head away from a strong smell
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Babies will be exposed to usual household smells, for instance, a roast cooking, a cake baking
