Baby sensory classes are big business. As a home based childcarer I aim to provide lots of different things to stimulate all 5 of babies and toddlers senses (hearing, sight, touch, smell and taste) outside of expensive classes.
Babies love to put things in their mouths and I don’t discourage this as this is how they learn. All my toys are regularly inspected for cleanliness and safety.
I am to provide resources that offer a range of different textures, types, colours and shapes which will provide a lot of sensory stimulation for all the children.
These are just some of the sensory activities and resources I provide here at Aston Childcare (the safety and ages of each child is always considered before using any of the items listed) –
- Playdough – adding things such as glitter or lavender
- finger painting
- Small bean bags
- Treasure baskets – filled with metal items, wood items, plastic items, ribbons
- Touch and Feel sensory books
- Cooking and baking sessions to explore taste and smell.
- Outside basket – filled with fir cones, interesting leaves, twigs etc
- Scarves
- Arts and crafts items such as pom poms and wool.
- Paper and cardboard sensory bag with different types of card eg shiny, ridged, coloured
- bubble wrap
- Bubbles
- Mirrors
- Rice
- Spaghetti
- sand and water tray
- Mud play
- gloop (flour and water)
- sensitive shaving foam
- Musical instruments
- Smooth stones in the garden
- Shells in a bag
- Wooden blocks and large wooden dice
- Sensory play mat
- Plastic little people or animals