Make a Sensory Basket

Babies love to feel textures and interacting with different materials exposes a developing baby to different feels, all part of exploring the world around them. Create a 'Sensory Basket' (or a plain old box!) at home or in their play setting by finding interesting objects that you can bring out whenever you wish. For safety, look out for large objects that don't shed parts and be aware that there will be a tendency to explore items by mouth, so ensure that they are clean. Here are some ideas of objects that you might include:-

• Scrubbing sponge: find a soft sponge with a scrubbing pad surface
• Pine cone: dry out a large pine cone
• Mirror: look for a plastic mirrored surface rather than a glass one
• Crinkly paper: look for crinkly wrapping paper with a foiled surface
• Brush: look out a new hairbrush or nailbrush
• Sanding block (available at DIY stores) or pummice stone (from a pharmacy)
• Ball of wool: leave it wound up

Look around the house for other objects that your little ones can explore with touch. Sifting through draws you will quickly come across items that are safe for babies to handle and that offer a fw moments of fun to explore and sense!