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A baby’s brain starts developing as soon as they are born. They start growing at the speed of light and each phase has certain development milestones that encourage development. Sensory play activities start as early as one day old and continue till the toddler and school-going age. Many times, parents get confused about what to do with their newborn, who has very small wake windows and is too small to give responses. Well, the news is that there is a lot you can do at this tender age to stimulate sensory development that will help the baby in future development as well.
Simple play ideas for babies can go a long way. Here are some ideas you can use to stimulate different senses of the baby and keep them engaged, even if it is for a small period of their wake window.
Black and White Pictures
High-contrast cards such as black and white pictures are essential for babies’ visual stimulation. Since their vision is only starting to develop in the early 0–3-month phase, exposing them to black-and-white colors makes it easier for them to distinguish objects. The two-tone pictures stand out amongst the blurred images for the baby and thus, encourage the baby to follow the images and explore different patterns, outlines, and pictures. You can use black and white flashcards and move them from left to right encouraging the baby to follow the direction. This also helps them focus, concentrate, and enhance their attention span. You can play with the flashcards or use a cloth book that the baby can also touch and feel. Reading or explaining the pictures to the babies is a good activity to interact with them and encourage sensory development.
Balloon Play
This is one of the simplest yet most effective activities for babies in the 2-3 months age bracket. Balloon play helps develop gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This simple technique is so crucial for baby development. All you have to do is tie a helium-filled balloon on each of the baby’s feet and see them go. You can use black and white balloons to help the baby better track them and follow them with their eyes. You can also tie them on their hands so it could be like a full-body workout for the baby. The balloons in the air excite the babies and stimulate their senses. This activity could also keep a baby focused and engaged for a long period of time, encouraging sensory development.
Merry Go Round Cot Toys
The hanging merry-go-round cot toys are another great way to engage babies and encourage their sensory development. These hanging toys often come with a baby cot or playpen or are easily available online. You can use the hanging toys with music and different black-and-white or bright-colored toys that the baby enjoys following. Hang these toys in the cot, attach them to the bed, car seat, or stroller, and let the baby enjoy. You can use different tunes and sounds for the baby to stimulate their hearing sense. This play idea is great for audio-visual stimulation.
Peek a Boo
Did you know that Peek A Boo is loved by babies from around the world and has been a hit as long as we can remember. It’s one of the first games that a baby loves and starts responding to. A simple Peek-a-Boo game can stimulate the baby’s hearing and visual tracking. It helps in speech and language development later on as well. It also helps in the baby’s social and interactive skills, which eventually encourage brain development. You can simply start by covering your eyes with your hands and then making a happy face when you say ‘boo!’. A cloth can be used as well. Remember to use the same tone every time to maintain a flow and leave a gap before saying ‘boo’.
Mirror-time Play
Mirror-time play simply means to put a mirror in front of the baby, ideally while he’s on his tummy, and let him explore his reflection. This play idea helps in tummy time for the baby, especially if it’s a fussy baby, and allows for healthy development and growth. Mirror time also helps in visual stimulation for the baby. It also develops a sense of self-awareness. It’s basically a no-fuss, no-noise activity that helps engage a baby for a long period of time. If you start mirror time early, the baby grows up to smile at their reflection and develop better social and emotional skills.
Try the Newborn Reflexes
Newborn reflexes are the automatic or involuntary responses that are naturally present in a newborn baby. These reflexes are spontaneous and are often unlearnt as babies already know them naturally. They can also be called survival mechanisms. These reflexes are fun to try with a baby. It’s a good play idea for either of the parents to develop a bond with the baby and trigger their reflexes. They may not have to learn these but certainly have to practice them to learn to be more vigilant and spontaneous. These reflexes also stimulate the brain and nervous system of a baby and encourage sensory development. For example, the rooting reflex is when you touch a baby’s mouth or corner of the lips and the baby turns their head or opens their mouth in the same direction. Another example is the suck reflection where the baby starts sucking if a finger or bottle nipple is given in their mouth. Another example is the grasp reflex, which is when the baby grasps your finger when given in their palms. There are many such newborn reflexes that are fun to try with a newborn to encourage nervous system development.
Sing and Dance
Yes, singing to a baby and dancing or tapping is a great way to play as well as stimulate sensory development in a baby. Singing lullabies, poems, or songs, all have a great impact on audio stimulation for a baby. You can use musical toys to play with the baby and see how he responds and follows the sounds. This is good for brain development through audio-visual senses. Dancing in front of a baby or using toys that move is also a good way to help the baby learn eye coordination while also having fun. Tapping is when you tap the baby’s hands, arms, or feet on the sound of music or while you sing. This stimulates the sense of touch in babies and encourages overall sensory development.
Touch Feel Play
Another important play idea to stimulate the sense of touch is through touch and feel games. These include touch-and-feel books that the baby can feel to explore different textures. You can use different toys with baby-friendly textures such as cloth books, silicone teethers, stuffed toys, etc. These textures allow the baby to feel and stimulate their sense of touch, eventually encouraging brain development.
In Conclusion
Having a newborn can be challenging as parents juggle between feeding and soothing the baby while being sleep-deprived and tired. However, playtime is equally important for the growth and development of a baby. Incorporate some of these play ideas in your baby’s routine and see them grow healthy and happy.
