Safe and Engaging Sensory Play for Babies
Sensory play is an important and fun way for children to explore and learn about their world. However, it can be challenging to engage in sensory play with your baby since everything ends up in their mouth. Here is a way to allow your baby to safely explore through sensory play, without needing to worry. It is great for tummy time, practicing sitting or standing, or even to take with you in the car or store.
Sensory bags!
If you haven’t heard of them before, sensory bags are an amazing way to allow your baby to interact with various objects, textures and colors, while the items are safely located within a clear barrier preventing the little one from putting them into their mouth. Even more good news is that they are so easy and inexpensive to make at home!
To make a sensory bag, all you need is a sturdy gallon-sized plastic zip top freezer bag, a thick clear liquid for inside it to help the objects move around (clear hair gel or canola/vegetable oil work great), and then the objects. I also recommend using duct tape or wide painter’s tape to secure the edges of the bag onto the floor or table. Taping around the edges and corners of the bag can also help prevent any potential leaks over time.
Some fun ideas for adding to the sensory bags are:
– Glitter
– Food coloring
– Pom-poms
– Buttons
– Beans
– Felt shapes and letters
– Water beads
– Googly eyes
– Beads
– Other colorful or interesting small objects that you have in your house – have fun and be creative! *Note – avoid sharp or pointy objects, they will likely put holes in the bag.
When you make the sensory bags, you’ll want to fill it first with the clear liquid. Make sure to use enough to be able to spread throughout the bag without overfilling – you want it to lay flat, not be balloony. Next add whatever fun items you chose to include. Again, do not overfill, you want room for the items to be able to move around. Lastly, remove the extra air and seal it up well. (Always make sure it is sealed well before giving it to your baby.)
You can make several and switch them out to maintain interest. These keep for a very long time and store easily.
Enjoy!
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