by Urszula Semerda | Dec 1, 2015 | Activities: 0-24 months
Josh’s 5 month story:
The dew lifted from the track as the sun rays peeked over the Californian mountains. There was a buzz of energy in the air. I’m pretty sure I could smell rubber warming up before the big race. Such is the life of a race car driver.
Dad lowered me into a red Ferrari Enzo sporting purple tires and the famous NAS77Y license plate. This was the legendary plate dad always rumbled on about. The plate dad had on his sports car down under. I get to sport it now.
Ah! a rumble and a deep roar of V8 muscle I hear. The engine has started. It’s purring Iike a perfectly tuned musical instrument. My mind focuses, sharp and alert. This is it. It’s happening! I plant my foot down hard with a scream of ecstasy and then.. “Ma! What the?! This ain’t a real car!”..
Until next month… Lots of smiles, Josh
What to expect from your 5 month old
By the 5th month your baby will be going through more transitions. Here are a few things that you may see your 5 month old do:
- Your 5 month old may start sitting unsupported for a few seconds at a time.
- They may be able to now roll in both directions.
- Your baby’s fine motor skills are developing. Their grasp is getting stronger. They can pull objects closer and pick them up. They can move the objects from one hand to the other.
- You may notice your baby start doing some rocking on their hands and knees. This is a very important skill that will help them get ready for crawling and scooting, even though this skill is still a few months away.
- Your baby is babbling away. They may even start making sounds like ‘ba-ba, ma-ma, da –da’. As exciting as it is unfortunately they still don’t understand their meaning. It may take a couple of months before they are directed at you.
- Your baby’s vision is continuing to improve. They may start to move their eyes without turning their head. This is the beginning of visual tracking. Visual tracking involves the ability to follow moving objects with smooth, coordinated eye movements. This skill is important for future reading and writing skills.
Sensory activities for a Healthy Sensory Lifestyle
Whenever you want to have some fun with your baby, try the below activities. Through play your baby gets to experience different sensations, which help your baby’s development both mentally and physically.
Here are my top 10 sensory activities for the 5th month of your baby’s life. These activities have been tried and tested.
1. Treasure box surprise
| Skills Developed |
Targeted Senses |
| Hand development and eye hand coordination. |
Visual, tactile and proprioceptive senses. |
How to play:
Gather random items from around the home to create a baby treasure box. Make sure that you choose objects appropriate and safe for your baby’s age.
They can explore the box’s contents while sitting in your lap. As you explore the treasures, make sure to talk to your baby about them. What is it? What does it do? Is it heavy/light? What color is it? Is it soft/hard/smooth/spikey?
Through playing and exploring a variety of objects, you help your baby’s hand development. As they play and interact with objects they practice many important skills. They learn how to grasp, hold, move and release an object. Through exploring objects of different shapes, sizes and weight, your baby is starting to strengthen all those important hand muscles. This play also activates both tactile and proprioceptive senses. Choosing how hard or how soft to grab something without squishing it is part of the proprioceptive sense. It is a skill that they take many more months to master, however the foundations can be built now.
Tip: Ensure you use age appropriate and safe toys and objects as most of them will end up in your baby’s mouth. Watch out for choking hazards.
2. Sensory bag fun
Sensory bags are easy to make, and so fun! Children of all ages can enjoy them and even young babies can have lots of fun exploring and learning.
| Skills Developed |
Targeted Senses |
| Reaching, grasping and eye hand coordination. |
Visual and tactile senses. |
How to play:
To get you started, you will need some ziplock bags, packing tape and any ingredients that you want to put inside. As a base you can use shampoo, conditioner, lotion, water or hair gel. You can add food coloring for variety. Then let your imagination run wild. You can add anything that you want. Glitter, water beads, flowers, shells, googly eyes, bugs, pom poms, squishy toys, beads and so on.
Once you have created your bag use the packing tape to tape all the corners to avoid any unnecessary mess.
Best way to explore is while your little one is enjoying some tummy time. They can also play with it while sitting in your lap.
Note: Make sure you supervise your little one at all times. Their fingernails or teeth could puncture the bag. Plastic can also pose a suffocation risk so make sure you supervise accordingly.
3. Floor play
Time spent playing on the floor gives your baby the opportunity to move around. Moving around helps to strengthen many important muscles around neck, shoulders and back. These are needed for rolling, crawling, sitting and walking. It also helps to build their postural control and coordination that they need to move their bodies around in space.
They can lay around on their tummy or their back. You can spread a variety of toys around that they can explore. You can also help them practice their rolling skills. You can lay them on the carpet or a blanket. You can also provide them a variety of textures to grab and pull.
4. Fly away!
As your baby explores floor play make sure you also get a chance to pick them up and make them move through the air. Movement stimulates the development of the vestibular system. This system is responsible for the awareness of our body in space.
So hold your baby in your arms and explore different movements. Move them up and down, side to side, round and round. Bounce them and move slow and fast.
As you spin and move all around with your baby, make sure to stop and take a quick break every few minutes. See how your baby is doing. The break will also let their body register the movements and ensure that they do not get over stimulated or tune out.
5. Little Piggy
Here is a fun way of incorporating the well known kids rhyme ‘This Little Piggy’.
| Skills developed |
Targeted Senses |
| Body awareness (hands, fingers, feet and toes) |
Tactile and vestibular senses. |
How to play:
Start with your baby’s toes. Have your baby lay on their back and hold up their legs so they can see their toes. As you hold and wiggle your baby’s big toe start saying the poem. Then continue with the second toe and so forth. Make sure you remember to tickle your baby at the end.
This little piggy went to the market (big toe),
This little piggy stayed home (second toe),
This little piggy had roast beef (third toe),
This little piggy had none (forth toe),
And this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home (fifth toe and tickles).
Once your baby has had enough toe play you can repeat the same rhyme with the fingers on their hands.
6. Ball pit fun
This is a great toy that can be used for many more months to come. If you decide to invest in purchasing balls for the ball pit
, then there are a few different ways that you can play with them.
1. Spread them out on the floor. Your baby can enjoy moving them around as he is laying on his tummy.
2. Fill a baby swimming pool with the balls instead of the water. If you don’t have enough balls you can always use a laundry basket. Support your baby while they are sitting in it. This can bring on many giggles as they explore the balls.
Note: Make sure to ALWAYS supervise your baby while playing in the ball pit.
7. Eye spy
| Skill development |
Targeted Senses |
| Visual tracking (Visual tracking involves the ability to follow moving objects with smooth, coordinated eye movements. This skill is important for future reading and writing skills) |
Visual and auditory senses |
How to play:
Choose an object or a toy that will grab your baby’s attention. Something that makes noise when shaken is preferred. This can include a rattle or bells.
Lay your baby on their back. Hold the toy approximately 10 inches away from their eyes and shake it. Once your baby’s attention is on the toy move it to the right and then to the left. Move the toy slowly so it gives your baby enough time to follow the toy. Then return it back to the middle and repeat by moving the toy up and then down.
If your baby gets distracted bring the toy to the middle. Shake it and wait to grab their attention. The main goal of this activity is to practice your baby’s visual tracking skills. This means getting your baby’s eyes to move separately from their head. If you notice that your baby moves their whole head you can very gently support their head to prevent it from moving. If the gentle support is not enough then your baby is not ready for this activity yet. Take a break and try again in a few weeks.
After your baby practices following the toy, you can encourage them to grab it and explore and play with it.
8. Explore the outside
You probably have noticed this activity coming up on regular basis. Spending time outside is essential for all ages. At 5 months your baby can also get many benefits from being outside. From going on a walk in a stroller your baby can now watch their surrounding. If the weather is warm enough you can lay them down on the grass and let them roll around and explore.
Depending where you live you can help those little hands and feet explore the sand, the water, or just simply dirt. Let them touch different flowers, trees, grab a leaf, some grass or some sticks. Just remember to supervise closely as they still don’t have much control and can poke themselves with that stick or put that leaf in their mouth.
It’s a great way to explore ALL their senses so get yourself ready and go explore the outside.
9. Music time
Babies love music. You can explore a variety of tunes with your 5 month old. Play all kinds of songs from classical to jazz to pop. You can move your baby around. You can help them clap or move their hands and feet in different directions. I’m sure you will see lots of smiling and maybe hear some babble.
Note: Don’t play music throughout the whole day. If you play music for an extended time your baby will start to block it out and get the idea that music is not important. Turn it on randomly for shorter periods throughout the day.
10. Tummy time
Spending time on their tummy continues to be very beneficial. It helps your baby build coordination, strengthens your baby’s neck, shoulders, arms and trunk. These muscles help with motor skills such as rolling over, crawling, pulling self up and sitting up.
One play activity that encourages tummy time is by placing them tummy down on your chest. You can securely hold your baby under their arms. Then you can rock your body side to side to incorporate some fun movement (vestibular sense). Sing along to your baby to keep them entertained. Read more about Tummy Time and how to incorporate it into play with your baby.
So there you have it – my top 10 Sensory Activities for your 5 month old that you can do today to help your child’s development.
These are just a few activities that are bound to spark other ideas. Just remember that every new sensory experience is helping your child’s growth and development.
Remember: Each baby develops at their own pace. If your child is not ready or not interested in this month’s activities, just try them again in a few weeks.
For feedback or further questions please leave a comment below.
~ Urszula
Disclaimer: The activities in this blog are intended for sensory play. They are not a replacement for treatment of children with Sensory Processing Disorder, are not medical advice and should not be used in place of the care of a medical doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. These activities should be facilitated and supervised by an adult. All activities are to be performed at your own risk and in no event shall Sensory Lifestyle be liable for any damages.
by Urszula Semerda | Sep 3, 2015 | Activities: 0-24 months
Hello Everyone! Josh here, and I am 4 months old now. I am so excited as grandma is here this month. She is so funny. She loves to dance with me. I do have to say though… I have never seen such dancing before. She bounces me up and down, side to side and twirls me all around. Then she picks up a white cloth and waves it all around. Sometimes it falls on my face and tickles me so hard that I can’t stop laughing. Other times it just covers my face… I wait and wait. Then I see her again! ‘Peek a boo!!’ she says. So fun!
We dance inside and outside. I love when we dance on the balcony as there are lots of shadows on the walls that I like to watch. They dance around just like me and grandma. It makes me laugh!
Time for more dancing with grandma. See you next month… Lots of smiles, Josh
I hope you enjoyed Josh’s 4th month story. Providing your baby with lots of movement is essential for great sensory development. As you see from Josh’s story there are lots of ways you can move and have fun with your baby. Look out for more stories in the coming monthly activities posts.
What to expect from your 4 month old
Your 4 month old is growing fast and becoming more alert by the minute. Here are a few things that you might see your 4 month old do:
- Your baby’s head should be steady and no longer wobble.
- They can hold their head and chest upright while laying on their stomach.
- Their legs are getting stronger and they can push and kick with their feet.
- Some babies are able to roll from tummy to back. They may be practicing to roll from back to tummy.
- Your baby’s hand skills are improving. They get better at grabbing, holding and moving objects. Be aware as mostly everything that gets into their hands will get into their mouth.
- Your baby loves to communicate with you. They may be laughing, smiling and cooing.
- They are becoming more aware of their environment and notice that people around them respond to their actions. You may have started to constantly pick up objects from the floor that your little one is throwing as part of their game.
Sensory Activities for a Healthy Sensory Lifestyle
Whenever you have the opportunity to play, try the below activities. Through play, your baby gets to experience different sensations, which help your baby’s development, both mentally and physically.
Here are my top 10 sensory activities for the 4th month of your baby’s life. These activities have been tried and tested.
1. Object exploration
Through playing and exploring a variety of objects, you help your baby’s hand development. As they play and interact with objects they practice many important skills. They learn how to grasp, hold, move and release an object. Through exploring objects of different shapes, sizes and weight, your baby is starting to strengthen all those hand muscles. This play also activates both tactile and proprioceptive senses. Choosing how hard or how soft to grab something without squishing it is part of the proprioceptive sense. It is a skill that they take many more months to master, however the foundations can be built now.
Give them lots of opportunities to explore this. It can be practiced through giving them hard and soft things to play with. Such as a rattle that can’t be squished and a feather or a foam block that can be squished.
Feel free to expand from just playing with toys. You can use random objects that you picked up around the house such as an old spice container or a large wooden spoon.
Something as simple as a clean cloth provides lots of learning opportunities. Watch them pull on it, suck on it, hold it, release it (still a little tricky at this age) and discover what happens when they scrunch it up.
They can explore while sitting supported in your lap, laying on their back or during tummy time.
Tip: Ensure you use age appropriate and safe toys and objects as most of them will end up in your baby’s mouth. Watch out for choking hazards.
2. Shake it up!
Grabbing, shaking and learning about cause & effect is lots of fun for your little one.
This can be so much fun with rattles. There are endless options out there. You can get a whole percussion set going with the combination of purchased or home made rattles. You can use standard rattles, bell rattles or grab an empty plastic bottle and make your own.
Once you have your rattles, all that’s left is to give your baby one. Join in the fun with them and see the delight in the sound it makes when they shake it.
Ideas for home made rattles:
Get a plastic bottle. You can vary sizes and shapes for a different sound and tactile experience for your baby.
You can use any of these items inside the bottle: pasta, rice, colored candy (various sizes & colors), dried beans, dried lentils etc. Basically anything that will make noise when shaken.
If you come up with some other great ideas please share them below in the comments. It will be great to hear.
3. Texture exploration
The development of the tactile system is important. A baby learns about their body and their environment though the sense of touch. Exploring textures can happen through the use of hands, feet, face… It includes their whole body. Developing a healthy tactile system helps in the development of many skills including gross and fine motor skills.
Here are some ideas:
- Play on a variety of textured fabrics or blankets. It can include sheep skin, silk, cotton etc.
- Give them various textured materials or toys to explore. Examples can include different fabrics, fur, tissue, velvet, textured toys, sponges.
- Let them explore toys or objects that are smooth, bumpy, spikey, hard, squishy, crinkly, shiny or furry.
- Look at textured books together.
- Move different textured materials over their body (arms, feet, face, belly and back). Again it can include different fabrics or toys. My son Josh loved when I tickled him with a feather.
- Bath time! Water covers their whole body and it is yet another sensation. You may even use different textured towels each time to add some variety.
Remember: Most of the objects they touch, whatever their texture, will go straight in their mouth. Make sure that the toys and objects are age appropriate and watch out for choking hazards.
4. Bubbles
These are so much fun for any age. Even for our little ones.
How to play?
Bubbles can be enjoyed while your little one is laying on their back, stomach or is in a supported seated position.
As an adult you will have to do all the blowing work. Make those bubbles fly. Make them fly high, blow them down low. Blow the bubbles on your little one’s belly or arms.
As your baby watches the bubbles fly, they stimulate their visual sense. As they land and pop on their bodies it stimulates their tactile sense. Beware: It may also make them giggle!
Have fun and blow those bubbles.
5. Let’s get rolling
Have you noticed your baby trying to roll from their back to their stomach? Try the following activity to support this skill.
While your baby is laying on their back, grab their favorite toy. You can gently encourage the rolling by holding the toy above their chest. Start moving it around to get their attention. When they start reaching for it, slowly move the toy to the side opposite to their reaching hand. Hopefully this will initiate a roll. If your baby is unable to roll over completely, gently hold their hip on their reaching hand side and gently roll them over the rest of the way.
6. Getting silly!
I know this sounds easy and it is. However, I do want to mention it to make sure that you always remember to have fun with your baby. Even though crying is still your baby’s strongest form of communication, you may start seeing more giggles, laughs and smiles.
It’s very important to make your baby laugh. It helps to build a stronger bond and gets those ‘feel good’ chemicals released into their brain.
Making your baby laugh should be quite simple. You can simply make a funny face and stick your tongue out. You can make funny noises or play different instruments. Have fun and get silly with your baby!
7. Visual sensory bottles
Visual bottles have been becoming increasingly popular. For your 4-month-old baby this is a great tool to explore. As they hold and move the bottle they use their proprioceptive sense. As they watch the contents of the bottle shift, their visual sense gets a workout.
What is great about these sensory bottles is that you literally have an endless variety of options on how you want them to look.
Some of the favorite ingredients in our house included water beads and glitter. Below I have included couple websites with many ideas to get you started. Just one important tip: make sure you remember to glue the lid to the bottle to avoid an unnecessary mess.
Here are some great ideas for visual bottles:
http://www.hellobee.com/2014/02/14/creating-visual-sensory-bottles/
http://www.sugaraunts.com/2015/02/how-to-make-sensory-bottle.html
8. Reading
If you haven’t started reading to your baby yet, today is the day that you should start. Reading has many benefits, so it’s great to get into the habit of reading every day.
Benefits
- Promote listening skills
- Increase language development
- Assist in the development of attention span and memory
- Promote bonding between you and your baby
- Instill the love of reading
Tips for parents
- Read to your baby in a quiet place
- You don’t have to read all the words in the book
- You can describe what you see on each page
- Have fun when reading. Use exaggerated faces, animated voices and just be silly, this will help your baby’s attention
- Use a variety of books: board books, lift a flap, or textured books.
For more information about benefits and principles on reading to your baby check out www.readtoyourbaby.com
9. Wiggles & Rhymes
There are many ways to incorporate music into your baby’s life. Combining music and movement is especially beneficial. It helps to build a great foundation of skills by incorporating many of the sensory systems. As your baby listens to music, they stimulate their auditory sense. You can support your baby on your lap and sway, rock and bounce while stimulating both proprioceptive and vestibular sensory systems.
What to play? Anything really. You can play your favorite tunes or sing your baby’s favorite nursery rhymes. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”, “Humpty Dumpty” and “I’m a Little Tea Pot” are some of my favorites.
Have fun and get your baby moving!
10. Tummy time
Spending time on their tummy helps your baby build coordination. It also strengthens your baby’s neck, shoulders, arms and trunk. These muscles help with the motor skills such as rolling over, crawling, pulling self up and sitting up. Read more about Tummy Time and how to incorporate it into play with your baby.
There you have it. My top 10 Sensory Activities for your 4 month old. Many exciting activities you can do today to help your child develop better.
These are just a few activities that are bound to spark other ideas. Just remember that every new sensory experience is helping your child’s growth and development.
Remember: each baby develops at their own pace. If your child is not ready or not interested in this month’s activities, just try them again in a few weeks.
For feedback or further questions please leave a comment below.
~ Urszula
Disclaimer: The activities in this blog are intended for sensory play. They are not a replacement for treatment of children with Sensory Processing Disorder, are not medical advice and should not be used in place of the care of a medical doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. These activities should be facilitated and supervised by an adult. All activities are to be performed at your own risk and in no event shall Sensory Lifestyle be liable for any damages.
by Urszula Semerda | May 18, 2015 | Activities: 0-24 months
Hello Everyone!! It’s Josh again. I am now 2 months old. I think I am slowly starting to get used to this new world. Everyday I am learning something new. I started to make bubbles with my mouth. So fun! It tickles my lips but I like it.
I love watching and listening to my parents. Daddy keeps making all these funny faces at me and mommy sings me the best songs!!! Last week I decided to do something new with my face. I saw my parents do it over and over so I thought I would give it a try. I stretched and stretched my mouth and voila… I smiled. If I knew earlier how excited my mommy would get I would have tried it weeks earlier.
Time to go to sleep again.
Until next month…
Lots of smiles, Josh
I hope you enjoyed Josh’s 2nd month story. I send those monthly updates to our family in Australia. Look out for more stories in the monthly activities posts.
What to expect from your 2 month old
So it’s 2 months now. Time is flying fast. Here are a few things that you might see your 2 month old do:
- They still love to sleep. At this age babies sleep 15-16 hours a day.
- Your baby can hold their head a little steadier. Make sure you continue with Newborn tummy time to keep making your little bub stronger.
- Many of the reflexes are still around, such as the sucking reflex. Sucking is also one of the best ways your baby can comfort themselves.
- You may start to see your baby try to bat objects that you place in front of them.
- Their vision is still developing and they can see objects up to 18 inches away.
- They begin to follow things with their eyes.
- Your baby loves listening to you talk or sing so keep on talking to them.
- Their crying might include more grunts, gurgling or coos.
- They can turn their head towards sounds.
- You may be lucky to get a smile.
Sensory Play for a Healthy Sensory Lifestyle
By now you have started to figure out your baby’s personality. You may know some of their likes, dislikes and understand their different cries. You may still not be getting enough sleep and walk around the house like a zombie. Just remember… this too will pass!
Whenever you and your baby are awake take the opportunity to play. Through play you can help your baby’s development both mentally and physically.
Here are my top 10 sensory activities for the 2nd month of your baby’s life. These activities have been tried and tested.
1. Tummy Time
Yes… I am putting in this activity again. It continues to be an essential sensory activity in your baby’s everyday routine. It helps to build coordination and strengthens your baby’s neck, shoulders, arms and trunk. These muscles also help with the motor skills such as rolling over, crawling, pulling self up and sitting up. Read more about Tummy Time with your baby.
2. Talking to your baby
Any type of talking or singing will be beneficial. While your baby hears you talking he will start to lay down foundations for language development. It doesn’t matter what you say just as long as you talk to them. You can narrate your day, read them books or sing. Anything will do.
For more detail, here are a 2 recommended sites worth looking over:
3. Reading
It’s never too early to start reading to your baby. As babies love hearing their parents’ voices make sure both parents take turns reading. Reading has many benefits, so it’s great to get into a habit of reading every day.
Benefits
- Promote listening skills
- Increase language development
- Assist in the development of attention span and memory
- Promote bonding between you and your baby
- Instill the love of reading
Tips for parents
- Read to your baby in a quiet place
- You don’t have to read all the words in the book
- You can describe what you see on each page
- Have fun when reading. Use exaggerated faces, animated voices and just be silly, this will help your baby’s attention
- Use a variety of books: board books, lift a flap, or textured books.
For more information about benefits and principles on reading to your baby check out www.readtoyourbaby.com
4. Magic of Human Touch
This is an easy sensory activity that has amazing benefits for you and your young baby.
How to do it?
- Skin to skin contact
- Cuddle time
- Rocking your baby
- Massaging your baby
Why do it?
Some of the benefits include:
- Building a bond between you and your baby
- Boost healthy psychological and physical development
- Improved sleep
- Massage helps babies manage their stress
- Massage improves autonomic functions such as heart rate and temperature
- Massage can also help with pain relief.
For more information on the effects of touch I recommend you read:
5. Floor time play
Give your baby the opportunity to move around. Try to avoid placing your baby for extended time in car seats, rockers or swings. Get them down onto the floor either on their tummy or on their back. Even though they don’t do much independent movement at this age, being on the ground has many benefits. While on the ground they are starting to strengthen important muscles. These muscles are needed for rolling, crawling, sitting and then walking.
6. Moving with your baby
So you have been getting your baby on the floor to work on those important muscles. While off the floor however, take the opportunity to move them in many different directions. Movement helps with development of the vestibular system. A system responsible for the awareness of our body in space.
So how can you move?
You can put on your favorite music and have a dance with your baby. Or what my husband used to do is play an airplane game. It included some smooth flying through the air with an addition of some turbulence. This can be done in many different ways. You can rock or lift your baby (up, down, side to side, round and round). You can move your baby fast and slow. Make sure you stop every minute or so. This will let the body register the movements and make sure your baby is not over stimulated.
7. Exploring through touch
The development of the tactile system is important. A baby learns about their body and their environment though the sense of touch. Remember that this is not only about touching through the use of hands. It includes their whole body. So whenever the temperature allows strip your baby down to a nappy and let their whole body explore the variety of textures. This helps in the development of many skills including gross and fine motor skills.
Here are some ideas:
- Lay your baby on a variety of textured fabrics or blankets. It can include sheep skin, silk, cotton etc. Always supervise and ensure that your baby can breathe at all times.
- Place a variety of textured materials or toys in your baby’s hands. Examples can include different fabrics, rattles, textured rings, sponges. There are so many toys these days that can be smooth, bumpy, spikey, hard or squishy.
- Move different textured materials over their body (arms, feet, face, belly and back). Again it can include different fabrics or toys. My son Josh loved when I tickled him with a feather.
- Bath time! Water covers their whole body and it is yet another sensation. You may even use different textured towels each time to add some variety.
8. Let your fingers do the walking
At this age your baby can’t see far but there are many things that they enjoy looking at. Faces are of course one of their favorites. Another favorite is looking at moving fingers. I had so much fun with this!
What to do
You can let your imagination run wild. The main purpose is for your little one to watch your fingers dance. You can put some music on and move your fingers to the rhythm. Up, down, side to side, fast or slow. Anything goes.
You can get some finger puppets and do a simple puppet show. Get the puppets to go up, down, side to side.
Remember: Keep your hands no more then 18 inches away from their face.
How to position your baby
- Lying on their tummy
- Lying on their back
- Reclined while sitting on your tummy:
- You: Lie on your back with a pillow behind your back for support. Slide your feet toward your hips so that your calves are near the back of your thighs.
- Baby: Sit your baby on your tummy facing you so that his back is resting against your thighs.
9. Lets look at things
At 2 months your baby can see up to 18 inches away from his face. At this age your baby can also fixate on an object and follow it for a short time. You can promote this skill through play. You can hold a toy or any object that you notice he finds interesting, in front of his face. Move it in different directions. Add some fun to it by singing, talking or making funny sound effects. Mobiles and Play Gyms are also fun. Get down with your baby inside the play gym and have some fun with all the dangling toys.
10. Swatting game
As you are dangling toys above your little one’s head you may notice that your baby will start swatting objects. This is an important skill that helps with hand-eye coordination. You can use your play gym or different rattles or toys. Things that make noise or are fun and shiny. Follow your baby’s lead in what motivates them to get swatting. Watch for that excitement when they get to hit the object.
Remember: Each baby develops at their own pace. If your child is not ready or not interested in these 2 month activities, just try them again in a few weeks.
Summary
There you have it. My top 10 Sensory Activities for your 2 month old. Many exciting activities you can do today to help your child develop better. Recapping those 10 sensory activities, they are:
1. Tummy Time
2. Talking to your baby
3. Reading
4. Magic of Human Touch
5. Floor time play
6. Moving with your baby
7. Exploring through touch
8. Let your fingers do the walking
9. Lets look at things
10. Swatting game
These are just a few activities that are bound to spark other ideas. Just remember that every new sensory experience is helping your child’s growth and development.
For feedback or further questions please leave a comment below.
~ Urszula
Disclaimer: The activities in this blog are intended for sensory play. They are not a replacement for treatment of children with Sensory Processing Disorder, are not medical advice and should not be used in place of the care of a medical doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. These activities should be facilitated and supervised by an adult. All activities are to be performed at your own risk and in no event shall Sensory Lifestyle be liable for any damages.
by Urszula Semerda | Apr 13, 2015 | Activities: 0-24 months
Hello world! My name is Josh or at least I believe that’s what it is as my mom and dad keep calling me that. I was a little stressed when I got my eviction notice. It was a friendly notice that it’s time to meet mom and dad face to face. I must say, the nice cozy and warm bubble I called home for 9 months was getting cramped.
So this month has been an eye opener. Everything is so bright and loud. My eyes have a mind of their own as they keep darting in different directions. Living here is a little tough. All I want to do is to cuddle with mom and dad. Things still don’t always go my way… the other day I accidentally peed in my mouth. Yuk! I really don’t know what that thing is doing!
I enjoy when mom and dad take me outside for a walk. I obviously hang there strapped to dad’s hairy chest. When inside I hang out in my zoo (play mat) and occasionally dad takes me flying … ohh and let’s not forget tummy time. Oh yeah! It’s not always fun as my head doesn’t follow my directions . Maybe when I get stronger it will be under my full command.
Ok… off to sleep I go. Talk to you next month.
Lots of smiles, Josh
I hope you enjoyed Josh’s 1st month story. I send monthly updates to our family in Australia. Stories like that include photos.
Your newborn
As a new parent, the 1st month can become a bit of a haze. Taking on the role of a parent takes time. Here are a few things that your newborn will be doing in their 1st month:
- Sleep, sleep and more sleep. Newborns can sleep up to 15 or 16 hours a day.
- Your newborn is born with many survival reflexes. As they mature, these newborn reflexes are replaced with more purposeful ones. Examples of few survival reflexes include:
- a suck-swallow reflex that helps him feed,
- a palmar grasp which allows your child to squeeze your finger that you place in his palm.
- They have weak neck strength and they can’t support their head while upright.
- Your newborn can see up to 8 to 12 inches away and loves to look at human faces.
- They also like to look at high contrast objects.
- Your newborn is able to recognize familiar voices.
- They cry to communicate. Take a look at The Happiest Baby on the Block to learn how to deal with this form of communication.
Sensory Lifestyle Play Activities
The never-ending cycle of feeding, changing diapers and sleep can get exhausting pretty fast. But when your child is available for activities don’t skip on it. Make the most of this time. You will help to ensure a heathy development both mentally and physically.
Here are top 10 activities for the 1st month of your baby’s life. These activities have been tried and tested.
1. Tummy time
Josh doing his daily Tummy time activity
This is an important activity for your baby. It helps to build coordination and strengthens your baby’s neck, shoulders, arms and trunk. These muscles help with the motor skills such as rolling over, crawling, pulling self up and sitting up. Read more about Tummy Time with your newborn.
2. Face to face time
Josh and I Face to face time
Research has identified that infants have shown preference for looking at human faces. They enjoy looking at open eyes and smiling faces. So take that time to look at your baby, smile at your baby. Make funny faces and noises. Be creative and follow your little ones cues to what they enjoy.
3. Cuddle time
Cuddle time with Josh as he sleeps
I love my cuddle time with my son. You can cuddle with your newborn and watch that beautiful bond grow between the two of you. There are many benefits to holding and cuddling with your baby. It helps to boost healthy psychological and physical development. Babies who get frequent cuddling tend to sleep better, manage stress more easily and have better autonomic functions such as heart rate and temperature. Make sure that your partner gets on the cuddling action to also help them develop a bond.
For more information on cuddle time I recommend you read The Effect of Human Contact on Newborn Babies.
4. Singing to your newborn
Everything goes here. Whether these include nursery rhymes or songs that you make up on the go. Whether you include them while you are cuddling, walking, changing their diaper or giving them a bath. Singing can be used to sooth, entertain and create that special bond.
5. Talking to your newborn
Daddy talking with Josh
This lays down the foundations for language development. It doesn’t matter what you say just that you talk to them in a clear and concise manner. What to say?
- You can narrate your cooking process in the kitchen, or
- Describe all that is around you when you take them for a walk.
Feel free to also use the high pitch voice which newborns are drawn to. Just make sure you don’t mispronounce words to avoid any speech difficulties in the future. For more information, here are few websites worth looking over:
6. Massage
This is such an amazing activity that has a wide range of benefits. The latest research shows that infant massage helps with the parent-baby bond development. Just like adults, it also helps them get more relaxed and sleep better. Massaging stimulates the development of their main systems. Those include the nervous system, circulatory system, respiratory system, elimination system and immune system. It also helps with pain relief. Here is a video that lists the Benefits of Infant Massage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=104&v=RkIalx53qVM
When my son was born I completed a massage class to learn how to massage him properly. But, with YouTube, you can find plenty of resources with tips on how to do this. You don’t need to attend a class. It’s not that hard.
7. Lay him on his back
Laying on the back
So I wrote a lot about tummy time before, but playing with your baby while they are on their back is also important. Newborns have no concept of what their arms and legs are. By laying him down on his back he will have the opportunity to explore his hands and feet. This helps with eye hand and eye foot coordination. You can encourage his interest by playing games with his arms and feet.
For example:
- playing ‘this little piggy’ and counting his toes.
- For hands you can sing a finger song such as ‘Tommy Thumb’ and massage each finger as you sing.
Basically any game or song that includes moving his arms and legs will suffice.
8. Movement
Give your newborn opportunity to be moved in different directions. This can be done in many different ways. You can rock or lift your baby (up, down, side to side, round and round). You can:
- move your baby fast and slow. Make sure you stop every minute or so to let his body register the movements.
- Also make sure your baby is not over stimulated.
- You can carry your baby in a sling or a baby carrier (ensure you use appropriate head support). Movement helps with the development of their vestibular system, which is responsible for the awareness of our body in space.
9. Bicycle ride
This activity involves placing your newborn on his back and moving your baby’s legs in a bicycle motion. It helps to ease any gas from the tummy and tone their muscles to prepare for crawling and walking.
10. Going for a walk outside
This is a great activity that has many benefits for you and your baby. Both of you will get the much needed Vitamin D. You get exercise. Your baby will get an opportunity to stimulate their other senses by seeing, hearing and feeling the wind on their face.
I really hope that you find these activities useful. Have fun and enjoy building their foundations.
Remember: Each baby develops at their own pace. If your child is not ready or not interested in these months’ activities, just try them again in a few weeks.
Disclaimer: The activities in this blog are intended for sensory play. They are not a replacement for treatment of children with Sensory Processing Disorder, are not medical advice and should not be used in place of the care of a medical doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. These activities should be facilitated and supervised by an adult. All activities are to be performed at your own risk and in no event shall Sensory Lifestyle be liable for any damages.
