Exploring Through My Senses
Here's What To Do
1
Help me be a baby scientist and explore objects through my senses. Provide safe toys that I can use my senses to explore:
- Touch: things with interesting textures like bumps or fuzz, or different temperatures like cloth dampened with cool or warm water
- Sound: things that make noise like crinkly paper, rattles, squeak toys, or toy keys
- Taste: things I can put in my mouth like teethers
- Sight: things that move in interesting ways (like ribbons) or have bright colors
2
Remember that when I put things in my mouth, I'm not just "tasting." I use my mouth to investigate textures, temperature, and other things too!
3
Describe my 'investigations' out loud as I play.
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Set me up in a way I can easily play. Depending on my age, this might be lying on my back, in tummy time position, being held, or sitting.
E
Engage:
- "What does that feel like in your mouth? I bet it feels a little squishy when you chew on it."
- "What happens if we wave your arm like this? Ooh, it makes noise! It sounds jingly like bells, there must be bells inside this toy!"
E
Encourage:
- If I'm only putting things in my mouth, see if sometimes you can encourage me to try a new way to play. For example, gently wave my forearm when I'm holding a rattle, and see if I'll try to make noise myself.
- When I seem to lose interest in a toy, give me a new one to explore.
R
Reflect:
- How do I react to different sensory explorations?
Not quite ready?
If I'm not able to hold toys yet, place a toy in my hand and help me hold it.
Ready for more?
If I am mobile, place a variety of sensory toys around my play area and let me "discover" them.
As your child masters this skill...
They will use their hands, mouth, ears, and eyes to explore toys.