Parenting / 19 March, 2018 / My Baba
If you keep up with Nanny Anita’s crafts and activities for newborns, you’ll notice they’re often centred around sensory play. Here, we’d like to discuss the importance of sensory play in the early years and the best ways you can support the development of your baby’s senses.
When children are very young they learn through using one or more senses at the same time, explains Anita. Touch, smell, sight, hearing and balance all work together to develop your child’s body, confidence and awareness for the world around them.
When you touch or taste something, for example, sensory processing occurs and babies need to make these connections for the first time. Best Years, creators of sensory toys for babies, explain how when babies use their senses to discover “a new noise or smell, they are creating a neuronal pathway in the brain.” It’s important to encourage your child to make these initial connections with the world.
Sensory toys are a simple way to stimulate very young children and aid their physical and mental development.
Babies can’t really identify colour during their first six months, so monotone toys work really well during the early months.
“Babies find contrasting stimuli more engaging than multicoloured ones,” explains Anita. “Not only will their visual development be stimulated but also their physical development like kicking and reaching.” What’s more, studies show monotone colours can help to increase baby’s concentration skills.
The Best Years monotone collection is a great choice for young babies. The contrasting colours are stimulating to look at, while the crocheted texture is appealing to touch.
Black & White Monkey Baby Rattle. Click to buy now
Rattles have always been popular baby toys – and with good reason too! Once your baby is able to grasp, he or she will be able to start making noise by shaking the rattle. Repetition of a sound may become annoying for you, but it a great sensory experience for your little one, explains Best Years.
The Best Years dinosaur rattles are such a vibrant collection. Similar to the monotone toys, they’re tactile, robust and lots of fun.
Dinosaur Rattles. Click to shop the collection
Sensory play is all about exploration and learning about new textures. Repetition is also important in making textures familiar. Opt for a soft comforting companion that your little one can take everywhere with them. All children love toys that are irresistibly huggable.
Best Years make the most adorable baby comforters from 100% organic Egyptian cotton.
Baby comforters. Select your favourite here
About Best Years
Best Years have been making knitted and crocheted toys for over 10 years. The toys are available to purchase on here on their website, as well as for wholesale and retailers.
The Best Years Pebble Toys are handmade in Bangladesh. They have the World Fair Trade Organisation badge of approval. These toys not only benefit your child’s development but also the lives of Pebble Toys workers.
Large Humpty Dumpty (suitable from birth), Best Years
Best Years are offering a 20% discount exclusive to My Baba readers. To take advantage of this, enter ‘MyBaba20’ at the checkout.