Did you know your laundry basket is good for so much more than housing clothes? They also can be used to keep your baby contained for sensory play!
Materials:
- A rectangular plastic laundry basket big enough for your baby to sit in
- Any variety of textured items you have at home: crinkle paper, streamers, tissue paper, plastic ball pit balls, balled up socks, etc.
Instructions:
- Clear the clothes out of the laundry basket and add your crinkle paper or other sensory items. These items will stimulate both the tactile and auditory systems.
- Place your baby in the basket and watch them explore the sensory experience. Use this time to point out things your baby may see or hear during this activity: “I hear the crinkle, do you hear it?” “I see BLUE tissue paper. What colors do you see?”
- Once your baby is done with this activity, you can use this as an opportunity to help your child with the clean up by putting the tissue paper into a bag or tub to reuse again another time. This builds motor planning, following simple instructions and helps your child feel like he/she has some control in the activity.
Extensions & Adjustments:
There are so many ways you can change up this activity to fit your home and child best:- If your child is not yet sitting independently, you can switch out the sensory items for some supportive pillows and use the basket as a safe, contained space for your baby to sit. Throw in some fun toys and you have a place to sit your baby when you need a few hands-free moments.
- Hide some puzzle pieces (or other small toys) in the crinkle paper and have your child dig through the paper to find the pieces. This will increase the sensory experience and add a learning component to the activity.
Skill areas addressed:
- Sensory exploration
- Gross motor skills
- Following directions
- Seek and find
- Independent sitting
Author: Brittany Gardner