The basics of baby's sensory development
After nine months in their mother's warm, round womb, at birth, the newborn suddenly finds themselves among us, in a completely different world where they have everything to learn! Of course, babies have absolutely amazing adaptive abilities and a thirst for discovery that will stay with them throughout their childhood. However, a toddler's development happens step by step, and one of the very first is called sensory stimulation. This is a set of games, activities, toys, and experiences designed to stimulate a baby's five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. All of this promotes their development little by little, from birth to around three years old.
From what age?
Sensory development begins at birth! Yes, newborns have a real need for stimulation from the very first weeks because their brains are still developing. That's why you, as parents, have a duty to offer them suitable experiences so that your baby can discover this new world! Rest assured, you're already doing some of these activities without even realizing it: skin-to-skin contact, for example, listening to music, talking, smiling, kissing your baby…
What are the benefits?
When we talk about toddlers and their development, we often think of motor skills: an area in which they will develop significantly during the first years of their lives. Sensory stimulation gently improves their hand-eye coordination through the manipulation of toys. But above all, sensory stimulation is an excellent way to enhance their cognitive abilities. As we mentioned earlier, brain development is crucial! Through stimulation of the five senses, babies also cultivate their curiosity about this new world, and little by little, their ability to explore and their thirst for learning will amaze you. As parents, it's also a source of joy: watching your little one grow and interacting with them creates memories that will last a lifetime.
How do I set it up?
To ensure your baby gets the most out of these moments, a suitable environment is essential. This includes a safe and secure place, of course, but also a comfortable space: they need to be able to stretch out and move around freely (and so do you!). In the early stages, introduce the child to different toys and create interactions together. Little by little, your baby will explore all these developmental toys independently and at their own pace. Finally, be careful not to overwhelm them with objects; introduce them gradually to avoid overstimulation and create a sense of wonder!
How can I stimulate my baby's 5 senses?
In the early days, it's important to vary textures and colors and choose age-appropriate toys. Kaloo toys are a great example, offering a range of ultra-practical sensory toys for toddlers. Bonus: all the items were developed in collaboration with early childhood specialists! This range, called " Stimuli " and featuring a little cat, is designed for babies from 0 to approximately 24 months. Why do we love it? It has everything: cuddly toys, sensory cards, play gyms, mats… all presented with gentleness and age-specific advice to help you navigate the selection.
Discovering the 5 senses:
-
Touch is a sense that babies love to awaken with blankets and various textures; they will constantly put their little hands everywhere, and that's perfectly normal! They become familiar with textures, materials, but also with their parents' skin, hair... Everything is fair game!
- Sight : it is developed through observation, numerous colours, different prints, it later allows hand-eye coordination.
- Hearing is stimulated by the effects of certain toys: squeaks, soft music, the jingle of rattles, the "squeak" of a ball... Finally, music, reading a short story or simple words, the sounds of animals and nature are all stimuli for him.
- Taste is obviously present and stimulated first through bottle-feeding or breastfeeding, then through the introduction of solid foods! But when baby puts toys in their mouth, their sense of taste also comes into play!
-
The sense of smell is a sense that babies develop innately: the smell of milk, of their parents, of their home, of different rooms, at different times of the day…
Sensory development age by age:
-
From 0 to 3 months
At this age, infants sleep a lot and their waking hours are dictated by breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. Consequently, playtime is very short… To stimulate them, you can massage them, offer soft music, rattles and small toys on their stroller, a mobile above the crib, or invest in a baby gym now.
-
From 3 to 6 months
Babies are starting to show curiosity about their surroundings. At this age, they want to explore with their hands, their mouth, and even their wiggling feet! A play gym is highly recommended, as are toys they can manipulate ( Kaloo 's are great!): books, soft toys, balls, blocks…
Tip: At 6 months, babies start playing with their reflection in the mirror! What better way to encourage this than by giving them something to play with while admiring themselves? (By the way, Kaloo) has created a wonderful sensory mirror! It's soft and designed to stimulate all of baby's senses. Lightweight and practical, it can be attached to any playpen, stroller, playmat… Ideal for the first few months!
-
From 6 to 18 months
It's a major upheaval! During this period, your child develops at lightning speed. After rolling onto their tummy and learning to sit, they will gradually start crawling, then perhaps on all fours, before finally standing! Hang in there! Again, provide them with a variety of games, such as rotating them, encouraging their curiosity, playing hide-and-seek, stacking objects, listening to sound books…
-
From 18 months
Baby wants to do what grown-ups do: you can offer search and find games, puzzles, but his interest will be in dolls, toy telephones (what a time!), musical instruments, small wooden kitchens, having a stroller, playing baby with his stuffed animals…
