One of the surprise highlights of opening my own studio space is the joy of creating a class focused on babies. Each week children ages 10-18 months join me with their caregivers for an hour of exploration focused on play. In creating the weekly experiences I focus on the specific developmental ages acknowledging that there often is a big difference between what a 10 month old will be doing versus an 18 month old. Focusing on materials that are all about the process allows each child to approach the activities in a way that is best for them. The following Easy Baby Art and Sensory Activities are meant to be a jumping off point for further exploration. Enjoy!
Check out these easy baby art and sensory activities!
WATER PLAY
I feel so lucky that I began my career in education long before smartphones were in every hand and Pinterest existed. While I have nothing against beautifully crafted projects I’m here to tell you that you will burn out if you think everything has to be over the top. Your children don’t care. I promise you that. Simple experiences and connection go a long way. One of my favorite water play experiences is to lay a couple of towels on the ground with a huge plastic bin filled with water. Tip: if you are designing this for a class or won’t be using it immediately make the water extra warm so it doesn’t get too chilly by the time it is ready to be used. Add a few spoons and cups and you are all set for fun!
CANVAS PAINTING
While I am all about the process versus the product when creating experiences for children, I have to admit I was floored by how gorgeous our painted canvases turned out in my Baby Class. We create our canvases over a 5 week period, but you could do yours in a much shorter period of time. I had two goals in creating our painted canvases. The first goal was to introduce paint by focusing on a different color each week. The second goal was to introduce different painting tools. For this activity you will need to cover a large portion of the floor with drop cloth. Next set out a tray with tempera paints and a large canvas. I love these rollers as a first painting tool (with hands and feet, or course!). Sit with your baby on the ground and let them begin to explore. Some children will dive right in (literally), and some children will be more cautious. Honor who your child is. There is no right or wrong way to explore new materials. If you child is hesitant you can pick up the roller or dip your hands in the paint. One thing I like to do is put paint on my own hand and let children use a finger to touch my hand. This makes the experience less daunting. Tip: keep a bucket of water and a towel close by for easy clean up.
TWINKLY LIGHT CAVES
Check out my own little baby in this photo. In one week she turns 8 years old. Clearly, we’ve been loving this baby sensory activity for many years! You can find the details here.
TAPIOCA BALLS
Water beads became a popular sensory material a few years ago, but they make me very nervous to use with little kids. If ingested they are quite harmful. A safer alternative that still gives that satisfying squishy feeling are tapioca balls. You can buy them here. Follow the directions on the package by boiling water and cooking the tapioca balls for 5 minutes. Next, drain and rinse with cold water. Place the tapioca balls in a shallow bin of water. While these are safer than water beads, it is important that you are always present when children are using these to monitor potential choking hazards.
PAINT MURALS
Oh how I love a large blank piece of paper for children to paint on. The magic is in the simplicity of this activity. One of the materials that is always great to have on hand is a white butcher roll. It is a bit expensive upfront, but will last you a long time. Even with running 4 classes a week for 40 children I only go through 3 rolls a year. Roll out a large piece of paper and tape it to the wall. The one seen in the photograph is 2 long pieces of paper taped together. Working vertically encourages gross motor development. You can either put some paint in a shallow tray with brushes or use my favorite no-spill paint cups.
PLAYDOUGH
I love playdough! If you follow this blog, my Instagram page or my Etsy shop this will come as no surprise. Keep it simple with babies. Whip up a quick batch of playdough (unscented is best for babies) or purchase a jar from my shop here. For babies I like to put out large balls with things to stick in the playdough such as craft sticks, unsharpened pencils or these plastic drink stirrers.
CLOUD DOUGH
I won’t lie to you. This is a messy one. Just check out those floors! I’m a big fan of a messy activity that cleans up fast. All the mess you see provided an hour of play and cleaned up in less than 10 minutes. That’s a huge win in my book. When creating sensory experiences for babies I always want the materials to be taste-safe. Babies learn through mouthing materials, and we don’t want to stop them from this important aspect of learning. To make your own cloud dough simply mix together 8 parts flour to 1 part oil. I like to use coconut oil or vegetable oil. When combined they create a moldable material similar to wet sand, but so much softer.
BAKING POWDER SENSORY PLAY
I found this idea on FriendsArtLab instagram page. If you don’t know this page you have to check it out. It’s chock full of joy. As you can see I am always advocating for simple and a bin full of baking soda fits the criteria. For this particular bin I added bowls, spoons and a variety of wintery objects.
JUMBO POM POMS
This is one of those upfront costs that is well worth it because you will use these jumbo pom poms again and again. I like to put them in a large bin so that children can climb in and have a full body sensory experience.
Always remember, babies need lots of repetition. Every day is a new experience for them, and they learn through practice. While it may seem boring to an adult to repeat the same activities, that repetition is exactly what children need. These easy baby art and sensory activities will provide you with endless hours of fun for you and your little ones.
