The Big Idea: Play is how kids explore, discover, and learn about the world around them.
Learning Through the Senses
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hRb5lzOP5U
As babies and toddlers begin to explore their home and surroundings through all of their senses, they can be kept safe, healthy, and engaged:
- “Tummy time” can help babies learn to hold their heads up, crawl, and focus on their surroundings. Set up a small mirror in front of them so they can see their reflection and expressions.
- Little ones explore by touching anything and everything! Find fun, safe things with different textures for children to touch and explore. Try a cotton ball, a cardboard box, or a small plastic bottle filled with water.
- Sounds are all around us, and kids love making their own sounds and music. Set up homemade instruments: a pot and spoon can be a drum set, and a paper-towel roll with holes poked in it can be a flute. Encourage siblings to play with sounds together, and use their voices to sing along.