Develop your senses
In addition to his mother, you are his playmate, especially during his first months. Every game you teach him and share with him will be a test of skill that will be worth learning. We propose activities to develop your senses.
EAR
From 0 months
They say that babies who are only four days old can already distinguish one language from another and immediately begin to show interest in sounds and words. Record his babbling and the different noises he makes, play them back and see how he reacts. Then try all kinds of sounds, from nature, from the house, from the street...
From 9 months
Inflate a balloon in which you have previously placed some bells. Tie a bow to the knot so he can grab it better and throw it to him. When you pick it up, keep shaking it happily to hear the bells sound.
From 12 months
Fill several half-liter plastic bottles (empty) with different grains and seeds. One with rice, another with lentils, another with chickpeas, another with sugar, etc. Close them well; You already have some great maracas for your baby. The different sounds that the grains make will develop your sense of hearing. You'll see how it catches your attention!
TASTE
From 6 to 12 months
Place your baby in the high chair and offer him a washed red apple. Let him explore while he picks it up, puts it in his mouth, sucks it... Repeat the operation with a green apple and then with a yellow one. Then present it to him in pieces and name each color while he tastes it. You will discover the different flavors that the same fruit can have, depending on its color.
Also try...with pieces of banana, carrot, apricot. Let him explore each fruit and vegetable!
From 2 to 4 years
Put a sample of several dishes that your child likes (flan, cheese, lemon juice, ham, chocolate, etc.). Blindfold him and offer him a spoonful of one of the dishes. You will have to say if it is sweet, salty, bitter, sour, spicy... It will help you learn to associate a name and an adjective with each sensation.
From 4 to 6 years
Place several glasses on a table. Fill them with different liquids (orange juice, strawberry smoothie, milk, chocolate, water, lemon soda...) and add a few drops of different food coloring to each one, so that the liquid has a different color than the original. The child will have to try each drink, describe what it tastes like and finally figure out what liquid it is. With this you will see that your sight can deceive you and therefore you will trust your sense of smell and taste more. It will also be useful to develop your vocabulary and learn to define sensations.
TOUCH
From 3 months
Touch is one of the most developed senses at birth. Through it, the baby begins to receive stimuli and information that allows it to interact with the outside world. At bath time, wring the sponge over his head, so that drops fall on him. Then, when drying him, direct the air from the hair dryer over his body, at a comfortable temperature and power. You will learn to distinguish new sensations while developing touch.
From 1 year
Use different papers (Pinocchio paper, cellophane, bubble wrap, aluminum, silk...) and offer them to them. Your little artist will create and invent a multitude of activities with papers. You will be attracted to the different sounds their textures and consistencies produce.
Place your baby on a towel. Take a funnel and fill it with breadcrumbs, dropping it on his skin, so that it tickles all over his body. Baby will love the way the bread falls and will try to catch it.
From 2 years
In a box or an opaque bag, several objects or toys that the child knows, with different shapes or textures, are placed. The game consists of putting your hand in and trying to guess what each object is by touch. If several children play, the one with the most correct answers wins. If only your son plays, write down his successes. In addition to promoting the sense of touch, this activity will help develop memory and reasoning.
SMELL
From 0 to 6 months
Undress your baby and lay him on his back. Apply aromatic massage oils and massage gently. First through the trunk, then through the arms, the legs... The baby will associate the smell with a feeling of bodily well-being. This sensation will predispose you to discover other aromas.
From 2 years
Place several objects with characteristic smells (your perfume, a regular cream, dad's aftershave, gel, his cologne, flowers, freshly cut grass...). Cover his eyes and let him smell it. The game consists of guessing what it is and what it reminds you of. You will learn to recognize different aromas and work on your olfactory memory by developing a mental image.
VIEW
from 0 months
Babies love to observe everything that moves. They will find it incredibly fun just to watch a washing machine spin. Windows are great viewing points for a baby. Try, whenever you can, to place him in front of a place where he can receive a multitude of stimuli.
From 6 months
Show him his image in a mirror about 30 cm away and wait to see his reaction. He won't recognize himself yet, but he will have fun seeing another baby looking at him and smiling at him. Move him further and further away slowly to stimulate his visual focus.
