How To Stimulate Baby’s Senses?
Different senses not only help the child to get to know the world, but also to understand their environment and their own body. The feelings we experience are the basis of all knowledge, and learning depends on the sensations that our senses perceive. By stimulating these senses, we are also stimulating, in a sense, the structural growth of the brain. Today we talk about how parents can stimulate a baby’s sense of touch and thus contribute to a child’s development.
How to stimulate the baby’s senses?
Touch, pampering and communication
Each touch strengthens the relationship that begins as the fetus grows in its mother’s womb and makes the baby feel loved. Pampering and touching also support the development of the child’s resistance and digestive system. Stimulation of the senses helps the child to communicate his needs, react and identify with other people, and to get to know his environment while experiencing different sensations such as cold, hot, softness or hardness.
The baby’s sense of touch can be stimulated with things as simple as holding and feeding in his arms. During bathing, different tools with different structures can be used to help wash the skin, allowing the child to recognize different sensations. The baby’s body can be rubbed or ironed gently from different sides, either with your hands or using a soft cotton ball or feather, for example. Gently brushing from forehead through the neck to the back and soles of the feet, while singing or smiling, helps to strengthen all the child’s senses.
Your baby should be introduced to and read books for young children with not only big and colorful pictures, but also different textures that he or she can touch. It is a good idea to move your baby’s hand over different feeling things – soft, hard, rough, cold, warm and so on. Depending on how the child experiences touch, he or she feels affection, joy, or fear. Hugs, strokes and common moments of play add to her sense of security.
Utilizing cotton balls, building blocks, or plush toys is a great way to stimulate your baby’s senses. The same goes for clothes, as they create different feelings in a child depending on their material. During the first months, the baby should be encouraged to touch their face, hair, mouth and ears under the guise of play. This is not only a fun game, it also develops the baby’s senses.
Baby’s skin and mouth
The baby’s skin and especially the mouth, cheeks, hands, soles of the feet and abdomen are particularly sensitive. Utilization of these areas in skin contact is important for a child’s development. Through touch, she feels comforted and responds by showing affection.
The mouth is also one tool for a small child to explore the world. It allows him to try to identify different textures and discover new sensations. It also helps her find her mother’s nipple while breastfeeding. When a newborn’s open palm touches a finger, he grabs that finger. She also responds to itching and embracing when she is lifted into her arms. As he grows up, the child begins to aim and hold objects, but the mouth is still the most important way for him to get to know his surroundings.
The baby’s relationship to the world around him
By the time a child begins to crawl, he or she begins a new phase of sensory exploration of the world. Gradually, as his skills develop, the child begins to use more of his hands and less of his mouth as he plays and explores his surroundings. At this point, playing with modeling wax, sand or mud, for example, is a great way to stimulate the senses.
The baby enjoys a soft touch and a gentle pat on the back. Such contact reduces the child’s crying and helps him sleep and eat. A great way to stimulate your baby’s senses is to simply project him or her in your arms while walking.
Getting to know new dishes
Practicing eating solid foods is also a way for a child to learn. Grabbing food, for playing and tasting it, are new ways of exploring the world.
