Wooden Balls & Sensory bowl
How to use it
- Sit on the floor with your baby and watch as they explore the wooden ball set
- If the ball rolls away, allow your baby to reach for it themself as your baby is learning how to twist and scoot and move their body
- Encourage your baby to put a ball into the Sensory Bowl (it may take a little while for your baby to learn how to do this and that is okay)
- Celebrate with your baby at every step from holding one ball, to holding two balls in separate hands, to putting the balls into the bowl (these are big moments for your baby)
- Banging the balls together to make music adds to the sensory experience
- You can even place a cloth over half of the bowl, then remove it showing your baby that the balls are still inside. This peek-a-boo-style game can teach your baby that something is still there even when they can’t see it.
- Look for child-safe objects from around the house or objects from nature, such as pine cones, and add them to the bowl so that your baby can use their senses to explore the world around them in a safe space
- You can even make a bowling game using the 3 cylinder pegs and the ball, creating a fun game for both toddlers and caregivers
Research
These wooden balls are great for fine and gross motor skills as well as sensory stimulation during tummy time. Your baby is learning through trial and error and building motor skills. The wooden ball set is a nice way for getting your baby to reach and twist, building muscles that are important for crawling and eventually walking. Combining the wooden balls with the sensory bowl for a game of peek-a-boo can also help teach your baby about object permanence.