Sensory Stimulation for 9-12 Month Olds
This stage of your baby’s development is an exciting one, but it’s also exhausting as they become more mobile and set off to explore the world around them. You might spend your day chasing a baby, but that doesn’t mean you can let up on providing sensory stimulation to aid their learning development.
The good news is that babies are incredibly receptive to learning at this age because they love fun, whether it’s a game of clapping hands or exploring a toy chest. This is where their observational skills develop and their memory power increases.
Your Baby’s Brain
Between the ages of 9 – 12 months, your baby is becoming more naturally curious and observant of what’s happening around them. Everyday experiences and interactions all help to shape your baby’s brain. From the texture of the couch fabric to the smell of dinner cooking, and every cuddle and giggle you share together, your baby’s brain is making connections that help them learn about and understand their world.
In addition to physical development, like learning to crawl and walk, your baby is beginning to use their brain in more sophisticated ways, including trying to problem-solve and understanding cause and effect through experimenting.
Sensory Stimulation for One Year Olds
Every baby is unique and will follow their own developmental path. However, research shows that babies who are exposed to more multisensory stimulation (including attending baby sensory classes) may experience a boost in their brain development.
If you’d like to provide additional sensory stimulation for your baby, the following ideas are ideal for babies aged nine to 12 months.
Introduce new foods
Eating is an important sensory activity for babies because it involves all of the senses. Your baby will touch, taste, smell, see, and even hear some foods. Every time they try a new food, this sends signals to the brain’s frontal lobe, via cranial nerves, about the tastes, smells, and textures they’re experiencing. Your baby will begin to show preferences for certain foods, which is a major developmental milestone. Don’t be discouraged by strong negative reactions. This is all part of learning. Keep trying new tastes, flavours and textures.
Have ‘conversations’ with your baby
At this age, babies often communicate by pointing when they don’t have the language to express what they see or want. Engaging with them and asking simple questions if you’re unsure what they’re trying to tell you helps to build communication skills and language, and demonstrates that their interests and needs matter, which is key to building healthy self-esteem.
When your baby points to something, name the object and encourage them to repeat the word back. Build on this by reading board books with pictures of common objects (e.g. ball, dog, house).
If they’re pointing at the fridge, ask if they’re hungry. If they point outside, perhaps they see a bird, or maybe they want to play. These little conversations have a huge impact.
Simple searching games
Hide a favourite toy under a towel on the floor and ask your baby, “Where is it?” This sparks their natural curiosity to search and investigate. It also builds confidence when they find the object, so be sure to clap and celebrate how clever they are. In addition to being a fun game, you’re developing their object permanence, too.
Water play
9 – 12-month-old babies typically love water, so try sensory activities that involve safe and supervised splashy fun. Things to try:
- Fill a small plastic bottle with beads and water and seal it securely. Let your baby shake the bottle, and watch the beads settle. This is great for their visual skills.
- During bath time, add cups, containers or a small colander. Your baby will love filling and emptying each one, and watching how the water flows out of the holes in the colander.
Baby sensory classes
Sometimes it’s nice when someone else leads the activities – that’s where baby sensory classes come in!
During structured sessions designed by early childhood educators, you and your baby can enjoy a range of fun and engaging multi-sensory activities including:
- Listening to music, dancing and playing handheld instruments
- Singing songs with accompanying hand gestures
- Balancing on balls and playing with scarves and ribbons
- Using hands and feet to explore sensory bins filled with baby-safe items (e.g. colourfully dyed rice)
Sensory classes for 9-12-month-olds are also a lovely opportunity for bubs and their carers to make new friends and socialise.