Babies and young children find small balls easy to grasp and pick up. Why not add them to dry and wet messy play mixtures to provide new and exciting sensory experiences?
Organisation
- Consider beforehand how babies will access the activity and plan suitable containers with this in mind. For example, creative experiences involving paint and water are better in shallow trays; larger quantities of natural materials such as leaves, twigs and sand can be presented in deeper sand and water trays; put shredded paper hide-and-seek games in cardboard boxes and baskets, and lighter balls in paddling pools.
- Introduce a variety of balls with interesting textures, according to the age and manual dexterity of the children involved. For example, small solid balls are easy to grasp, but airflow balls might be more suitable for gripping in sticky mixtures. Other types to include might be balls that make a noise, such as those designed for babies, dogs or cats, or sports balls, such as for golf or table tennis.
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