How to play with your baby workshop notes
Thank you!
Thank you so much for joining us at our ‘how to play with your baby’ workshop, we hope that you found it helpful and learnt a bit about baby brain development, sensory development and got some ideas on how to play with your baby.
At the workshop we mentioned some information, links to toys and printables that you might find helpful, which we’ve posted on this page for you. Do let us know if you’d like any additional information or if you have any questions, we would love to help!
Pyramid of learning
The pyramid of learning was developed by occupational therapists Mary Sue Williams & Sherry Shellenberger and it informs our programme. When a baby is born, they start at the bottom of the pyramid with their brain and spinal cord. By the time they are ready for academic learning (in the UK this is the age of 5) they need to have acquired all of the skills in the pyramid to prepare them to sit down to learn.
At the very base of this pyramid is our sensory systems and that is why sensory development and sensory play is so important, it is literally the foundation of how they understand the world which provides the foundation for all of their future learning.
Do get in touch if we can answer any questions for you!
Videos
Here you’ll find the recording from our live session and some of the videos we reference during the training.
how to play training – recorded live
How newborns see the world
https://www.facebook.com/SeekerMedia/videos/10154748589728387/
Rub, rub, rub....
This is an amazing little massage activity that we use in our classes and play sessions.
It is such a good way of giving your little one lots of sensory input from their skin (tactile input), helps awareness of where their body is in space using the pressure and stretch receptors in their muscle and joints (proprioceptive sensory input), helps their internal body map, while simultaneously giving information through the right and left sides of the body which is amazing for developing communication between both sides of the brain. This is a lovely brain boosting activity!
It is so easy to do, just get down on the floor beside your little one, you can do it while they are sitting or lying, on their fronts or on their backs. You can do little bits of it while they are sitting next to you, I used to do when she was sitting or lying next to me on the couch, please don’t do it on a table like I’m doing it (it was just easiest for recording the video!). Do it when your little one is relaxed and calm.
So, the video above is a little video of my hands doing the massage, basically you give 4 sets of rubs and taps to each area of the body – feet, knees, hips, tummy, shoulders, hands and above their hairline. I like to do it to music (yellow submarine or lion sleeps tonight works well as you can keep time to the beat).
Have fun and I’d love to hear how you get on!
Printables
Click on the image below to download your copy if the printable
Toys
We have posted below some amazon links to some of our favourite toys, do check out other retailers though, sometimes there are promotions available at Boots and Tesco on links and music toys.
amazing baby black and white book
Links are correct at time of writing
Learning library
We have a learning library on our website which we update weekly with baby development information, you are really welcome to visit!
How to stay connected with us
Our sensory development groups
Baby Development Group
We have a free sensory development group on facebook you are really welcome to join. In there we pop in with an activity of the week and monthly we run a play along session. It is a little pop up group to offer some activity ideas and support.
The Members Club
The members club is our hub for all things child development for our under 5s. Our focus is on parent education, sensory development & play! We have developed an online learning development platform where our members and team hang out
In our members club you’ll find
– access to our baby, toddler and preschool dashboards
–sensory development classes for our under ones online delivered by our development specialists and trained class leaders, we run classes suitable for all babies and ones tailored to your baby’s development needs too. All of our classes are recorded so you can catch up at a time that suits your schedule
– play packs for our toddlers and preschoolers with play suggestions that you can do at home
– trainings for parents by specialists on topics such as weaning for our babies and nutrition for our toddlers and preschoolers by an early years dietitian, phonics and mark making from an early years teacher, first aid, baby massage, sensory development, motor skills development and much more!
–access to our activities library with lots of printables on sensory development and activities that you can do at home too.
-our exclusive facebook members community
We have developed pathways to support your little one’s development
What our members say….
Register today to access some amazing bonus content!
We are delighted to offer you over £100 worth of bonuses for joining us this month and your first month with us half price!
– an invitation to attend our motor skills workshop live and access to the recording
-our dietitian led training on weaning
– access to our 5 day sensory course
We would love to welcome you along to play!
Access to the members club costs just £20 a month for all of the trainings, classes and content. Use the code htp to access your first month with us half price! Just click the ‘have a coupon’ prompt on the registration page and type in htp to access the code.
This code must be put in at the time of registering and can’t be applied after registration.
Early sign up bonus!
The first 20 sign ups will receive an invitation to a one to two small group sessions with Lorna where you can ask questions, do some motor skills training and a play session too!
We hope you’ve found our training helpful, thank you so much for spending time with us!
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need any further information!