Our newest addition to the family- Sensory Playmats
As the seasons change and autumn changes into winter, we are spending more and more time indoors in the comfort of our homes. Babaroo is proud to introduce our one-of-a-kind sensory, educational playmats. The sensory playmats are an extension of our sensory cubes. Various known activity panels, as well as a few new additions, are placed on our playmats. The sensory playmats easily fold up and can travel with you wherever you go. It is the perfect educational ‘toy’ for your baby, especially in the winter months. Our sensory playmats will assist with your babies’ sensory integration as well as entertain your baby during tummy time.
What is tummy time, and why is it important?
Tummy Time is crucial for healthy motor, sensory and visual development and is one of your baby’s first exercises. All the ‘magic’ happens on the floor/ground/grass. Tummy time is defined as ‘the period during the day your baby spends awake and on their stomach. It is a crucial exercise for baby’s visual, motor, and sensory development’. It is important to develop the following:
- Builds balance.
- Builds neck, back and shoulder muscles.
- Builds flexor muscles.
- Builds arm and wrist strength.
- Strengthens the spine.
- Helps discover how gravity feels.
- Core strength.
- Visual tracking.
- Build a foundation for baby to meet motor milestones including rolling, sitting, crawling, and more.
What is the adequate amount of tummy time?
You can start with tummy time with your baby as a new-born as soon as they come home from the hospital. You should aim for around 20-30 minutes a day by the time the baby is 3 or 4 months old. Tummy time does not necessarily have to be continuous- it can be broken into smaller sessions/increments of a few minutes at a time and build it to longer sessions.
What is Sensory Integration?
Sensory integration is the process by which we receive information through our senses, organize and process this information, and use it to participate in everyday activities. We have 5 different senses through which we receive stimuli: vision, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile. Edulove’s sensory playmats stimulates all 5 these senses and it the perfect sensory, educational tool for a new mom. The baby will feel the different materials that we use for the panels, they will receive visual stimuli through the eye when they see every single detail added.
Why is sensory stimulation important for a baby?
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- Feeling different textures (blankets, carpet, etc.) on their arms, hands, and cheeks can help baby’s tactile sense (sense of touch).
- As baby moves and their weight shifts, they gain a sense of body awareness.
- Positioning a baby differently helps develop their movement and balance (vestibular sense).