What Are Baby Sensory Play Mats And What Are The Benefits?
Sensory play mats are one of those great all-round products that are recommended by child healthcare professionals and loved by parents, caregivers and above all of course, babies! They can be used as handy changing mats, for example in a cute colourful Disney design, or be purely for the purpose of your baby’s amusement and development.
Here’s a look at some of the many benefits of this much-loved product.
Sensory stimulation
The mats are designed to stimulate the senses of the baby, which helps them to reach developmental milestones in a safe and controlled manner. Sensory play is not just for entertainment; it is a vital means for the infant to explore the world around them.
The mat can be used to introduce them to a variety of different tactile sensations and shapes as they learn to reach out, grab, apply pressure, listen, look, and make noise! You may well notice that your newborn will reflexively begin to grasp objects from their earliest weeks.
Over time, they will begin to make visual sense of these colourful objects, and learn how to hold, rattle, shake, and probably also try to eat or throw them! A sensory play is equipped with a variety of secure toys and objects such as rattles and rings, that are designed for the baby to reach and grab, or explore as they please in a safe manner.
This not only helps them to develop senses such as touch and sight, but also aids with core muscle development and hand to eye coordination.
Motor skill development
Sensory play mats with textured surfaces, such as raised patterns and bumpy foam padding, help children to develop an awareness of their bodily movements as they begin to sit, crawl, stand and walk for the first time.
Some mats are designed to support ‘tummy time’ when the baby is placed face down to prevent them from developing a flat spot on the back of their heads. The mat is shaped to help them roll and encourage the first experiments with sitting and so on.
Older babies will enjoy multi-functional mats that act as mini-gyms and can be adapted into other toys such as tepees or wendy houses.
Language and social development
Sensory play encourages the infant to develop language skills as they use the mat for imaginative play and begin to create stories and seek to describe their sensory experiences. The mats can also be used for shared social experiences, either alongside other children or as part of one to one interaction with a parent or caregiver.
A calming environment
Some mats are specifically designed with soothing colours and soft tactile surfaces that can help a baby to feel safe and secure. These are ideal for an anxious infant who may need soothing, on a visit to a strange place for example, or if they need to have a quiet half hour winding down before being put to bed.
