Sensory Tunnels
Young children need to develop large and small movements as part of their muscle control. Introducing different types of floor play fun will provide them with opportunities to learn movements such as rolling, slithering, creeping and crawling. Each of these movements is an important skill and will help your child to explore moving confidently in different ways.
You can find more information on Gross Motor Development and how your baby develops them by visiting BBC Tiny Happy People here:
What do I have to make a sensory tunnel?
Why not try some of these items…
Play tunnel or large cardboard box, blankets, an old shower curtain, bubble wrap, textured cushions, ribbons/bows, old CD’s, mirror roll, socks filled with newspapers, scraps of materials like shells/large pebbles, fairy lights
…anything that will stimulate the senses.
How can I make it interesting?
Give these ideas a try…
- Use fairy lights to create a bright tunnel and hang objects from the roof, which can be pulled off as they crawl through.
- Fill socks with different textures and sounds i.e. bells, scrunchy paper that they need to navigate through.
- Place CD discs and different surfaces on the floor such as blankets, bubble wrap or a textured shower curtain.
- Add photos of the child or mirror roll at the sides of the tunnel to make it fun and inviting!
Walking or crawling on different surfaces activates different muscles and helps balance.
Encourage different ways of moving through the tunnel…
i.e. on their tummy, hands and knees, crawl forwards & backwards from one end to the other. Slither through the tunnel (rocking body left and right) or scoot through the tunnel using hands and feet or even crab walk through the tunnel.
