Exposing your baby to new textures helps to develop gross and fine motor skills. Those motor skills lead to beginning writing, shoe-tying, and buttoning abilities, just to name a few. This exciting sensory activity will engage your baby in a world of exploration and amazement. Get ready to have some messy, multisensory and interactive fun!
- 1 container for mixing
- 1 cup of baby rice cereal
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
- microwave-safe container for melting coconut oil
- napkins or baby wet napkins
- trash bag
Preparation
Step 1: Measure 1 cup of unprepared, dry baby rice cereal. Place the cereal in the container or tray and set aside.
Step 2: Melt 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in a microwave safe container for 20 seconds, or until the oil is completely liquefied.
Step 3: Pour the melted oil into the rice cereal and mix well. If it is still too dry, melt and add more coconut oil to the mix. You can also make it less sticky by adding more rice cereal if you prefer.
Activity
Step 1: Sit your baby on the floor and make sure his hands are cleaned and dry so he can play with the dough. You might want to do this activity on a tiled, laminated or hardwood floor for easy cleanup.
Step 2: Place the tray or container with the baby dough in front of him and proceed to play with it. You may introduce the activity to him by saying something like this:
Joey, we are going to have so much fun playing with this baby dough I made! Look what I am doing. I can make shapes with it, I can trace it with my finger and I can taste it! You can play with it too.
Step 3: Help your baby play with the baby dough by placing his hand in the mix and encouraging him to explore it. Describe what he is doing, feeling, tasting and touching. Once he signals that he is done, remove the tray and clean up. The baby dough can be stored in an airtight container and placed in the refrigerator for a week. To make it more pliable, simply knead it with your hands to warm it up.
