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…
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.
