Ribbon play – singing, waving, and pulling away

What you need 

• Lengths of ribbon  
• A variety of pieces of fabric – clean tea towels, washing-up cloths or even socks work well  

What to try 

• Playing with ribbon or fabric is a wonderful sensory experience and there are lots of ways to play which will interest your baby.  
• Sing some songs (or play music) to your baby and move the fabric or ribbons in front of them in time with the beat.  
• Gently brush your baby’s head or face with the ribbon or fabric, watch carefully to see if they enjoy it. If so, repeat it with different textures of fabric. 
• When you’re outside, let the ribbons or fabric blow in the wind where your baby can see and reach it (or give it a wave if it’s a calm day). Watch to see if your baby tries to reach out for and pull any of the pieces. If they manage to grab and pull any of the pieces out of your hand, give them lots of praise. 

Never leave your baby alone to play with ribbons or fabric. Supervise them to ensure they do not wrap the material around their head or hands.  

Good to know 

When you’re out with your baby in their pram, and they are awake and alert, you can give them the opportunity to practise pulling by playing with their blanket. Gently move their blanket or muslin so it hovers above their head. Pause for your baby to move the blanket away to find you. Your baby might not try to move the blanket at first, in which case, move it away yourself and give them a big smile.