Building a play kit for your child is great for when you are stuck for something to do. Having a feely bag on hand is a fantastic way to have ready-made stimulation for your baby, whether you’re going out or staying at home.
Feely bags and development
There are many areas of development that feely bags can support. They enable your baby to explore a variety of objects using their senses. Taking away the visual aspect of this also encourages them to rely more on the sense of touch.
Exploring objects through touch also encourages fine motor skills, as your baby will be stroking, touching, holding and squeezing a wide variety of textures and surfaces. If your baby sits when they explore the feely bag, this can also have a positive impact on their gross motor development and core strength, as they work on staying stable and steady.
How to make a feely bag at home
Find a lightweight bag that isn’t see-through – a simple tote bag or cotton drawstring bag is ideal. If using a bag with handles, it is important to consider the safety of this. You could either tie up the handles of the bag, or even just remove them if you can.
Choosing objects
When it comes to what to put into your bag, look for items that will provide a contrast of experiences: things with different textures, sizes and even some that make a sound. A few starting ideas could be rattles or toys with bells. Sponges are fantastic for encouraging your child to grip and squeeze, and so are dog toys such as a ball (just make sure that it is clean first, or even better, brand new and unused).
While it’s tempting to fill the bag up with sensory goodies for your baby to explore, it's best to start with around three objects – you can always add more things if you feel that is necessary.
Mixing it up
It’s a good idea to switch up and vary what you put in the bag every so often. After a trip to the beach, you may want to collect a few bits that you found and pop those into a feely bag. Keeping a little box or basket of items to use tucked away in a cupboard could make it easier – just grab a handful of things, pop them into a bag and off you go!
If you have older children they might want to help you gather items together and get involved in the fun too.
Safety first
With play that can involve bags and small items, it is important that your baby is supervised at all times. When they pull the things out of the bag, they may want to explore them further by looking at them, or using their teeth, lips or tongue.