Do you ever wonder where Baby Sensory all started? Do
you ever think to yourself ‘whose idea was it to create a class especially
designed for babies?’ I wonder if it would surprise you to learn that the
first ever educational class for little ones was delivered right here in Hampshire!
Just down the road in Romsey, the wonderful Dr Lin Day launched the first Baby Sensory class in 2006. Her
passion for her work has inspired an internationally renowned education
programme for little ones, and it all started right here.
This week, we attended a very special Baby Sensory class; a collaboration
with DHX Brands, with the Teletubbies offering parents an exciting
experience highlighting the developmental benefits of play. The incredibly
special lesson had been planned and created by Dr Lin Day, founder of Baby
Sensory, and it was an honour to be able to see the results of her hard work
first hand.
The Teletubbies appeal to young children in a variety of ways and
for multiple reasons which are all linked to preschool development. We arrived
at our Baby Sensory class, greeted by our class leader Claire, dressed as Laa Laa, and bright colours and magical sounds adorned the room.
I had mixed feelings about the fact that my 7 week old was
asleep. With sleep not being his strong point I was reluctant to
wake him, equally I didn’t want him to miss out! But realistically how much
can he really get out of the experience at 7 weeks... well as it
turns out - quite a lot! I was readily informed that infants who are sleeping
can still process 60% of the experience! No more worrying about babies sleeping
through classes! He was still having his own dreamy experience.
One of the key elements on the Baby Sensory journey is learning
routine to encourage the feelings of safety and confidence, knowing what to
expect through repetitive experiences. We started with the weekly welcome song
‘Say Hello to the Sun’ which is accompanied with the appropriate signs (don’t
worry parents, you’ll get there with the singing and signing combo!) then we
were off and on our way.
So there I am watching a fabulously energetic Claire launch into
the session, with her four bright cuddly companions Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa
and Po. I’ll be honest, I was quite jealous of those new mums who seemed
concerned that they hadn’t learnt the Teletubbies names yet...(can you believe
the Teletubbies are 21?! They’re looking good for their age) my age, combined
with an 8 year old step daughter means the names and theme tune has been
ingrained for some years now!!
Off we go, bouncing our babies on bright yellow inflatable ‘tubby
custard’ and I think to myself... if anyone walked in now what would they think
we were doing?! But that’s what I love about Baby Sensory, we know what we
are doing, and we know why we are doing it. We are developing their balancing
skills and aiding their understanding of posture, we are encouraging trust,
both in themselves and in us, we are inspiring a sense and understanding of
rhythm and we are helping to develop their brain cell connections... when
you’re a baby, it’s never just bouncing. Everything has a purpose, every moment
has been carefully crafted, responding to the two million neural connections
they are making each second. Babies are amazing!
Transported to Teletubby land, the room was quickly turned into a
delight of colour and textures, flowers, trees, hills, falling
leaves and garlands. Babies were being visually
stimulated, strengthening their eye tracking and their senses through texture.
Claire’s explanation of the purpose of each activity lit the teacher spark in
me; I was enjoying learning just as much as my baby, and I was so grateful
that I was being given the confidence in the purpose of the activities at every
step.
Being a drama teacher, people expect you to want to get up,
join in and be centre of attention, or at least be confident joining in,
throwing yourself into it without being self conscious. Well let me tell
you there’s nothing quite like having a baby to zap your self-esteem. In
classes like this it can be hard to put yourself out there, to sing, to dance,
to embrace the activities. Having lived a life immersed in the performing arts
I think nothing of singing to little ones, singing itself brings me so much joy
I never considered not singing to my children. However I’ve come to realise
it’s not second nature to everyone, I remember vividly one person asking in a
class why it was important and if it was necessary to sing as they didn’t think
they could. For some, this whole new area and skill set is daunting but songs
and rhymes help develop early speech and language skills so you just have to go
for it!
Child development researchers suggest if a child knows 8 nursery
rhymes by the age of 4 they will develop a wider vocabulary and be better
readers by the time they’re 8 - another gem I picked up from a Baby Sensory
class leader! All this knowledge from one Baby Sensory class, and all that
encouragement to join in and carry on at home is necessary for your little ones
intellectual and sensory stimulation. Who cares what you sound like, have a
little sing! It’s especially good during that tricky time of day, before your
partner gets home, when they just wont settle… don’t be embarrassed, no one can
hear you but your baby.
How comforting to know that it’s normal, to sing to your baby, to
make faces, dance around, and encourage imaginative play and interaction with
your baby – not only is it normal it’s pretty vital to their
development. With the aid of fabulous class leaders like Claire, slowly but
surely you will develop the confidence in yourself in this very important
aspect of parenting - sensory development.
The class is split into three sections which reflects the idea of
‘play, rest, play’ and allows babies time to be stimulated as well as
respecting their shorter attention span, the free play aspect of the class also
allows you to have a chat, or a rant, a giggle or a cry with other parents -
making mummy friends is another vital part of the journey!
We enjoyed a puppet show and a light show to finish our session
with the Teletubbies ensuring the full range of senses were fully covered. We’re
not just looking at pretty lights and playing with LEDs, it’s not just a great
photo opportunity, we are building nerve connections in the brain’s pathways,
we are truly awakening their senses.
Every moment of a Baby Sensory class has been thoughtfully
constructed and appropriately planned to respond to the developmental needs of
your baby. Simply put, it’s so much more than just a singing and movement
session. Engaging your children in sensory play encourages them to explore the
world through their own senses. The explanation of the purpose of the
activities very much appeals to the teacher in me, I love knowing why we are
doing what we are doing and in what way it is aiding development. Whether
through creative play, singing and rhyme, storytelling, massage, Baby Sensory
classes are completely unique in the way they offer you a connection to your
babies journey as they grow.
Our time with the Teletubbies may have drawn to a
close, but what we take away from the class will impact us forever. Imagine
all the brain cells that have been created with the aid of Tinky Winky, Dipsy,
Laa Laa and Po!
Of all the classes I attended with Boo when she was little had
content which resonated with me and songs which we still sing and sign together
now. Say Hello to the Sun will always work at calming her when nothing else
does and like a trusty old school hymn, the words will somehow remain with you.
I’m sure the lady next to me wondered how, in my first session, I knew all the
words!
Teletubbies week may be over but every week is a new week in
Baby Sensory, a new theme awaits and a new adventure for you and your little
one. Never has life long learning been better understood than by the Baby
Sensory team. It’s not just singing and dancing and having a jolly nice time,
it’s a sensory package which develops the platform for your babies intellectual
future.
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