Helping babies benefit from sensory play

As a first-time parent it can sometimes seem daunting to know the best way to keep your baby happy and entertained.

That was the case for Danielle Dennis, 28, when she had her daughter, Floryn, a year ago. So when she saw Facebook posts about Baby Sensory — a programme designed for babies from birth to 13 months — she decided to give it a go.

“The session had a cowboy theme with lots of bubbles and lights,” said Danielle.

“Floryn was mesmerised. She loved it.”

Danielle continued taking Floryn to the sessions for about a year.

“It was something we both looked forward to. It was a focus of our week,” she said.

Before starting her family Danielle, a former pupil of The Grove School, Balderton, spent three years training in sign language and did a foundation degree in supporting teaching in schools.

She then spent five years as a teaching assistant at a school in Ollerton, working with a deaf child, until she left to have her daughter.

Danielle said she had been looking for a new challenge and was so impressed with how Floryn had developed with the help of the baby sensory sessions she decided to become a leader herself.

The programme was founded by Dr Lin Day, a parenting expert, backed by more than 35 years of research in childhood learning and development. It has won awards nationally and internationally.

Danielle has worked with a regional organiser and completed training at the programme’s centre in Salisbury in preparation to run her sessions.

They will be at St Giles’ Community Hall, Balderton, from September 6.

She will run three hour-long sessions each week. Each will start with a signed song, Say Hello To The Sun, and will be followed by activities in a sensory area followed by exploratory play.

Danielle will lead activities that involve sounds, smells, sights, textures, music, dance and singing.

They are all designed to stimulate the baby’s senses and help with their development and learning.

Each session has a detailed lesson plan with creative play, massage, movement and music, which can be done at home.

They include original and traditional songs and rhymes to help develop early speech and language skills, and sensory signing activities, which help parents and babies communicate from birth.

Free taster sessions will be held a week today. A session for babies aged up to six months is already fully booked, but there are spaces on two other sessions — for six to 13 months and one covering birth to 13 months.

Places must be booked through email newarkbabysensory.co.uk or calling 07714 995721.

Danielle said she was looking forward to getting started.

“I am excited and looking forward to meeting the parents and their babies,” she said.

Further information is available through Facebook and the website www.babysensory.com/newark.