Created by experts, our classes are designed to aid your baby’s development from birth to thirteen months. Classes are packed with an incredible variety of sounds, smells, sights, textures and so much more. There's always something new, with different themes and our unique programme contains literally hundreds of fantastic sensory activities. Each activity is explained so you can understand the value to your baby and gain lots of ideas for play at home and maximise your little one's amazing learning ability!
Our classes provide loads of opportunities to create wonderful memories during your baby’s precious first year and also to make some fantastic friends with babies of a similar age that live locally to you. Each week there is a new theme, new ways to discover learning and bonding together throughout your baby's all important first year of life, a time in which their brain volume will double as a result of trillions of new neural connections right from birth.
Your baby's senses will be stimulated with all the textures, smells, sights, sounds, lights, puppet shows, props and all the bubbles you can imagine all in one setting!
How is the class structured?
Classes last for 55 minutes and are structured into three phases to mirror your baby's natural play-rest-play cycle, in which the first play period lasts about 25 minutes, followed by a rest period of about 20 minutes. The final play period lasts about 15 minutes and the structure of a Baby Sensory class replicates this cycle. This is why it's so important to have a rest-break in the Exploratory Play Area between structured sensory activities.
Part 1: Sensory Activities - always starting with our Say Hello to the Sun song, then a few activities in line with that week's theme
Break: Free-play in the Exploratory Play Area is a crucial component for intellectual, physical, social & emotional development. Through unstructured play, babies master the skills that enable them to move onto the next developmental stage.
Part 2: Sensory Activities - a few more activities to boost your baby's learning, always finishing with our signature Wave Goodbye song.
Is my baby too young? What if they just sleep through class?
No! Your baby is amazing and is learning & developing at an incredible rate. By the end of their first year, your baby's brain will have doubled in volume as a direct result of experiences from birthday, and they will have learnt more than they will at any other time in their life! Our classes provide a sensory-rich environment which will benefit your baby from birth. As your baby grows, they will become more interactive and expressive, and in turn the experience become more & more rewarding for you, as your baby is more able to demonstrate how much fun they are having. You will be able to see what they have gained from those early weeks. And if you're worried about them sleeping during class, babies still take in around 60% of what's happening around them - so they are still learning even when asleep. How incredible is that?!
Newborn babies need to sleep a lot in order for their brains to process all the sensory input they receive. Some babies are very alert from birth, and some babies are naturally more sleepy than others to begin with. Even older babies will sometimes need to sleep during the class - this is totally normal! Babies needs very much come first and you should always feel free to feed, change or settle your baby at any point. Take things at your & your baby's own pace, and follow their cues when they have had enough. Even if your baby were to sleep for the whole class, you will gain lots of inspiration & ideas to try at home. We always explain how & why each activity is beneficial, so you will learn lots too.
My baby is very active and I'm worried about trying to keep them in one place for the session.
We love inquisitive babies and encourage them to investigate what's going on around them in class, at any stage in the session.
Book Now to secure your space, or for further information about our classes, please email me at stalbans@babysensory.co.uk
