Do you have a kiddo who is always touching items to explore? Or have a child who has not yet begun playing with items or using common items appropratly because they are "just touching things"?
Try a variety of Tactile activities.
Tactile Ideas
Here is a list of tactile ideas. These are things your child would use with your supervision meaning you do not have to leave all these items out. I completely understand that when parents see words such as “play dough” or “shaving cream” they may feel worried or think “There’s no way we could try that! My child would not know what to do” or “They would make a mess!” or “They would put it in their mouth!”. I promise choosing some of these ideas will be a great way to teach your child new skills, set expectations during play routines, and most importantly- it is providing your child with something they are seeking (tactile experiences). If we provide experiences a child is seeking out we are providing something they need and we will see less seeking behavior. These experiences lead to increased attention span as they may stay on task for an extended time with tactile experiences.
Play with a variety of toys. There are many different toys that can help babies explore different textures. Some examples include textured balls, rattles, foam toys, wooden toys, and stuffed animals, just to name a few.
Explore different textures. Introduce them to all sorts of cool feels: fluffy fur, bumpy sandpaper, smooth wood, crinkly tin foil, and chilly metal. You can hide these treasures in a "feely box" or spread them out on a tray for a grand exploration.
Take a Walk Together. Walking outside is the perfect place for kiddos to explore different textures, such as the bark, the sand, woodchips, flowers, and leaves. There is so much to see, feel, touch, smell, and hear outside.
Give Your Little One a Massage. A massage is a great way for babies to experience different textures and sensations. Touch your child’s hand, arm, foot, or leg with different ideas, such as a stuffie, hair brush, block, rattle, or foam toy. You want to use a bit of a firm touch as many babies may not enjoy a tickling sensation at first.
Explore Textures of Clothing. Show your baby different textures of clothing, such as soft cotton, rough denim, bumpy textures, and smooth silk. You might try placing it in their hands and rubbing it on their arm or leg during play.
Give Your Child Items to Explore in the Tub. A bath is a great way for babies to explore different textures, such as the water, the bubbles, and the bath toys. Make toys move, float, and splash to get a reaction out of your little one.
Play with bubbles. Bubbles are a fun and sensory way for babies to explore the air.
Show Your Child How To Paint with Their Hands. Let your baby paint with their hands using non-toxic finger paints or edible items such as pudding. This is a great way for them to explore different textures and colors.
Create a sensory bin. Sensory bins offer an excellent opportunity for babies to explore various textures, colors, and smells. You can create one by filling a bin with diverse materials like sand, rice, beans, water, or even shaving cream.
Create a sensory bottle. You can fill a bottle with a variety of materials, such as beads, glitter, water, and food coloring. This is great for children who do not want mess on their hands just yet. I recommend gluing the top of the bottle closed to be safe.
Play with playdough. Playdough is a versatile material that babies can use to explore different textures and shapes. There are lots of new doughs on the market now providing different feels and textures.
Read books with textured pages. Tactile books can be found at stores and libraries. The pages include many different textures, including soft, rough, bumpy, smooth, and even sticky!
Mystery Texture Bag: Place 3–4 items with distinctly different feels (e.g., a bumpy scrub sponge, a silky ribbon, a smooth wooden block, a cool metal spoon) inside a cloth bag or pillowcase. Reach in dramatically, announce "What feels bumpy?", pull the item out, and gently rub it on the child's forearm or hand while modeling descriptive words like "bumpy", "tickle", or "cold".
Soothing Lotion Massage: Place a small dab of child-safe lotion on your hands and invite the child to present their hands or feet. Rub their hands together while singing a familiar tune, labeling body parts ("Hands get smooth", "Rub the toes"). Pause before adding a new dab to wait for a gesture, vocalization, or eye contact requesting "more".
Warm Water Splash & Pour: Fill a shallow basin with warm water and introduce two small cups. Model scooping and slowly drizzling water over the child's fingers, pairing the sensory sensation with rich verbal cues like "warm", "pour", "drip, drip, drip", and "stop".
The "Squish & Find" Gel Bag: Fill a gallon-sized zip-top bag with clear hair gel and a few small, interesting items (googly eyes, plastic coins, or beads). Seal the bag securely (tape the top shut). The caregiver tapes the bag flat to a table or window. The caregiver says, "Find the eye!" and models pushing their finger into the plastic to squish the gel around and move the item.
Velcro Pull & Stick: Attach a strip of the "loop" (soft) side of Velcro to a wall or board, and put the "hook" (scratchy) side on a few light blocks or toys. The caregiver slaps the toy onto the strip, saying "Stick!" and then encourages the child to grab it and pull hard, narrating the loud "Rrrrrip!" sound and the tough tactile resistance.
Water Bead or Bean Sort: Fill a shallow bin with dry beans, rice, or hydrated water beads (ensure close supervision to prevent choking). Instead of just letting the child run their hands through it alone, the caregiver hides a few larger "treasure" items (like small plastic animals). The caregiver digs in their hands enthusiastically, gasps, and pulls out an animal: "I found a pig! Oink oink!" Then encourage the child to dig and find the next one.
Tickle Path (Light Touch): For children who seek light, feathery touch rather than deep pressure, the caregiver can use a feather, a piece of soft yarn, or just their fingertips. The caregiver "walks" their fingers up the child’s arm, saying "Creepy crawly spider walking up, up, up... TICKLE!" at the neck or underarm.