Sensory Activities for 6-9 Month Olds: Engaging Your Baby's Senses
- oliviapowers17
- Feb 20
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 21
As a pediatric occupational therapist and mom, I understand the importance of sensory play in your baby’s development. From stimulating cognitive growth to enhancing fine motor skills, sensory activities are a fantastic way to encourage exploration and learning during the 6-9 month stage. Here are some of my favorite sensory activities that are not only fun but also developmentally appropriate!
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Why is Sensory Play Important?
Sensory play engages your baby’s senses—touch, sight, sound, taste, and movement—helping their brain form important connections. These experiences support cognitive development, fine and gross motor skills, and even social-emotional growth. Plus, they provide a safe space for babies to explore and learn about their environment.
Finger Painting
What It Helps With: Fine motor skills, tactile exploration, and creativity.Finger painting is a wonderful way to introduce your baby to different textures and colors. For a safe and edible version, try using plain yogurt mixed with natural food coloring. Let your baby squish, smear, and explore on a tray or highchair table. Not only does this enhance their sensory experience, but it also supports hand-eye coordination and fine motor development.
Pro Tip: Use a silicone mat or a large piece of paper for easy cleanup.
BABY SAFE PAINT
You'll Need:
1/2 cup baby cereal
3/4 to 1 cup of water
Food Coloring
Instructions:
Add the baby cereal, water and food coloring to a food processor. If you don't have one , you can mix with a whisk
Mix until color is well blended. Adjust water quantity based on the consistency you'd like.
* Even though this recipe is taste safe, I still like to discourage my son from eating it. It helps when I introduce real paint.
** Make sure you are constantly supervising your little ones doing any activities especially if they are babies. These suckers are fast!
Oatmeal Sensory Bin
What It Helps With: Tactile exploration, hand strengthening, and cause-and-effect learning.An oatmeal sensory bin is perfect for messy play! Fill a shallow bin with uncooked oats and add scoops, small cups, or safe utensils. Babies love exploring the texture, scooping, and pouring, which helps develop hand strength and coordination. The taste-safe nature of oatmeal makes it perfect for curious little ones who still explore with their mouths.
Pro Tip: Place a sheet underneath the bin for easy cleanup and to contain the mess!
Water Play
What It Helps With: Hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and cognitive development.Water play is always a hit! Use a shallow container or a highchair tray and add small cups, spoons, and floating toys. Splashing, pouring, and scooping introduce your baby to cause and effect, while also helping with fine motor development.
Pro Tip: Add a drop of food coloring or a few ice cubes for added fun and sensory stimulation.
Light Show
What It Helps With: Visual tracking, attention span, and sensory regulation.A light show is a great way to engage your baby’s visual senses. Use a small flashlight, sensory projector, or even twinkling fairy lights in a dim room. Move the light slowly across the walls and ceiling to encourage visual tracking and focus. This activity is not only mesmerizing but also helps your baby practice eye movements and attention control.
Pro Tip: Pair this with soothing music for a calming sensory experience before nap time.
What It Helps With: Fine motor skills, problem-solving, and creativity. Squigz are suction cup toys that can be stuck to various surfaces like highchair trays, windows, or even the bathtub. Babies love exploring how they stick and pop off, encouraging problem-solving and fine motor strengthening. The colorful designs also stimulate visual interest.
Pro Tip: These are fantastic for keeping your little one engaged during mealtime or bath time!
More Sensory Activities to Try:
Sensory Bottles
What It Helps With: Visual stimulation and cognitive development.Fill clear plastic bottles with water, glitter, beads, or even small toys. Seal the lid tightly, and let your baby shake and watch the items move. These are great for visual tracking and exploring cause and effect.
Pro Tip: Use different materials in each bottle to create unique sounds and movements.
What It Helps With: Fine motor skills and tactile exploration.Fill an empty tissue box or a small container with colorful fabric scraps. Let your baby pull the fabric out, exploring different textures and practicing their pincer grasp.
Pro Tip: Use a variety of fabrics like silk, cotton, and fleece to stimulate different tactile experiences.
Bubble Play
What It Helps With: Visual tracking, hand-eye coordination, and sensory exploration.Blowing bubbles and letting your baby watch, reach, and pop them is a simple yet engaging sensory activity. It promotes visual tracking and improves hand-eye coordination.
Pro Tip: Try blowing bubbles during tummy time to keep your little one engaged and motivated to lift their head!
What It Helps With: Auditory stimulation, rhythm, and cause-and-effect learning.Create musical shakers by filling small containers with rice, pasta, or beans. Secure the lids tightly and let your baby shake them to explore different sounds and rhythms.
Pro Tip: Use clear containers so your baby can see what’s inside, connecting the sound to the object.
What It Helps With: Tactile exploration and fine motor development.Textured balls provide different tactile experiences and encourage babies to grasp, squeeze, and roll. These activities help with hand strength and coordination.
Pro Tip: Choose balls of different sizes and textures to stimulate curiosity and exploration.
Tips for Safe Sensory Play:
Always supervise your baby during sensory activities.
Make sure all items are non-toxic and safe for mouthing.
Keep play sessions short to avoid sensory overload – follow your baby’s cues.
Embrace the mess! Sensory play is meant to be messy, but it’s all part of the fun and learning.
Final Thoughts:
Sensory play is a crucial part of your baby’s development, allowing them to explore, learn, and grow through hands-on experiences. Whether it’s the squish of finger paint or the sparkle of a sensory bottle, each activity builds important skills that lay the foundation for future learning.
Which activity are you excited to try with your little one? Let me know in the comments! And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @theot_mom for more baby development tips and sensory play ideas!
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