Insights from Paediatric Physiotherapist, Wendy Astbury

As parents, we often focus on feeding, sleeping, and cuddling, but one of the most important factors in a baby’s early development is touch. Paediatric expert Wendy Astbury shares the importance of incorporating touch and movement into your little one’s daily routine to support their physical and sensory development.

Wendy explains that touch is a vital sensation in the early months. From simple massages to playing with toys, touch stimulates a baby’s senses, helping them learn about their world. Even activities like bath time, where they experience the sensation of water, offer a beautiful opportunity for sensory development. The key is to make it fun, introduce toys in the bath, gently encourage movement, and watch as they begin to explore and respond to these new sensations.

As your baby grows, it’s important to ramp up the movement. Wendy suggests big, playful movements like dancing, stomping, clapping, and jumping. These activities provide essential sensory input, helping little ones become more aware of their bodies and how they move. Fun dancing sessions or clapping games are not just about keeping your child entertained, they are building blocks for coordination, motor skills, and balance.

“Touch and movement go hand in hand in early development,” Wendy says.

Through playful interaction, you can help your child build their body awareness and strengthen their sensory processing. These simple but effective activities encourage babies to move, explore, and build confidence in their physical abilities.

So, the next time you’re looking for ways to support your baby’s growth, remember: touch, play, and dance! Stimulate their senses through bath time toys, gentle massages, and plenty of fun-filled movement. These early experiences lay the foundation for lifelong learning and development.

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Transcript

Touch is a really important early sensation.

Massaging the little one playing with toys things like in the bath as well that sensation of being in the water.

Encouraging movement showing them toys and having toys in the bath as well.

That's all really beautiful for young little ones. As they get a bit older big fun dancing type movements that allow for stomping and clapping and jumping.

All of that provides brilliant sensory input for them to help them learn how to move their bodies.