In case you’re new to my blog, I’m a grandma … and I’m having the time of my life! Not only is it amazing to have a new baby in the family, but I get to try out lots of the fun activities I find online!
My granddaughter is only 7 weeks old, so most activities involving toys aren’t appropriate yet. But I’ve found some great ways to have holiday fun and provide some helpful sensory experiences even for a baby who’s too young for toys and most sensory activities.
There are lots of fun sensory experiences you can have with older babies both at home and while out shopping or attending Christmas events. But here I’ll share 10 of my favorite ideas for Montessori-inspired sensory activities that work for any age of baby – even very young babies – without leaving the house.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you)
10 Christmas Sensory Experiences for Even Very Young Babies {without Leaving the House}
1. Looking at the Christmas tree lights and decorations. What could be more fun than holding a new baby while looking at the lights and decorations on the Christmas tree together?! Obviously, with older babies you have to be sure they can’t reach decorations that would be dangerous for them.
2. Lying on a mat near the Christmas tree or with visible Christmas decorations. I always had a Montessori-style floor mat when my kids were babies where they played and took naps during the day. It’s the same at Grandma’s house. My granddaughter has a floor bed, which is near the Christmas tree right now. You can read more about my family’s baby environment along with lots of other Montessori baby resources in my “Montessori Baby Resources” post.
3. Looking in a mirror while dressed in a Christmas outfit and/or with Christmas decorations nearby. Our baby floor bed was always near a full-length child’s mirror placed horizontally. It’s the same for my granddaughter. You can find the floor mirror I ordered in my “Montessori Baby and Toddler Toys” post.
4. Listening to Christmas songs while looking at pictures in a book. My granddaughter likes to look at the pictures in a Christmas song book while I sing to her. I cradle her in one arm while I hold the book up with my other arm. I just sing until she’s tired or wants a change of activity.
The book I’ve used is Tomie de Paola’s Book of Christmas Carols. We still have that from when my kids were young. It’s a beautiful book but out of print now, so it’s expensive new. You can find reasonably priced used books on Amazon, though. Any book of Christmas songs with nice artwork would work well. I like using a book both for the pictures and because it reminds me of the words to the verses I’m unsure of otherwise.
5. Listening to “Jingle Bells” and the soft ringing of a small jingle bell. This is a super-easy activity to prepare. I simply sing “Jingle Bells” while I softly ring a small bell in time to the music for my granddaughter.
6. Listening to a Christmas CD or YouTube playlist playing softly in the background. My granddaughter seems to love having Christmas songs play in the background. You can either use a Christmas CD or songs from my “Free Christmas Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time.”
7. Listening to a Christmas book or poem and looking at the pictures.
8. Smelling Christmas potpourri simmering on the stove. I used the recipe for Christmas Potpourri from Nothing if Not Intentional.
9. Smelling Christmas treats baking.
10. Touching a soft Christmas tree ornament or stuffed animal. Older babies often enjoy all sorts of tactile experiences, but new babies typically like very mild sensory experiences. We have some soft Beanie Baby ornaments on our tree, but you can use any soft ornament or stuffed animal. I only help my granddaughter touch the soft ornament when she’s interested and would enjoy it.
With any of these activities, I follow the baby’s lead. Often young babies become tired quickly after sensory experiences, so you need to be extra careful to observe the baby’s interest or exhaustion.
Does your baby or a baby you care for have a favorite Christmas sensory activity?
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Thank you for the opportunity to share! I love the DIY Window Blocks linky!
Thanks, Deb! I’m so glad you linked up … I love your blog! The DIY Window Blocks are great, aren’t they?! 🙂
Hooray! I’m able to get in to your blog today and read! I loved the article. In some ways I think I did some of those things with my two boys as newborns anyways, but I wish I would have known about Montessori back then. It makes such a difference. I just love the mirror idea and the beds on the floor. And for my girls… I can not express enough, how important these initial positive sensory experiences are for little ones. Both of my adoptive daughters missed out on all of them. My youngest, who just turned two, still can’t recognize herself in the mirror. Both of my girls have significant sensory issues. I just wonder what a start like this would have done for them. For my special needs boys, I know what I did do, made a huge difference. Enjoy your days with your new grand baby!
Thanks for your comment, Renae! Your children are so lucky to have the experiences you’re giving them! And I’m thoroughly enjoying my days with my new grandbaby. Being a grandmother is even better than I expected … it’s heaven. 🙂
Thanks for the tips! Nicky (18m0) was fascinated with the Christmas tree lights. He liked his gifts of the child size broom and the trucks with wheels. The child sized table and chair? He just enjoyed climbing on those! Will wait and see until he is interested in sitting there – then we will try serving food there.
Thanks for your comment, Heather! Those sound like great gifts. Nicky is at such a fun age … how wonderful that you’re introducing Montessori-inspired activities! 🙂
Another fun idea to go with the potpourri is to break up cinnamon sticks an cloves then put them in a Parmesan cheese shaker or something like it. Infants and toddlers love to shake it and smell the Christmas deliciousness!