This month’s book recommendation’s focus is on sensory play!
From birth to childhood, your little one uses their senses (touch, sight, smell, taste, hearing, and vestibular proprioception) to explore the world around them. Sensory play is crucial to brain development as it helps your child build an understanding of objects, spaces, and people. Engaging in sensory play aides our little ones in building emotional awareness and expression.
Our expert programming team has hand-picked these June reads that assist in developing language skills, encourage exploration, and increase creativity. There is also a bonus book recommendation for the grownups out there who want to try out some “messy play” recipes.
The Very Busy Spider, by Eric Carle
One morning a little spider starts spinning a web on a fencepost. One by one, the animals on the farm try to distract her, but she keeps working until her web is finished. This book allows children to feel the pictures as well as see them, as they trace along the spider’s web.
Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy!
(A Touch, Skritch & Tickle Book), by Sandra Boynton
This touch and feel book by the popular author Sandra Boynton features five animals that little ones can touch, feel and tickle. This book is the perfect choice for baby’s first touch and feel book!
Follow Me (Finger Mazes), by Roger Priddy
Help Fox and his animal friends find their way along the trails in this finger maze book! The grooved outlines allow children to follow along with their finger, from the forest to the farm and even the ocean.
The Noisy Airplane Ride, by Mike Downs and David Gordon
Rhyming verses take little ones on a tour of different sounds they might hear before, during, and after an airplane ride. The rhythmic, onomatopoeic text makes for a great read-aloud that will have children copying the different sounds. As a bonus, this book is a great tool for comforting first-time flyers!
Night Sounds, by Sam Taplin
Discover the magic of the night with this press-the-button sound book. Children will hear hooting owl, squeaking bats, and a purring cat as they follow along with the story. Peep-holes and finger trails make this book a well-rounded sensory experience!
Bonus book recommendation for the grownups:
Recipes for Messy Play, by Cathy Sheppard
Messy play is not only tons of fun, it helps children learn about their senses, practice literacy, numeracy and social-emotion skills, explore color, texture and pattern, and develop hand-eye coordination. A true whole-child approach to learning! In this book, adults discover 40 fun, creative and open-ended sensory experiences for young learners.
For more story time fun, visit our Gymboree Play & Music YouTube channel where our teachers will take you on different adventures such as:
Story Time, Play Time Fun, and Art & Music Activities!
Through these videos your little one will be engaged in play, building crucial skills to support a lifetime of learning!
