Hello everyone,
I am a first-time parent and I am looking for advice on how to introduce my 6-month-old baby to different types of play. I want to provide him with different sensory experiences to help with his development, but I am not sure where to start.
I also want to introduce him to outdoor play when the weather permits and encourage imaginative play as he grows older. Any suggestions on how I can do this in a safe and age-appropriate way would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your help!

Hello,
I am a parent of a now 1-year-old and I remember being in your shoes not too long ago. When it comes to introducing your baby to sensory play, you can start with everyday materials around the house such as pasta, wooden spoons or even paper scraps. Another way is to make it more engaging is by putting these materials into recycled bottles, containers or eggs cartons so they can shake, roll or stack them.
For outdoor play, we started with taking her to the park, but now our favorite activity is playing with bubbles in the backyard. It's so much fun to see her gaze at the bubbles in wonder and try to grab them. Another thing we've done is create a treasure basket by going on walks and finding leaves, sticks, and other objects together that we then bring home and put into the basket for her to explore.
As for imaginative play, we've started incorporating dress-up props such as hats, scarfs and capes to encourage imaginative play. It’s also fun to create cardboard box forts or tunnels which provide endless entertainment and opportunities for imaginary play.
I hope these tips help in exploring different ways to engage your baby in different types of play. Good luck!