Children experience and learn about the world around them through their senses. These senses include touch, smell, taste, sound and sight. Multi-sensory learning is important and can give our children an academic advantage when they get to school going age.

I have always believed that if something is FUN, you remember it better! Just think about one of your birthday parties as a child. You can remember so much of that day! But can you remember the day after? Probably not, because it was just a normal day. If we spend time with our kids while having FUN, not only will they remember the experience, they will actually remember what they have learnt! But it doesn’t have to be a lot of work for us parents – The internet already has too many “perfect” parents.

Here are some FUN ways to wake up your child’s sense of sight and hearing, so that you can spend some easy quality time having fun and learning together!

Rose-coloured Binoculars

You will need:
• Cardboard tube (Toilet paper rolls)
• Masking tape
• Cellophane
Everything you need is in your WackyBox – already cut to size for no wastage!

Tape the Cellophane around the one end of the roll, and look into the other side. Use it to look at the world around you in a different “light”! Make one for each of you and play “I Spy” with a colourful twist!

What your child will learn:
• Observation: This activity will make your child see normal everyday things in a different way, and make them notice the world around them
• Hand-eye coordination
• Spatial awareness
• Vestibular system – keeping your balance while looking up and around is quite difficult!

Variation for Babies:
Babies don’t need the cellophane on the rolls. Simply looking through something for them is already enough stimulation, as they have to focus their intent on one thing! Remember to first demonstrate and then let them do it!

Make a Kazoo!

A Kazoo is a musical instrument that changes the player’s voice through vibration. When the player sings through the Kazoo, a timbre gets added to the voice of the player using the vibration membrane.

You will need:
• Cardboard tube (Toilet paper rolls)
• Wax Paper
• Elastic bands
Everything you need is in your WackyBox – already cut to size for no wastage!

Using the wax paper and elastic band, close the one end of the cardboard tube.
Now talk into the open end of the tube, using words with long vowels like “baa-baa” and “la-la”. Chat to your child about what she is hearing and how it feels when she is holding the Kazoo and talking or singing through it. It can take a while to make the vibrations happen, so be patient and help your child by once again demonstrating.

What your child will learn:
• Speech – This activity will help your child develop their vocal cords and the muscles needed for speech
• Listening skills
• Hand-eye coordination

A bit on Senses:

Everything that you see, smell or hear, your child can see, smell and hear. Even if she is only a tiny baby. You can help your child develop their senses by simply being aware of your own, and then talking to your child about it. “Look at the different coloured cars in the parking lot!” “Can you hear the aeroplane” “Hmmm, smell the freshly baked bread”. These are all everyday things that you can make your child aware of, that will build their awareness, wake up their senses, and give them an incredible boost in life.

We hope you enjoy the quality time with your little one, and remember: At this age, the experience is much more important than the product!

Get your very own WackyBox in English or Afrikaans (Woelwater Aktiwitieitsboks) by ordering online at www.wackybox.co.za or www.woelwater.com

Have Fun!

Contributed by Nicolene Steyn