Your baby explores everything with eyes, hands, and mouth—three sensory systems working together to learn.
These activities integrate visual, tactile, and oral sensory information, building the multi-sensory processing skills that support cognitive development.
Your four-month-old explores with eyes, hands, and mouth simultaneously. They grab a toy, look at it, shake it, listen to the sound it makes, and then put it in their mouth — using every sense to build a complete picture. This multi-sensory processing is the foundation of all complex learning.
Offer objects that engage multiple senses: a textured ball that makes noise, a crinkly book with bright pictures, or a cold teething ring that feels different from a warm cloth. Variety builds flexible, adaptive sensory processing.
Multi-sensory exploration at four months develops the ability to integrate information across senses — a skill that supports reading, coordination, and learning.
Mirror play is magic right now. Your baby loves looking at faces—especially their own. Prop a baby-safe mirror at tummy time for extra engagement.
Babbling is starting! When your baby coos, respond as if you're having a real conversation. This turn-taking teaches the rhythm of communication.
Rolling is on the horizon. Give plenty of floor time on a firm surface—a play mat, not a bouncer—to encourage those first rolls.
Place your baby on an inflatable water mat and watch them press, pat, and track colorful floating toys — tummy time with a sensory twist.
Let your baby splash tiny hands in warm water for a soothing sensory experience that introduces temperature and water play.
Place different textured balls within reach during tummy time to encourage reaching and tactile discovery in young babies.
Set jiggly, colorful gelatin on a tray and let your baby squish, poke, and mouth this completely safe sensory material.
Seal paint inside a zip bag and tape it down — your baby presses, squishes, and watches colors blend without any mess on their hands.
Gently brush soft fabrics across your baby's cheeks and hands to awaken their sense of touch — a calming sensory activity for newborns.