How it Plays

Look in your closet and dresser and collect samples of different fabrics. Find a warm place away from any drafts, and place some fabrics on the floor. Then lay your newborn (dressed in diaper only) on top of the fabrics, and let him feel the materials he's lying on. With an older newborn, you might gently stroke his arm or cheek with a swatch of fabric and see how he reacts. Talk to your child while you touch him with the materials: "Feel how soft this is against your skin....This one is silky," and so on. Your baby learns how to grasp and release objects starting at about 4 months, and he'll enjoy feeling the different textures. He may eventually choose one of these items as a favorite "lovey" or security blanket.

What You'll Need

Learning and Growing

Texture-based activities help your newborn learn more about the sensations of hard and soft, rough and smooth, and gradations in between.