During the space-themed baby play lab, a variety of sensory and exploratory activities were provided to support children’ curiosity, creativity, and fine motor development:
- Space Cutouts with Rice Tuff Tray – The tray contained black-coloured rice with silver and star-shaped space cutouts. Children ran their hands through the rice, scooping and pouring while discovering hidden stars and planets. Some held the shiny cutouts up to the light and smiled.
- Cloud Dough with Astronauts and Spacecrafts – Children explored soft, moldable cloud dough with small astronaut and rocket cutouts. They squeezed, pressed, and poked the dough, leaving imprints. Some buried the astronauts cutouts, while others pushed rockets through the soft surface, showing curiosity and sensory enjoyment.
- Fizzing Moon Rocks – Small “moon rocks” made of baking soda were placed in a tray, and children used droppers filled with vinegar to make them fizz. They watched the bubbles form with fascination, smiling and pointing. The sensory reaction encouraged fine motor control and scientific exploration through cause and effect.
- Colour Sorting – Coloured rings were provided for children to explore and sort. Educators supported language by naming colours and describing actions.
Throughout the play session, babies showed engagement, concentration, and sensory delight. They communicated excitement through gestures, babbling, and laughter. Educators encouraged exploration by asking open-ended questions and modelling descriptive vocabulary.