DIY | Baby Sensory Hoop!

Hi friends,

I've been on hiatus for quite some time because *surprise surprise*, I had given a birth to a baby boy last November! It has been an exhilarating yet super exhausting ride. Nobody gave me a heads up how life can turn around completely after baby. But that will be discussed in another post!

My son is turning 4 months old (so fast!), and this is a crucial time for him to expand his motor, language and cognitive development. One of the most effective ways to do this is by offering the baby sensory toys! There are thousands of these toys in the market you can buy (my favorite is Lamaze brand. They are just fab!), but you can also make some of these toys for cheap, using things you already have in the house, or buying the supplies for not more than RM50. 

I looked in Pinterest and fell in love with the simplicity and the ingeniousness of Sensory Hoops. They are really simple to put together and not expensive at all. Especially if you take time scouring your basement for things you hoarded. They are finally useful! (I'm kidding. Please stop hoarding.) Here's how I made mine:

The main thing you need for this project is some kind of hoop. You can use hula hoop but I had this random IKEA BRYNE hoop I had since 2010 so I decided to utilize it. After getting your hoop, this is where the fun begins! Gather items with different textures so your baby can discover variety of senses when he/she touches them. At 4 to 6 months old, your baby is intrigued by textures, so march to MR. DIY and load up your items! Here are some things I include in my hoop:

1. Glitter washi tape to catch his eyes and provide gritty texture.

2. Shaggy microfiber towel with Monkey plush at the top.

3. Multi color key covers

4. Ribbons in different colors and textures.

5. Fur key chain

6. Suede tassels

7. Shoelaces (I braided one to create different texture)

8. Textured luggage tag

9. Mirror key chain

**I did not include some of the items in the picture after considering choking hazard.

Attaching using zip ties, then cut the tail off.

Remove tiny compartments to avoid choking hazard

Add bright, eye-catching colors!

Tie ribbons with different textures

More textures

MORE textures

Textures with fun twist

Plan your layout on the hoop, which item goes where, and have fun! I attach some of the items using zip ties and the rest are tied. SO EASY. And if you must know, I bought all my items except for the hoop at MR.DIY, and they rang up less than RM 30! Not only this toy is super cheap, it also benefits your child greatly. So I hope you will give it a go!

My son HATES tummy time. This toy encourages him to enjoy some moments being on his tummy.

xx

 Hope you'll give this simple project a try and share with us your very own sensory hoop!