Baby Sensory

Nicola Ball runs Baby Sensory at Fishbourne Church Hall, covering babies from birth through to 13 months. The Monday session (09:40–10:35) is for ages from birth to 13 months. Tuesday offers three slots across the day — 09:40–10:35 for 6–11 months, 11:05–12:00 for 6–9 months, and 13:55–14:50 for 4–8 months — giving parents a reasonable chance of finding a time that fits. All sessions are term time only. The hall has free parking while you attend, with enough space for car seats, prams, and buggies.

Every session follows a baby's natural play-rest-play cycle. Activities move through creative play, tummy time, massage, movement, and sensory exploration — textures, scents, and sound. The music has been carefully considered: original songs composed by Dr Lin Day, the programme's founder, sit alongside traditional rhymes chosen to support early speech and language. Instruments are checked against decibel limits so nothing is too loud for a baby's hearing, and the sensory area is arranged at the distance a young baby actually focuses. The session closes with the sounds of the womb to help babies settle.

For newborns — babies from birth to three months — the Hello Baby sub-programme runs alongside the main classes. It covers reading your baby's behavioural cues, the main causes of colic and comfort techniques that can reduce crying, and gentle touch including baby massage and reflexology. Hello Baby is designed to offer a calm space where parents can build confidence in understanding their newborn before moving into the fuller sensory programme. Whether your baby is a few weeks old or approaching their first birthday, activities are adapted to ensure full participation, including for babies with physical or sensory impairments.