Baby Sensory

Every Friday morning at Paxcroft Mead Community Centre in Trowbridge, babies from newborn to 13 months gather for a mixed-ages Baby Sensory session led by Rachel Totterdell. Rachel is a qualified nursery nurse who has spent 20 years specialising in babies, and her classes sit within the Baby Sensory Bath franchise — the same franchise that also runs sessions in Bradford-on-Avon, Melksham, and Bath.

The 45-minute session opens with a signature song that becomes one of those small rituals babies begin to recognise. From there, every element — the textures placed in front of them, the sounds played, the scents introduced — follows a detailed lesson plan designed to stimulate all five senses. The sensory area is arranged to match the distance at which babies see objects clearly, and instrument decibel levels are measured to ensure nothing is too loud. A session weaves together creative play, tummy time, massage, movement, and visual development activities, alongside original and traditional songs and rhymes chosen to build early speech and language. Rachel also introduces sensory signing so parents and babies can start communicating before speech arrives. At the close of each session, the sounds of the womb are played to bring the group gently back down.

Parents are welcome to feed or cuddle their baby at any point; no one is expected to sit still. The activities are designed to be simple enough to repeat at home, so the class works as a practical toolkit as much as an outing. Classes run term time only.