"The proprioceptive system helps us understand where our body parts are in relation to each other, what each body part is doing, and how much effort is required to do things." - Jilly Clarke

How many senses does baby have? How many senses do WE have?

Did you know we have 8 senses? The usual 5 we all know about, sight, touch, smell, taste and hearing.

The sixth and seventh senses are the vestibular sense and proprioception. 

And the 8th is something called introspection.

At birth, the senses of hearing, touch, smell, and taste are usually fully developed. Vision takes a while to develop in babies (see my blog post on vision here), and vestibular, proprioception and introspection also need to be developed as baby grows.

This blog post will be focusing on one of the two movement and body awareness senses, the proprioceptive system. Check out my blog post on the vestibular system here.

If you’d like to learn more about developing baby’s senses then our Baby Development online course gives you all the information for baby’s physical and mental development.

What is the proprioceptive system in a baby?

How about the seventh sense? The proprioceptive system. How can we help this develop in babies?

The proprioceptive system helps us understand where our body parts are in relation to each other, what each body part is doing, and how much effort is required to do things.

This incredibly clever sense uses information from the skin (using touch), muscles and joints to help build a map of our body and how it relates to its surroundings. Proprioceptive development is driven by movement, helping us to understand where to put our hand to scratch an itch, or how to move our leg to kick a ball.

The proprioceptive system allows the brain to understand the body like a map. This allows you to know that your head is above your shoulders, and your nose is in the middle of your face. Proprioception allows you to move your arm and hand towards your face, landing on your nose and give it a gentle scratch when it is itchy, rather than a forceful punch!

Proprioceptive input through experience allows you to know how much strength is required to pick up a child or to open a door. Our bodies are programmed to be able to immediately calculate the force required but it can only be done through experience.

What is the proprioceptive system important?

Proprioception allows a person to understand how much pressure to apply when brushing teeth, where to reach when brushing hair. It also helps with a host of other self-care routines, such as getting dressed.

This important sense can also help with self-regulation too. The feeling of a long, deep cuddle can be incredibly calming. In the absence of continuous cuddles, weighted blankets can recreate that same deep muscle sensory input.

Another example of self-regulation using the proprioceptive system is being soothed to sleep with gentle strokes to the face. Babies and children will often recreate this sensory input themselves with a finger whilst sucking their thumb, or using a comforter or muslin once there are older.

Proprioceptive input can also help with reaching gross motor milestones. Allowing lots of free play such as kicking on a mat or playing with a baby gym; and as they get older lots of time for crawling and moving around, will help proprioceptive receptors in baby’s joints as well as skin.

This sensory input, plus things like baby yoga, massage and sensory play will help with their gross motor development. Reaching physical movement milestones and lots of gross motor activities will help them to participate in sport.

This amazing sense will also help develop fine motor control too. Things like writing and mark making on a piece of paper, or threading beads on to string. These intricate movements of the hands need lots of sensory input from hands, arms and fingers.

When is the proprioceptive system fully developed?

The proprioceptive, alongside the other senses undertake huge development within the first year of babies life. Whilst other senses are quicker to fully develop, the proprioceptive system isn't able to fully mature until nearer adolescence.

During the first year, baby's proprioceptive system plays a crucial role in understanding themselves and the world. And the proprioceptive system is vital to help with the important gross motor developments such as crawling, cruising and walking as well as relating to the world around them.

How can I help develop the proprioceptive system?

Those uncoordinated movements that babies do, kicking their arms and legs aimlessly, helps to build muscle, but also it helps to develop their proprioceptive system. The more they can move freely, the more they are creating their own map of their body and its abilities.

Proprioception begins to develop in the womb. They push and kick against the walls of the uterus and get an idea of the restricted space their body is in. Once a baby is born, their movement and sense touch help them form a new mental map of their body. Suddenly there is a lot more space and their bodies can do a lot more movement. It moves differently than what it did in the womb and that can sometimes be overwhelming, but also a great opportunity for them to learn. So while swaddling is great to help calm babies who are overwhelmed by their sudden abilities to move freely, it should be balanced by lots of unrestricted play.

Activities such as baby massage and yoga also help to develop the proprioceptive system. The skin stimulation across their body allows their brain to develop their body map; and the coordinated movements of baby yoga help to open up the possibilities of movement. Repetitive movements help to build these connections further as repetition create familiarity. Practice makes perfect as they say.

0-6 months – proprioceptive activities

Proprioception building activities:

• Baby Massage: Use gentle strokes and pressure on baby's arms, legs, and body.

• Baby Yoga: Gentle poses that involve bending, stretching, and balancing.

• Tummy Time: Encourage baby to lift their head and push up on their arms.

• Swaddling: Provides a sense of security and gentle pressure.

• Carrying in Different Positions: Hold baby upright, on your hip, on your chest, and on your back.

• Bathing: Water provides resistance and sensory input.

• Vibration: Use a vibrating baby carrier or swing gently.

• Gentle Stretching: Hold baby's arms and legs gently and extend them.

• Floor Time: Encourage exploration of different textures on the floor.

• Singing and Talking: Provides auditory stimulation and a sense of rhythm.

• Babywearing: The close contact provides proprioceptive input.

6-12 months – proprioceptive activities

Proprioception building activities:

• Baby Yoga: Gentle poses that involve bending, stretching, and balancing.

• Crawling Encouragement: Help baby push up on hands and knees. When they start to get up on to their knees, support their hips to scaffold their muscles

• Sitting Support: Help baby sit upright with support. Sitting behind them to provide support for their back if needed and support them at the hips, in a frog leg position

• Obstacle Courses: Once baby is on the move, create simple obstacle courses with pillows and blankets.

• Ball Play: Roll a ball back and forth with baby.

• Dancing: Hold baby and dance to music. Use a variety of moves, and speeds of music.

• Push and Pull Toys: Encourage baby to push or pull toys.

• Heavy Work Activities: Carry baby in a front carrier (facing inwards, or at your hip) while doing household chores.

• Sensory Bins: Fill a bin with different textures for baby to pull out and explore.

• Bath Time with Toys: Encourage splashing and playing with water toys.

12-18 months – proprioceptive activities

Proprioception building activities:

• Walking with Support: Hold baby's hands while walking.

• Climbing: Encourage climbing on safe furniture or play equipment.

• Pushing and Pulling: Help baby push or pull toy carts or wagons.

• Jumping: Encourage jumping on a soft surface.

• Throwing and Catching: Play simple throwing and catching games with a soft ball.

• Carrying Objects: Encourage baby to carry different objects.

• Outdoor Play: Allow baby to explore different surfaces and textures outdoors.

• Building Blocks: Encourage stacking and knocking down blocks.

• Sensory Play with Food: Provide safe foods with different textures for exploration.

• Dance Party: Dance with baby to energetic music.

18-24 months – proprioceptive activities

Proprioception building activities:

• Climbing: Encourage climbing on safe structures.

• Running: Encourage running indoors and outdoors.

• Jumping and Hopping: Practice jumping and hopping.

• Ball Play: Play more complex ball games like kicking and throwing.

• Obstacle Courses: Create more challenging obstacle courses.

• Swinging: Enjoy swinging at the park.

• Riding Toys: Encourage riding tricycles or ride-on toys.

• Heavy Work Activities: Help with gardening or carrying groceries.

• Sensory Play with Water: Play with water in a bathtub or outside.

• Dance and Movement: Encourage free movement and expression through dance.

Remember to always supervise your baby during these activities and adjust them based on their individual development and preferences.

If you are ever concerned about baby’s development then talking with your Health Visitor, GP is never a bad idea. All babies develop at their own pace, however, if you notice that their development is not progressing as expected and you are concerned then there are people who are there to help you.

We run baby classes that are perfectly designed to help with baby's sensory development. Currently running in Welwyn Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

Baby Classes in person, in Welwyn Hatfield

We also offer a range of baby development and parenting workshops that are completely on-demand, online.

Baby Development Course online