Hello sunshine! After what felt like a 300-year winter (just me?), the sun is finally out, and if you’re a new parent, that means one glorious thing: fresh air for both you and your baby. And not just for the sake of your sanity—though let’s be honest, escaping the walls of your living room can be life-changing—but because being outside is brilliant for your baby’s sensory development.
If you’ve been wondering about baby play in hot weather and how to do it safely, you’re in the right place.
At Adventure Babies, we’re all about igniting little minds through sensory storytelling—and that doesn’t stop at the class door. Nature is the original sensory playground. So here are five sun-safe outdoor activities that are perfect for babies under one and backed by all the good baby brain science.
1. Leaf Watching in the Pram Parade
Push the pram under a canopy of trees and let baby marvel at the dappled light and rustling leaves. Babies love contrast and movement—watching branches sway is both calming and stimulating. Narrate what you see as you go: “Look, those leaves are fluttering like butterfly wings!” It’s a brilliant way to boost their visual tracking, language development and sneak in a coffee walk.
☀️ Sun safety tip: Use the pram hood, a breathable sunshade, and avoid midday rays (11–3). Don’t forget a sunhat if they’ll tolerate it for longer than three seconds.
2. Herb Garden Sniffing (Yes, Really)
Tuck yourselves in a shady corner of the garden and introduce your baby to the wonderful world of smells. Gently hold herbs like lavender, mint, basil, or rosemary near their nose (never directly on their skin) and watch their little noses twitch. The olfactory nerve is directly connected to the brain’s emotion and memory centres, so this kind of play has deep roots in emotional development.
🌿 Bonus: You might rediscover the smell of mint after six months of baby wipes.
3. Big Leaf Explorers
Babies love texture. Hunt together for big, baby-safe leaves—think hosta, hydrangea, fig, or sunflower leaves. Let your baby crinkle, crumple, or just marvel at the texture with supervision. Talk about how it feels—“smooth,” “bumpy,” “crinkly”—to enrich their sensory vocabulary even before they speak.
🌱 Safety check: Avoid anything fuzzy, prickly, or unknown. No holly, foxglove, ivy, or plants that might irritate skin or be toxic. If in doubt, leave it out.
4. Water Play: The Hero of Baby Play in Hot Weather
Set up a shallow tray of cool water on a blanket in the shade, strip baby down to a nappy, and let the splashing begin! Add a sponge, plastic cup, or floating toy. Water play is amazing for fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and simply being mesmerising.
💧 Pro tip: Don’t overthink it. Even dipping toes in a bowl of water outside can be magic.
5. Sky Gazing & Cloud Storytelling
Lie back together (babies on their backs, you next to them), and just look up. Clouds, birds, planes, the blue, blue sky—it’s a free light show. Make up gentle stories about the shapes you see or simply describe what’s above. It’s calming, creative and builds early visual development and emotional bonding.
🌤️ Bonus: You’ll both slow down, breathe, and maybe even nap afterward. You’re welcome.
A Final Word on Baby Play in Hot Weather
Being a new parent in warm weather can be overwhelming—we’re all sweaty, sticky, and wondering if we packed enough muslins. But outdoor sensory time doesn’t have to be elaborate. These simple moments help support your baby’s brain, body, and emotional development—and give you a mental lift too.
At Adventure Babies, our sensory storytelling classes bring the same magical, development-boosting experiences indoors, where it’s cool, calm, and creatively stimulating. Whether you’re soaking up the sunshine or joining us in class, your baby is learning through connection—and you’re doing an amazing job guiding them.
🌞 P.S. Want more summer sensory ideas or to join a class near you? Click here to find your local Adventure Babies class >>
