Once the first few days have passed — the discovery, the fumbling through brand-new parenthood, the upheaval to everyday life — THE question inevitably arrives: ''But how on earth am I going to keep them entertained?''

There are thousands of toys on the market — just a quick look online or in a toy shop and you're instantly drowning in a sea of cuddly toys, rattles, balls and building blocks of every kind. It can sometimes be hard to find your way, to know what to choose, to find what will be the best fit for your child.

What about turning to DIY, Do It Yourself? In the first years of life, children are all about the senses. That means they explore the world by touching, tasting, looking, listening and smelling everything around them.

It is the richness of their sensory experiences that allows them to make sense of their environment; there's no point offering 10 different stimulations at once — you need to give them time to fully live each experience.

Watch your baby when you introduce a new toy with a texture or colour they've never seen before: you'll see just how focused and attentive they can be when faced with this new experience.

Take the time to watch your baby play : what colours, textures or sounds interest them most? Where are they in their motor development? Do they spend their time opening cupboards, trying to tip their glass of water into their plate at the table, stacking objects?

From these observations, you'll be able to suggest activities that truly match your child's current needs and interests.

I've put together one activity idea per age group — each one takes genuinely just 5 minutes to set up and (usually) keeps a child busy for at least 10 minutes: long enough to tidy the kitchen or watch your little one while lounging on the sofa with a (hot) cup of coffee

Your baby is between 0 and 3 months old — they spend most of their time sleeping, but during their wakeful moments they watch the world around them with great attention. They soak up the smells of home ("Oh, we've had cauliflower today!"), the sounds around them (older siblings squabbling, their parents' gentle words, a dog barking, the clatter of dishes…), they feel the weight of their body on their mat, they look around and gradually sharpen the undeveloped vision they were born with.

You can make a mobile very easily with next to nothing to give their vision a little boost. For this you'll need:

⁃ A sheet of thick paper / black paint and a brush (or a thick black pen) / a pair of scissors / some string

On the sheet, paint a few black lines (you can even ask your older children to do this step!). Once your artwork is dry, cut the sheet into a spiral and pierce a small hole in the centre. Thread the string through the hole, tie a small knot at the end — and there you go, your mobile is ready to hang! We recommend positioning it to the side or at hip/foot level for the baby, and not making this activity last too long.

Between 3 and 6 months your baby is waking up more and more and spending longer on their tummy. You can very easily make little sensory bags to encourage them to stay on their tummy a little longer.

You'll need: freezer bags / water / small items such as glitter, sequins, foam shapes, pompoms, small shells, flower petals, etc. / food colouring (optional)

Half-fill a bag with water, add a few drops of food colouring and the elements of your choice. Seal the bag, trying to squeeze out as much air as possible.

Offer the bag as it is to your baby, or tape it to their mat.

Place your baby on their tummy so their arms can reach the sensory bag. Your child's movements on the bag will make the treasures you've slipped inside move around — to their great delight.

And if you don't have anything to hand to put in the bags, simply fill one bag with cold water or ice cubes and another with warm water: your child can then feel the temperature difference between the two bags — that's a great sensory experience in itself. 

Your baby keeps growing and opening up to the world.

Between 6 and 12 months your baby wants to touch everything around them and puts it all in their mouth. It's tricky in those conditions to let them try painting — even though you're desperate to stick their first masterpieces on the fridge.

The solution is simple and can be found in your kitchen: plain yoghurt / food colouring / a canvas (go wild) or some sheets of paper

In a (non-breakable) bowl, put a few spoonfuls of yoghurt, add a little food colouring, mix it together and your paint is ready! Place the canvas on the floor, in the bath, or better still, on your life mat and let your child splash about in the coloured yoghurt and spread it everywhere!

From one year old your child loves moving around everywhere, watching you closely and sometimes trying to copy you.

They may be starting to say a few words and know how to let you know what they like and dislike. They probably love spending time in the bath — so why not let them play with foam outside the tub?

3 ingredients are needed for this refreshing sensory activity: 250 ml of water / 3 or 4 tablespoons of washing-up liquid (ideally one that doesn't sting eyes!) and a few drops of food colouring

Blend the ingredients for a few minutes with a blender or electric whisk, pour the coloured foam into a tray, a plastic container or a cake tin, then add spoons, spatulas, ladles, bowls and other containers so your child can transfer the foam, fill and empty glasses, and so on.

Let them explore with their hands, watch them spread the foam on their tummy or on the floor, hide small figurines under the foam for them to try and find — don't hesitate to put your child in just a nappy to avoid staining their clothes.

Your child is 18 months old and is starting to develop their own personality — letting you know (more or less loudly) when they disagree with you, loving to play outside, scribbling on everything they can find (sofa and walls included), listening to you tell stories, dancing and repeating the words they hear around them.

This activity has always been a massive hit from 18 months all the way to… 6 years old! It's truck painting.

You'll need: trucks, toy cars, trains of all sizes / liquid paint — I use large bottles of water-washable gouache / plastic trays / a roll of paper or several sheets taped together / a pencil to draw roads (optional)

Set up this activity outdoors, in the bath, or even on your life mat fitted with its Tout Terrain cover for less cleaning up!

Lay a long strip of paper on the floor.

If you're doing this activity with a child aged 3–4 or older, you can draw roads; for younger children it's not necessary. Arrange the vehicles here and there on and around the paper.

Ask your child to choose one or more paint colours, pour a little into a plastic tray, grab a truck and roll it through the paint, then across the paper. The vehicle's wheels will leave colourful tracks behind them.

Take your time showing your child how to do it and guide them at the start. To keep the activity going longer, why not set up a car wash station by filling one tray with soapy water and another with clean water? The children will love playing with the water to clean the cars — and that's one less thing for you to wash up!

These ideas are only suggestions — your child may not take to them straight away. If you see that an activity isn't clicking, offer it again a few weeks later; your child may be more ready to engage with what you're offering.

Whatever happens, enjoy some wonderful messy moments together — squishing, moulding, smearing and spreading!

Marie Vallet, state-registered psychomotor therapist @psychomot_usa