Designing a Stimulating Nursery: A Guide to Nurturing Early Development

Children mentally develop at an incredible pace. Research shows that your baby is constantly forming connections and learning from the sensory information they take in. In fact, they form 700 new connections per second from birth to age two! It’s these connections that help them learn to crawl, speak, play, and more. 

Their environment matters. What you surround them with can impact their cognitive, sensory, and emotional growth. In the following article, we’ll explore how you can create a nursery that is functional (like with transitional baby furniture) while also being nurturing and stimulating.

How to Create a Stimulating Nursery

Stimulating Visual Exploration

To support visual development, consider the following:

• Choose high-contrast visuals that help develop newborns’ eyesight.
• Add age-appropriate artwork and wall decor.
• Include mobiles and hanging objects that encourage visual attention.

Tactile and Textural Elements

Your child will also make connections from the information they receive via touch. You can stimulate these thought pathways by including:

• Soft, sensory-rich rugs, play mats, and cushions.
• Touch-and-feel books. 
• Textured toys, like wood blocks and squishy balls.

As you play with your child, encourage them to explore their surroundings with touch. Show them how tactile toys offer different sensations, then hand the toy over for them to explore.

Nurturing Language and Reading

The way you design your nursery can help your child hit some of the biggest developmental milestones: understanding language and speaking. Accomplish this by including:

• Comfortable reading nooks with comfortable seating.
• Bookshelves with a variety of age-appropriate books.
• Soft lighting for reading sessions.

Interactive Wall Features

Your walls also play a role in tactile exploration. There are several ways to make them more stimulating, like including: 

• DIY sensory wall panels with textures, mirrors, and tactile fabrics, like velvet or corduroy.
• Interactive elements like light switches, knobs, and gears.

Nature-Inspired Elements

Bringing natural elements indoors can also improve sensory stimuli. This can include wall decals or murals of nature scenes. You can also add potted or faux plants. In either case, this gives you the chance to explore nature while remaining indoors.

Prioritizing Safety and Functionality

As you design your space, consider the safety of each item you include, whether it’s a practical piece of furniture or a sensory feature. Be sure to choose non-toxic materials and child-safe finishes. Although this might sound complicated, you can look for furniture that is Greenguard Certified, which means it has undergone extensive testing to confirm safety. 

All Natart, Nest, and Tulip collections are Greenguard Certified. For example, check out the Tulip Tate collection, which includes non-toxic materials and child-safe finishes while maintaining a modern, aesthetically-pleasing appearance.

Likewise, look for furniture and elements that have additional safety features. Natart, Nest, and Tulip collections each include anti-entanglement, anti-tip, and anti-choking safety features. Some headboards include buttonless upholstery to protect children from choking as they explore their surroundings. 

Adapting the Nursery with Transitional Baby Furniture

The layout and nursery elements you choose for your infant may not work for your child as they grow into a toddler and have more capabilities to explore. Try to plan how you’ll adapt the nursery in the future to make that transition easier. 

For example, you can choose transitional baby furniture, like convertible cribs from Natart, Nest, and Tulip collections. The Natart Kyoto is a customer favorite. These cribs come with additional pieces that allow you to adapt the crib from infant-appropriate to toddler-appropriate. You may also consider updating the sensory features of the room to help your child advance developmentally. 

Want to learn more about Natart, Nest, and Tulip’s non-toxic materials and child-safe finishes? Check out our safety practices.