It’s so wonderful to hear about all the thoughtful ways you’re engaging with your little ones, Evo parents! That feeling of wanting to do ‘enough’ is incredibly common, and honestly, it’s a sign of a truly caring parent. What I’ve really learned through the years is that it’s less about the sheer number of activities you do, and much more about the quality of the interactions and the consistent opportunities for exploration you offer. Your presence, encouragement, and observation are their best ‘toys.’
@Curious Parent, your questions about introducing different textures and the mouthing stage are spot on. At this age, their mouths are absolutely their primary sensory tool – it’s how they learn about an object’s weight, temperature, texture, and shape. So, when they gum the painter’s tape or a whisk, they’re not ‘missing the point’; they’re actually gathering crucial information about that item! With textures they might not find ‘appealing’ to mouth, you’ll see them experiment. Some they’ll discard quickly, others they’ll really work over. Your job is to make sure what they’re mouthing is safe, and your gentle redirection when they’re off-task (or trying to eat the container itself! 
) is perfect.
Building on the idea of simple household items, one thing that was always a hit for open-ended fine motor and sensory exploration was a ‘treasure basket.’ It’s essentially a shallow, sturdy basket or box filled with various safe, natural, or everyday objects. Think a large, smooth wooden ring, a clean metal measuring spoon, a natural bristle brush, a big, soft pom-pom, a smooth stone, a chunk of textured fabric, a large pasta shape, a loofah. The key is variety in texture, weight, temperature, and shape. Supervised, of course! They get to pick them up, transfer them hand-to-hand, bang them, mouth them, and just explore them with their fingers. It’s amazing for developing their dexterity and understanding of the physical world.
And yes, those pulling and grasping activities are absolutely the foundation for later skills, @Curious Parent! Thinking ahead to threading and lacing is smart. When they’re pulling scarves out of a box, they’re not just practicing their pincer grasp; they’re developing hand-eye coordination, understanding cause and effect, and strengthening the tiny muscles in their hands and wrists. All of that feeds directly into the fine motor control needed for more intricate tasks like lacing beads, using scissors, and eventually holding a pencil with precision. Every little pull and pick-up now is a building block for those future achievements. You’re doing great!