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Development during the first years of your child's life is important. Below are activities to help your child develop and learn.
They are organized by age (birth to 24 months) or developmental focus (Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Cognition, Social, Relationships, Self-Care).
Fine Motor
- Provide your baby with opportunities to look at objects in their line of vision (20-30cm away from their chest).
- Provide your baby with opportunities to watch moving objects and people.
- Encourage visual tracking by having your baby follow your face from side-to-side. Use objects that are bright and attractive.
- Encourage your baby to look from one object to another by shaking one at a time.
- Prop your baby in an infant seat and encourage holding and mouthing of clean safe objects.
- Provide objects your baby can activate by batting at it (such as a mobile, squeaky toy)
- Encourage babies to reach for and grasp objects by holding them within reach.
Gross Motor
- Encourage head turning by changing positions of objects and from where you speak.
- Encourage head control by holding your baby high over your shoulder with arms over your shoulder when burping, walking about, etc.
- Play with your baby on a blanket on the floor. Encourage your baby to lift its head while on its stomach and roll from side on to back or tummy.
Language, Cognition, Interaction
- Talk to your baby and smile back when your baby smiles.
- Encourage your baby to repeat sounds by imitating your baby's sounds. Eye-to-eye contact can help with this activity.
- Play peek-a-boo by hiding your face behind your hands or a towel.
Social Emotional
- Respond to your baby's cries quickly.
- Provide reassurance through consistent routines.
- Help your baby soothe and calm self. Sometimes sucking on a fist or soother helps as well as providing a brightly coloured toy for your baby to look at.
Fine Motor
- Encourage reaching, grasping and exploring objects when changing or playing with your baby. Provide objects that are clean and safe for mouthing.
- Encourage your baby to shake or bang objects such as rattles, wooden or measuring spoons, or squeaky toys and to enjoy the noise they make.
- When holding one object, put another in the other hand.
Gross Motor
- Put your baby on the floor on their tummy. Place objects a little out of reach to encourage reaching, moving forward and around, and rolling.
- To encourage sitting, prop your baby in the corner of the couch. Hold your baby on your lap with support at waist only.
Language, Cognition, Interaction
- Play with your baby's hands and feet. Say rhymes using playful changes in the tone of voice.
- To get your baby to resume a game, pause – ask "want more" again and wait and see if child holds out hands/feet for another game.
- Use words such as mommy, daddy, your baby's name, bye-bye.
- Encourage your baby to make sounds in response to your sounds. Call your babys name, show your baby a toy, try to get your baby to talk to you. Respond to your baby's vocalizations.
- Show your baby how an object can disappear and reappear by pulling it away or covering it up.
Social Emotional
- Talk, cuddle, play with your baby during care giving activities such as changing diapers, bathing.
Fine Motor
- Encourage your child to pick up small objects such as blocks that can be grasped between thumb and fingers.
- Encourage your child to take objects out of containers, then put back in.
- Encourage your child to explore with index finger – for example, push buttons on phone or other switches on toys.
Gross Motor
- Encourage balance in sitting by putting toys a little out of reach.
- Encourage your child to pull to standing at a low table or couch by putting toys on it.
- Provide push toys to encourage walking. This could include weighted grocery boxes.
Language, Cognition, Interaction
- Demonstrate simple actions on toys. Encourage your child to imitate actions. For example, bang blocks together, push car along floor.
- Encourage your child to find objects hidden under clothes, cups, etc.
- Repeat and emphasize names of familiar people or pets.
- Encourage your child to follow simple commands such as wave bye-bye, "give mommy the ball".
Social Emotional
- Provide your child with opportunities to meet other people and see new surroundings, but stay close to your child to provide security.
- Provide your child with a transitional object in her bed (teddy bear, favourite blanket). This provides security and helps your baby to go to sleep in comfort.
Fine Motor
- Encourage your child to fit circles in puzzles and drop shapes into sorting box.
- Encourage your child to stack rings on sticks.
Gross Motor
- Move and dance to music to help develop balance. Move sideways and backwards, as well as in circles.
- Encourage your child to roll back and forth in standing position. This helps balance as well as turn-taking.
- Teach your child to move up and down stairs safely - first crawling and then with hand support.
Language, Cognition, Interaction
- Hide toys or cookie in a loosely wrapped cloth and encourage your baby to look for it.
- Demonstrate actions on new cause-effect toys and encourage your baby to imitate you.
- Provide objects for simple pretend play. Spoons, bowls, and cups for eating, combs and brushes for grooming.
- Encourage your child to say words by pausing after asking "Do you want more" "You're pointing to the ball, Want ball?"
- Play songs with gestures to encourage imitation.
Social Emotional
- Offer your child lots of opportunities to develop skills through practice. Talk to your baby, read to him, play with him on the floor. Follow your baby's lead in play.
- Respond to your child's hurts and illnesses with care and sympathy.
- Provide opportunities to be around other children and to observe their play.
Fine Motor
- Provide opportunities to colour and draw on large safe surfaces.
- Encourage your toddler to stack blocks.
- Encourage your toddler to turn pages in book when reading.
Gross Motor
- Encourage your toddler to run, climb and explore playground equipment safely.
- Encourage your toddler to kick ball and play soccer.
- Encourage development of endurance, take your toddler for walks.
Language, Cognition, Interaction
- Teach concepts of big and little, colours and numbers.
- Encourage your toddler to match objects such as spoons in this cup and blocks in that cup.
- Teach your toddler to name body parts, objects, and pictures.
- Teach your toddler to make animal noises.
- Provide opportunities for pretend play with dress-up clothes, little tea parties.
Social Emotional
- Try to understand your toddler's need to succeed and to be independent. Allow your toddler to try things on his or her own.
- Dont let your toddler hurt self or others during a tantrum. Comfort her after its over.
- Set a few necessary limits and establish routines for eating and sleeping.
Self Care
- Encourage finger and spoon feeding.
- Teach your child to drink from uncovered cup.
- Encourage your toddler to take off socks, shoes, and hat.
- Help your child wash and dry own hands.
General
- Hold your baby in ways that encourage eye-to-eye contact
- Talk, sing, and read to your baby/ toddler
- Do not push your children beyond their capabilities, but provide activities just a little ahead of their current abilities
- Be available to help and encourage children as they learn new tasks, but let them experience the success themselves
- Get down to your child's level to talk and play
- Provide age-appropriate toys, but also use objects around the house such as paper, bowls, wooden spoons, and handmade mobiles
- Play interactional games such as row-row-row your boat, this little piggy, Simon says, showing enthusiasm and pleasure
- Provide opportunities for outdoor activities by going for walks or to the playground
- Provide opportunities for a young child to be around other adults and children
- Always respond to and comfort a child who is emotionally upset, hurt, or ill
- Avoid battles over eating, sleeping, and using toilet. Although it is important to stick to routines, power struggles should be avoided.
- Safety proof your home as soon as a baby can move around. This both keeps a baby safe but also encourages exploration and learning
- Encourage and join in make-believe play when you have time. Pretend play enhances cognition, language, and social skills
- Encourage your child to take turns and to understand others by playing games and using puppets
- Repeat and rephrase your child's verbal and non-verbal messages in ways that acknowledge your child's communication and feelings
- Always communicate acceptance and respect for your child. Never threaten a child with being sent away or left behind
- Provide an environment in which your child feels safe
- Reduce excessive stimulation, prohibit any type of violence in the home, and supervise and limit the use of television
- Pay attention and be responsive to your child. Follow your child's lead when encouraging speech or play
- Make time for yourself to replenish your energy so that you can enjoy your children
0 – 3 Months
- Provide your baby with opportunities to look at objects in their line of vision (8-12 inches away from their chest).
- Provide your baby with opportunities to watch moving objects and people.
- Encourage visual tracking by having your baby follow your face from side-to-side. Use objects that are bright and attractive.
- Encourage your baby to look from one object to another by shaking one at a time.
- Prop your baby in an infant seat and encourage holding and mouthing of clean safe objects.
- Provide objects your baby can activate by batting at it (such as a mobile, squeaky toy)
- Encourage babies to reach for and grasp objects by holding them within reach.
4 – 7 Months
- Encourage reaching, grasping and exploring objects when changing or playing with your baby. Provide objects that are clean and safe for mouthing.
- Encourage your baby to shake or bang objects such as rattles, wooden or measuring spoons, or squeaky toys and to enjoy the noise they make.
- When holding one object, put another in the other hand.
8 – 11 Months
- Encourage your child to pick up small objects such as blocks that can be grasped between thumb and fingers.
- Encourage your child to take objects out of containers, then put back in.
- Encourage your child to explore with index finger – for example, push buttons on phone or other switches on toys.
12 – 18 Months
- Encourage your child to fit circles in puzzles and drop shapes into sorting box.
- Encourage your child to stack rings on sticks.
19 – 24 Months
- Provide opportunities to colour and draw on large safe surfaces.
- Encourage your toddler to stack blocks.
- Encourage your toddler to turn pages in book when reading.
0 – 3 Months
- Encourage head turning by changing positions of objects and from where you speak.
- Encourage head control by holding your baby high over your shoulder with arms over your shoulder when burping, walking about, etc.
- Play with your baby on a blanket on the floor. Encourage your baby to lift its head while on its stomach and roll from side on to back or tummy.
4 – 7 Months
- Put your baby on the floor on their tummy. Place objects a little out of reach to encourage reaching, moving forward and around, and rolling.
- To encourage sitting, prop your baby in the corner of the couch. Hold your baby on your lap with support at waist only.
8 – 11 Months
- Encourage balance in sitting by putting toys a little out of reach.
- Encourage your child to pull to standing at a low table or couch by putting toys on it.
- Provide push toys to encourage walking. This could include weighted grocery boxes.
12 – 18 Months
- Move and dance to music to help develop balance. Move sideways and backwards, as well as in circles.
- Encourage your child to roll back and forth in standing position. This helps balance as well as turn-taking.
- Teach your child to move up and down stairs safely – first crawling and then with hand support.
19 – 24 Months
- Encourage your toddler to run, climb and explore playground equipment safely.
- Encourage your toddler to kick ball and play soccer.
- Encourage development of endurance, take your toddler for walks.
0 – 3 Months
- Talk to your baby and smile back when your baby smiles.
- Encourage your baby to repeat sounds by imitating your baby's sounds. Eye-to-eye contact can help with this activity.
- Play peek-a-boo by hiding your face behind your hands or a towel.
4 – 7 Months
- Play with your babys hands and feet. Say rhymes using playful changes in the tone of voice.
- To get your baby to resume a game, pause – ask want more? again? and wait and see if child holds out hands/ feet for another game.
- Use words such as mommy, daddy, your baby's name, bye-bye.
- Encourage your baby to make sounds in response to your sounds. Call your babys name, show your baby a toy, try to get your baby to talk to you. Respond to your baby's vocalizations.
- Show your baby how an object can disappear and reappear by pulling it away or covering it up.
8 – 11 Months
- Demonstrate simple actions on toys. Encourage your child to imitate actions. For example, bang blocks together, push car along floor.
- Encourage your child to find objects hidden under clothes, cups, etc.
- Repeat and emphasize names of familiar people or pets.
- Encourage your child to follow simple commands such as wave bye-bye, give mommy the ball.
12 – 18 Months
- Hide toys or cookie in a loosely wrapped cloth and encourage your baby to look for it.
- Demonstrate actions on new cause-effect toys and encourage your baby to imitate you.
- Provide objects for simple pretend play. Spoons, bowls, and cups for eating, combs and brushes for grooming.
- Encourage your child to say words by pausing after asking Do you want more? You're pointing to the ball, Want ball?
- Play songs with gestures to encourage imitation.
19 – 24 Months
- Teach concepts of big and little, colours and numbers.
- Encourage your toddler to match objects such as spoons in this cup and blocks in that cup.
- Teach your toddler to name body parts, objects, and pictures.
- Teach your toddler to make animal noises.
- Provide opportunities for pretend play with dress-up clothes, little tea parties.
0 – 3 Months
- Respond to your baby's cries quickly.
- Provide reassurance through consistent routines.
- Help your baby soothe and calm self. Sometimes sucking on a fist or soother helps as well as providing a brightly coloured toy for your baby to look at.
4 – 7 Months
- Talk, cuddle, play with your baby during care giving activities such as changing diapers, bathing.
8 – 11 Months
- Provide your child with opportunities to meet other people and see new surroundings, but stay close to your child to provide security.
- Provide your child with a transitional object in her bed (teddy bear, favourite blanket). This provides security and helps your baby to go to sleep in comfort.
12 – 18 Months
- Offer your child lots of opportunities to develop skills through practice. Talk to your baby, read to him, play with him on the floor. Follow your baby's lead in play.
- Respond to your child's hurts and illnesses with care and sympathy.
- Provide opportunities to be around other children and to observe their play.
19 – 24 Months
- Try to understand your toddler's need to succeed and to be independent. Allow your toddler to try things on his or her own.
- Dont let your toddler hurt self or others during a tantrum. Comfort her after its over.
- Set a few necessary limits and establish routines for eating and sleeping.
After 6 Months
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Be warm, loving, and responsive.
By holding, rocking, smiling, or singing to your child, you are helping to shape later learning and behavior. Touch stimulates the brain to release hormones that are necessary for your child's growth.
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Respond to your child's cues and clues.
Because infants cannot use words to express their moods and needs, you must be aware of the sounds, movement, and facial expressions your baby makes to respond properly.
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Talk, read, and sing to your child.
The more your child hears you talk, read, or sing, the more their brain will grow and develop.
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Establish routines and rituals.
Daily routines help infants learn what to expect from their environment. Children who have safe and predictable experiences with others have also been found to do better in school.
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Encourage safe play and adventure.
Play is an important learning experience for your child. Allow your infant to explore, but be ready when he or she returns to you for security.
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Make TV watching selective.
Dont let TV become your babysitter. Limit the amount of time your child spends in front of the TV, and be careful about the kinds of shows they can watch.
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Use discipline as a chance to teach.
Useful forms of discipline include saying no while reminding your child that he or she is loved, and giving reasons for your rules.
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Understand that each child is special.
All children are different and need praise for their successes.
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Choose quality child care and be involved.
When deciding on the best child care, talk with friends, teachers, and others whose opinion you value. High quality child care can help your child's learning and social skills when he or she enters school.
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Take care of yourself.
In order to take care of your child, you must look after yourself. If you feel overwhelmed, ask for assistance. Family members, friends, and others are there to help you.
All Ages
- Encourage finger and spoon feeding.
- Teach your child to drink from uncovered cup.
- Encourage your toddler to take off socks, shoes, and hat.
- Help your child wash and dry own hands.
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