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| Education & Learning
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Child’s Play
Have fun with your baby during playtime
By Martine Gallie
0-6 months
• Develop your newborn’s social skills by lying her on your lap and pulling funny faces at her. You’ll be amazed at how soon she begins to mimic your expressions.
• Babies start to discover their hands and feet at around 2 months. Help her learn where her body begins and ends by tickling her all over with a feather.
• Lay your baby on her back and slowly move a small, squeaky toy back and forth in front of her. She’ll begin by tracking it with her eyes and, from about 3 months, she’ll start to “bat” it with her hand.
• By 4 months, your baby’s back and neck muscles will be well developed. Lie her face down on a partly deflated beach ball, then, holding her securely, gently rock her backwards and forwards so she can practise holding her head up.
6-12 months
• By 6 months, your baby can move objects from one hand to the other. Give her a toy to hold, then hand her another and watch how she passes the first toy to her other hand so that she can take the second one.
• At around 7 months, your baby starts to understand that objects don’t necessarily disappear when they’re out of sight. Stuff a bright piece of cloth into an old tissue box and watch her giggle as she pulls it out again and again.
• Once your baby starts to crawl, at about 8 months, get down on your hands and knees and enjoy a game of chase. Tell her, “I’m coming to get you!”, and she’ll crawl off with a squeal of delight, anticipating the moment you “catch” her.
• As your baby approaches her first birthday, encourage her to walk by arranging a row of chairs a short distance apart, with a small toy or piece of food for her to discover on each one.
12-18 months
• Your tot’s fingers are increasingly nimble now. Encourage her fine motor skills by filling up some tins with interesting objects, such as chunky wax crayons or building blocks, so she can enjoy picking them out.
• A magic carpet ride will help your child’s developing sense of balance. Just sit her on a blanket and drag her round the house. A dressing-up outfit will add to the excitement.
• Most toddlers can say at least a couple of words by the time they’re 18 months old. A fun way to teach your little one new words is to paste pictures onto some paper and help her name each new picture she discovers.
• Stretch her growing imagination by doing animal dances. Put some music on
and dance like a monkey, an elephant or a duck ? just make sure your husband’s not watching and laughing!
18+ months
• Your toddler will be developing a good stock of memories by now and she’ll love naming familiar people and objects. Gather together some family snapshots and ask her, “Where’s Aunty Jean?” or “Who’s that?”.
• To help your little one’s growing hand-eye coordination, scrunch up some balls of newspaper and hold up a bin for her to throw them into. She’ll love watching you run this way and that to catch her wayward throws.
• Make sharing fun by laying out some snacks, such as raisins or pieces of fruit, and playing “One for you, one for me” with some of her favourite cuddly toys.
• Bring out her caring side by setting up a dolly hospital. Her “babies” can be the patients and strips of kitchen towel make great bandages.
If you have any comments or practical suggestions, write to us at editor@family.sg
- Mother & Baby
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