12 Tips to Help Your Baby to Develop
Your baby will grow and change a lot during his/her first year. But you can help them to develop faster.
The first month
Stay as close to the baby as you can, as often as you can, for your baby can see well only at the distance of up to 15 inches, so give her a chance to take you in. Her sight is developing, and she will be focusing on your face. Put your face close to hers and utter cooing sounds.
The second month
Vision development is still essential, but hand movements are also to the fore. Clapping the baby’s hand is a good idea, singing to the process. She will start imitating, which will develop her vision-movement coordination. Also, hold the baby up to your face and smile, or open your mouth, or stick your tongue out. Soon she will be working on her face muscles too.
The third month
Vision-movement coordination is developing fast, the baby gets more and more agile with her hands and may even take a swipe on things. It’s time for the use of rattles and toys which she will be trying to take hold of. She will begin to lift her head, which should be encouraged, probably with the help of a mirror as an additional incentive.
The fourth month
Movement and language skills are well on the way, emotions start surfacing as the baby enjoys a new bright toy or shows anger when she can’t grasp it properly or when it disappears. Halfway through the month the baby will grow ticklish, mind to make use of it by the end of the period!
The fifth month
By this time the sight and sound abilities are almost as good as your own! What’s more, the baby is trying to emit sounds. Make sure to talk back, use and repeat words and sounds, especially consonants, allowing the little one to imitate you. Point out and name objects in the room. You can also start to read books to her.
The sixth month
The baby will soon be on the move, get ready for it, check if your house has been fitted with baby-proof equipment. Lay the baby on her tummy, it will be easier for her to move in this position. Show her a toy and get her to reach for it. Mind that the toy is sure to end up in the baby’s mouth, so choose one which won’t fit in.
The seventh month
Get on with picking objects, this time smaller ones, so that the movement skills could be further honed. The pincer grasp is coming, too. Employ also useful things like plastic cups or spoons. It’s time you can transfer games outside and try grasps on the grass, taking less and less with every time and trying to separate blades.
The eighth month
The sense of space is waiting for development at this stage, with toys that come inside one another. Then, language skills could be improved like trying to learn and recognize the parts of the face or body. The baby is expected to start grasping the meaning of words.
The ninth month
As the vision-movement abilities are increased, there appears an interest in hinged objects and the way they revolve. The baby will get attracted to box flaps, cabinet doors, books with stiff covers. You may find her opening and closing the hinged part for many times in a row, hard at work at hand-and-eye development.
The tenth month
The sense of space development now allows search of hidden things. Where-did-it-go games are what the doctor ordered, teaching the little one that when things disappear from view, they don’t disappear altogether. Choose a bright object and hide it under some clothes or behind a box. If the baby is hesitant, guide her hand so she could touch the object and then discover it “by herself”.
The eleventh month
As you proceed to improve the baby’s language, keep in mind that the best way to do it is not through TV or DVDs, but through talking with you! Keep talking, comment on your own activities, ask yourself questions and answer them, accompanying it with exaggerated gestures and varying tones. The teaching progresses!
Developmental variations
Babies develop on a highly individual basis. Some of them begin to move sooner and surer. Others begin to blab quickly and distinctly. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your baby if he or she get out of schedule. Just watch how they progress, and see your doctor only if you really suspect something is amiss.
