BY NICKY MACK.
BABIES AND CHILDREN'S MILESTONES
Milestones are a standard of development and progress a child should be making within a time scale, these milestones help us to be aware, if we should have concerns about our child, obviously not all children will develop at the exact same time, but generally give or take a few weeks. brain development in the early years is faster than in any other time, everything babies hear and see will affect how their brains develop. good experiences encourage good brain development. babies need loving and warm people to care for them and respond to their needs kindly and consistently. babies need to feel secure and safe in the world. this will help them to develop trust and confidence. babies 0-3 months babies from birth have feelings. they can feel content and uncomfortable but they are not able to think why. babies can pick up on your feelings and will tend to react and feel the same, whether your happy, calm or sad. developments they should be making are:
• turn to the side to suck when their cheek is touched
• blink at sudden noises such as hand claps or doors slamming
• watch your face when you talk to them
• open their eyes to normal speech sounds just as they dose off
Doing, seeing and hearing
• enjoy watching people do things
• Turn their heads to moderate sounds like normal speaking voices by 3 months • Look at their hands
• Enjoy looking at people and bright things
• React to familiar things by smiling, cooing and making excited movements Tummy playing on the floor is really good for babies to strengthen their necks and backs of legs ready for crawling. Never leave a baby on their tummy. Development toys 0-3months
Its never too early to introduce toys to babies, its all about learning.
Senses toys soft toys, textured toys
Eyes & sight mobiles, activity mats
Hearing & Listening squeeze toys, rattles, chime toys
Physical Skills activity mats, activity centres, activity toys
3-6 months little one is growing quickly and learning more everyday, by now your baby should start
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Hold on to objects given to them and briefly look at them
Lift their head and chest when lying on their tummy
Quieten or smile at the sound of your voice, or if they see you
Turn their heads or eyes towards you when speak from besides or behind them. Development toys 3-6 months
Learning activity centres, rattles, music toys, activity mats, activity boxes, material & board books, chime toys.
Hands & Fingers texture toys, rattles, building blocks, nesting cups, activity boxes, activity cubes, soft blocks, teething rings, bath toys.
Crawling, walking & mobility activity centres, push toys, pull toys,
6-9 months relationships and feelings are developing
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Like playing peek a boo.
Cry when taken away from mum.
Know familiar people and be unsure of strangers.
Bang objects together.
Roll from their back to their tummy.
Pick up things with their thumb and one finger.
Know what direction a loud sound came from.
Swap toys from one hand to another.
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start drinking from a cup held by an adult. move around more, pulling along on tummies. start feeling objects and looking then putting in their mouths. get into a crawling position on their hands and knees. start holding their food themselves such as a rusk. gabble, turn to quiet sounds. copy sounds made by other people. recognize several words, mummy, daddy when said. copy sound people make
Development toys
Learning activity centres, rattles, music toys, activity mats, activity boxes, material & board books, chime toys.
Hands & fingers texture toys, rattles, building blocks, nesting cups, activity boxes, activity cubes, soft blocks, teething rings, bath toys.
Crawling, walking & mobility activity centres, push toys, pull toys.
9-12 months
• give cuddles.
• love to be talked to and played with.
• cannot understand no or danger.
• copy gestures such as coughing or waving.
• become anxious