If you can’t afford to send your baby to enrichment classes, don’t worry – there are lots of things you can do with her at home. DR RICHARD C. WOOLFSON suggests easy activities for little ones aged nine to 12 months old.
If you can’t afford to send your baby to enrichment classes, don’t worry – there are lots of things you can do with her at home. DR RICHARD C. WOOLFSON suggests easy activities for little ones aged nine to 12 months old.
WHAT TO TEACH
Encourage her balance and movement Your baby is growing fast. She is now ready to move on to the next phase of mobility, by learning how to crawl and walk.
HOW YOU CAN DO IT
• Put her in a corner of the room, walk to the opposite and attract her attention. Encourage her to reach you.
• Stand her upright at the sofa, enabling her to side-step or “cruise” from one end to the other.
• Help her to a standing position and hold her hands firmly in yours. Gradually edge away from her while encouraging her to move towards you.
• Give her lots of praise when she takes more steps than she did yesterday, and be patient with her.
WHAT TO TEACH
Encourage her hand-eye coordination Good hand control means that your growing infant can do more for herself, explore more, and play with a more interesting range of toys.
HOW YOU CAN DO IT
• Give her a box with a lid, place an object inside and put the lid back on. Rattle the box in front of your baby and then hand it to her.
• When feeding, let her try to hold the spoon, while you still hold on to it as well.
• Play action rhymes with her that involved finger and hand movements, such as Incy Wincy Spider.
WHAT TO TEACH
Encourage her speech and language Once she starts to use single words, she realises that her ability to communicate with you is much more effective and precise.
HOW YOU CAN DO IT
• Speak her mind. For example, when she reaches for a toy, say: “You want that toy.”
• Listen attentively when she tries to communicate with you by sounds.
• Play nursery rhymes in the background, but don’t pressure her into speaking or singing.
• Read lots of books and stories to your baby, preferably when she is sitting on your lap facing the book and looking at the pictures.
WHAT TO TEACH
Encourage her social and emotional skills These will help her mix well with other children and adults.
HOW YOU CAN DO IT
• Although she can’t yet play cooperatively with others, she likes to play alongside them and watch.
• If she snatches a toy from another infant, remove the toy. Tell her clearly she shouldn’t do this, and let her see you return the toy to the other child.
• When appropriate, leave your child in the temporary care of other trustworthy, responsible adults, such as Grandma and Grandpa, or a babysitter.
WHAT TO TEACH
Encourage her focus and understanding
Through concentration and exploration, your baby’s innate curiosity takes her to a new level of discovery and learning.
HOW YOU CAN DO IT
• As you read a book to her, point to each picture and describe it so she focuses on that image.
• Provide age-appropriate challenging toys such as nesting boxes and twopiece jigsaws.
• When she loses interest in a toy, encourage her to play with it for a little longer.
• Help her discover how to successfully fit the pieces into her shape-sorter.
• Give her lots of creative play opportunities with water, sand, paint and dough.
"Through concentration and exploration, your baby’s innate curiosity takes her to a new level of discovery and learning."
ILLUSTRATION CHENG PUAY KOON
