Three Important Areas of Infant Development

Big A gets a lot of attention here at Ish Mom. As Dr. Phil says, he’s the “squeaky wheel.” I love my youngest the same as my first-born, but I’m not nearly as worried about him. Little A is a happy baby. He is quick to smile and eager to touch. He’ll explore his toys on the floor for a time, but inevitably, he orients himself back to my lap. He loves songs and finger games. Little A is fascinated by outings and the people around him. Little A hates having things taken from his grasp, dropping his favorite spoon, and getting dressed. He’s a good sleeper, but would rather not do it by himself. His introduction to solids have gone well. He enjoys mealtimes. Little A’s favorite toys are whatever his big brother is playing with.

I asked Big A’s First Step’s worker what kind of activities she would do with a baby as young as Little A (7 months). She reported mostly opening and closing their hands, knee and hip placement help for crawling, sitting, and rolling, and object permanence.

Let Me See Those Hands

We’re so smug, opening and closing our hands all day, acting like it’s no big deal. Hands can be bothersome for babies! Sometimes they need us to teach them how to hold and let go of objects. Sitting Little A in my lap with a shape sorter bucket has been delightful. I had to drop a few shapes in myself, then hold his little hand over the opening until he let go, but now he’s got the hang of it. He’s so proud of himself when he drops the shapes in the bucket. When Little A has better command of his hands it will be easier for him to crawl, clap, imitate, and do finger play.

Gotta Rock Before You Crawl

Little A likes to have his upper body in my lap with his knees on the floor, rocking back and forth. I was a little worried about the repetitiveness of the movement because of our history with Big A. The First Steps worker said that Little A was strengthening/limbering his hips, legs, and arm stabilization for crawling. She encouraged me to crouch around him, holding his knees to the ground and his hips square above his knees. I put on music and make a game of it (see where we get more music and why it’s important here). I rock with him, talk to him, blow raspberries on his cheek. He digs it, but will let me know when he’s tired.

Peek-A-Boo: Boring And Looks Dumb, But Important

Peek-a-boo is fun for about two minutes, amirite? How long are we supposed to be entertained by the back of our hand? Or maybe get real crazy with a couple of throw pillows. But peek-a-boo is more than just a game I have to desperately summon continual enthusiasm for; it teaches object permanence. The world is a really confusing place for the baby who doesn’t grasp this concept, in all it’s form, in all their stages. Games like placing a favorite toy under a blanket and having Little A find it, peek-a-boo, and other simple forms of hide and seek help cement the notion of object permanence.

How old are your babies? If they’re over one, what kind of activities did you like to do with them when they were really little? I’d love any new games to add to my arsenal, comment below! Share this article so you don’t forget these ideas!