This article is continuation of Helping 0-3 Months Baby Grow article. Please read it before if you have not read it. We will continue with some activities Wallace and Chernoff suggest for helping baby develop. It’s for 3 months – 1 year baby. Remember the keyword: Parent’s role is vital to help baby grow.

3 to 6 Months

Read a book:

photo credit: Chiceaux
Chernoff and other doctors begin handing books out to their patients at 6 months of age through Reach Out And Read, a national early literacy campaign. Of course, it can’t hurt to introduce reading sooner — just don’t be discouraged if you don’t get much of a reaction, says Chernoff. “Some kids are interested and some aren’t, but you’re also communicating something about reading books that they’re picking up on,” she says, adding that she’d avoid putting baby in front of a TV as entertainment. When you’re reading, be sure to label things — “this is a dog, this is a cat, this is a baby” — to get baby primed for learning such words later, says Wallace. At this age books with simple pictures are best, she says.

Practice batting and grasping:
Since babies are now learning to reach for objects, give them plenty to grab for. Wallace recommends blowing bubbles in baby’s direction and letting her “catch” them. In the early weeks of this time period baby will probably be batting at things rather than picking them up. It’s a good time for mobiles and other hanging or floating objects that are fun for swatting. A little later, when baby starts to pick things up, place toys of different shapes and textures within reach or slightly out of reach to encourage baby to pick them up.

Peek-a-boo:
Baby won’t begin to develop “object permanence” — the idea that something doesn’t cease to exist when it is out of sight — just yet, but you can start to introduce the concept now. Try peek-a-boo: put a blanket over your face and then remove it for baby to see that you’re still there. The bonus: babies at this age and a little older will delight in your antics. You can also play peek-a-boo with toys or other objects. Eventually baby will get the hang of it and begin playing it herself.

Let baby play alone:
Although you’re a crucial part of baby’s development, helping baby may sometimes involve just letting her play by herself for a while. “Children learn a great deal from playing on their own and from exploring the world in the way that they feel driven to,” says Wallace. For example, “if the child is exploring a piece of dust that is floating in the air she’s learning how things fall,” Wallace explains.

6 to 9 Months

Practice passing:
At this age babies are getting good at picking things up, have probably developed the ability to “rake” objects with their hands, and are beginning to transfer things from hand to hand. Fine forefinger or thumb control won’t be developed until about 9 months, but you can get baby started by letting her try to feed herself (finger foods, not those that require a fork or spoon). Be forewarned: it’s a messy proposition and you’ll need to supervise her closely in case she begins to choke.

Let her taste her world:
At this age babies experience things primarily through their mouths, so it’s great to give her a variety of toys that she can gum or chew. Since she can probably sit up now, an activity saucer (like a walker, but without wheels) can be a good place for baby to sit and explore toys.

Explore cause and effect:
Your baby is probably gaining a growing interest in cause and effect — “I push this button and I hear a sound.” Offer her an array of toys that cater to this new interest.

Practice standing:

photo credit: Avery Zoe
By 9 months baby may be pulling herself up to stand or may stand with assistance from you or a stationary object. Help her do this by providing a sturdy toy — a play shopping cart or activity cart — but make sure your house is baby-proofed, that stairs are gated and all objects she might pull up on are well anchored.

Share your world:
“If you’re excited about something, your child is going to learn about it and be excited about it,” says Chernoff. Talk to your child about the things you like to do and involve her whenever possible. “This is especially true for dads, who are sometimes a little awkward with babies,” she says. “You don’t have to figure out what baby likes; you can share what you like.” If you enjoy hiking, take baby with you. Not only will it help you continue to do the things you enjoy, but it will also give you something the two of you can enjoy together.

Make music:
Even though baby probably has a room full of fun toys, she’ll most likely get a big kick out of banging on a pot, pan or plasticware dish with a plastic spoon or knocking down a plasticware tower, says Wallace. Babies are also developing better control of their fingers so toy pianos and toy phones are usually a big hit and a developmental boon.

Explore emotions:
Your singing can take on a new element now that baby is ready to start learning about emotions. Try singing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” — you’ll not only introduce the concept of happiness, but you’ll also be helping to develop body awareness and fine motor skills, says Wallace.

Swim:
Baby might not be ready for the breaststroke yet, but swimming “classes” offer a good opportunity to get baby used to the water and to experience the sense of floating while at the same time bonding with you and building dexterity. Plus, you’ll get a kick out of seeing baby explore water for the first time. Music and gymnastics classes are also good.

9 Months to 1 Year

Learn the language:
As we mentioned above, language skills won’t really take off until year two, but baby is already starting to realize her ability to make sounds. By 6 months of age she was probably practicing vowel sounds and now may be combining vowels and consonants. Help her progress by repeating what she says and offering new combinations for her to try — ba ba, ma ma, da da — says Chernoff. For now they’re just sounds; eventually baby will figure out that mama applies to mom and dada applies to dad.

Crawl and walk:
Baby will probably crawl, cruise and possibly walk during this period. You can help encourage movement by placing interesting objects just out of reach, says Wallace. Or, spice things up by creating a cardboard-box tunnel for baby to crawl through. “That encourages them to crawl but also helps them develop spacial relationships,” she says.

Stack, squeeze and snap:
At this age babies will enjoy putting objects into other objects, fitting objects together and stacking them. Blocks and plasticware are a baby’s best friend now. You can also cut a sponge into different shapes and let baby stick them to the side of the tub. Now is a good time to introduce zippers and snaps, although baby won’t be able to master the technique for some time to come.

Keep in mind that all babies develop at their own pace and that what may be normal for one will not be for another. Your goal in helping baby to grown and learn is not to develop a “superbaby,” but rather to help your child develop to her full potential. “As parents we feel tremendous pressure to do all the right things,” says Wallace. “But what’s most important is to help them connect to people and relate effectively to their environment.” And anyhow, your baby will always be a superbaby to you.

Tags: child development stages, baby growth, child care development, child development education, early child development, development of child, fetal development, infant development, Baby grow, 1 year baby grow, baby development, 3 months baby grow

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