| It was only in the last two decades that children | | | | stimulation of his hearing. Encourage his arm and |
| experts started to realize that early childhood | | | | hand movements by using interesting objects |
| development is centered on play and games, and | | | | where he has to reach out for. You can also play |
| it is through this most natural way that a child | | | | giving and taking-away games to encourage him |
| begins to learn the adult skills. | | | | to open his fingers and let go. As his finger |
| As soon as your baby is born, he will become | | | | movements are becoming more precise, utilize |
| familiar with your look, smell and voice, he will | | | | finger foods to encourage grasping and |
| associate you with comfort and love. You can | | | | self-feeding in your games. |
| encourage his further physical and cognitive | | | | 3. Cognitive or Mental development |
| development by engaging him in baby games, as | | | | Your baby's brain will double its weight between |
| early as he first few days of life. | | | | birth and 12 months due to the growth of |
| 1. Gross Motor Development | | | | connections between the different brain cells. To |
| The most important physical change that you | | | | help with the mental development, you should talk |
| would notice in your baby's first weeks will be the | | | | and sing to your baby as early as from birth. Play |
| development of head control. Your baby must | | | | baby games that feed his curiosity and |
| first gain control of his head before he can | | | | encourages awareness of himself, such as show |
| perform further locomotive skills. Play baby | | | | her bright objects, put lots of small toys within his |
| games that will encourage him to raise his head | | | | reach where he can see and touch. Talk to him |
| (e.g. holding him face-down in the air). Once he is | | | | constantly, exaggerate your mouth movements. |
| used to the game, he will then try to do it himself | | | | Play with him using mirrors to show him his |
| when he is lying on his stomach. As his head | | | | reflection so that he gains a sense of himself. |
| control becomes stronger and steadier, his spine | | | | As your baby grows older, play hide-and-seek |
| will gradually take more of the weight of his body; | | | | with a toy with him, choose baby books with |
| this then leads to stronger hips and knees. | | | | large and colorful illustrations and read to him. Play |
| It is now a good time to play baby games that | | | | games that require him to perform simple task |
| involve moving his shoulders, arms and legs to | | | | such as putting things in and taking them out of |
| tone up the muscles. As his back and limb | | | | containers. Teach him the concept of cause and |
| muscles strengthen, play baby games that involve | | | | effect using games such as dressing and |
| pulling him into a sitting position when he is lying on | | | | undressing a doll. Encourage his pouring, emptying |
| his back. Once he can sit up, you can play games | | | | and filling skills by playing lots of water games |
| that encourage him to turn his body (e.g. play | | | | with him. |
| 'peek-a-boo' from his side so that he turn to look | | | | 4. Listening, Vision and Language |
| for you). Later, games involving rocking and | | | | Plenty of visual stimulation from birth is very |
| swinging movements will further strengthen his | | | | important to develop a baby's eyesight fully. Use |
| body control. When your baby is ready to crawl, | | | | bright colored, mobile objects when playing with |
| encourage him to crawl in a fun way using games | | | | your baby. Your baby must first be able to hear |
| (e.g. crawl with him, entice him to crawl by | | | | the full range of sounds before he is able to talk. |
| pretending yourself to be a cat or dog so that he | | | | By explaining sounds and music with appropriate |
| can 'chase' after you). Bouncing up and down on | | | | adjectives such as "loud" or "soft" and by playing |
| your knee when he is ready to stand is another | | | | appropriate baby games with our baby, you can |
| good game most babies enjoy. | | | | help him to listen in a more discerning manner. |
| 2. Fine Motor Development | | | | Singing nursery rhymes while clapping is also a |
| Your baby was born with the reflex to grasp. He | | | | good game to play with young babies to help |
| will grasp anything that is placed in his palm. This | | | | them with their speech later on. |
| early grasp reflex must be lost for him to be able | | | | The speed and ease of a baby acquiring new skills |
| to select an object and pick it up. You can involve | | | | can be encouraged and influenced by giving him |
| baby games where you assist him by gently | | | | the right stimulation through baby games at the |
| unfolding his fingers one at a time. As your baby | | | | right time. With so many new skills to learn, it is |
| is able to open his hands and is gradually aware of | | | | important that parents give him all the help and |
| them, play games that involve tickling him palms | | | | encouragement he needs. It is also their |
| and fingertips with materials of different textures. | | | | responsibility to make his world an interesting and |
| Parents should continue to introduce baby games | | | | exciting environment in which he can grow and |
| that provides plenty of tactile stimulation. Games | | | | learn effectively throughout his early childhood |
| where you place a rattle in his hand and shake it | | | | development. |
| with him will encourage mature grasp, as well as | | | | |