Your baby is growing and learning at an amazing rate. As you watch the progress from day to day, offer encouragement with plenty of cheers and positive reinforcement—your approval will help your child believe, “What I’m doing is great!”
He can stand unassisted and cruise along the furniture
Her babbling begins to have the inflections of language
He understands that smaller objects fit in larger ones
She can pull herself up and sit securely
He understands what "no" means but may be too curious to resist
She can respond to one or two commands
You can do it! Let your child play with the toy independently. Be there to help him if he needs you, and offer your encouragement: "You can do it … go ahead."
Play a game with your child to make up a song—make a sound with the toy and ask your child to mimic you. Or just follow what your child does.
Attach words to your child's movement with the toy, and also to the toy's features. Say “back and forth” or “side to side” as your child moves the toy.
Clap or sing along to encourage your child; you may even want to accompany him on another instrument. These "I can" play activities get filed away in your child's memory bank and boost self-confidence.
Another way to stimulate baby’s interest and learning is to hang a mobile 8 to 12 inches over the cot. Babies are entranced by figures that dance and sway above them.
Toys that encourage children to imitate real life: Playsets with miniature figures, kitchen toys, tea sets, medical kits, pretend telephones—they all help children learn about the world around them by bringing it to their level.
Many children love to take long baths because it's such a soothing experience. But it's also an opportunity for a form of creative play that doesn't take place anywhere else.