Many parenting experts often draw the parallels between babies and sponges – they absorb a wealth of information. While it may not seem like it, your baby indeed does a lot of thinking and learning every day, albeit not necessarily like sponges!
After a day with your infant’s educarers, your baby needs parental attention for emotional wellbeing and bonding time. While infant care centres provide essential experiences and stimulation to support infant development, there are many ways parents can supplement with activities at home too.
Ways to support your baby's learning and development at home:
1. Encourage Exploration and Play
Babies have a natural curiosity spark and this relates to the fundamentals of learning which influences baby’s cognitive development too. At home, you can allow your baby to explore different textures, sounds, and shapes through play. Offer a variety of toys, such as soft blocks, rattles, and sensory balls, to promote curiosity and exploration. Household items – that are safe and without sharp edges - such as water bottles and containers, make good options too.
2. Read to Your Baby Daily
An infant’s vision development starts off blurry as a newborn and eventually, baby can see colours more vividly between 2 to 4 months old. Thus, newborns tend to prefer high contrast colours like black and white. Kickstart a healthy reading habit from infancy by introducing black and white books, or those with bright pictures and simple text. Gradually pick books with various bright colours. Make reading a daily routine to enhance language skills and foster a love for books.
3. Talk and Sing to Your Baby
From infancy stage, literacy developmental milestones are observed as part of baby’s growth. How can parents encourage baby’s development at home? Engage in regular conversations with your baby, narrate your activities such as what you are doing or cooking, and respond to their sounds when you can. Sing songs and nursery rhymes to help with language development and parent-child bonding too.
4. Encourage Tummy Time
Do you know why tummy time is necessary for infants? This simple activity helps babies work on their motor skills. Parents can provide supervised tummy time to strengthen the baby's neck, shoulders, and arm muscles. Gradually increase the duration of tummy time as your baby becomes more comfortable. If baby starts showing discomfort in a few seconds, or is reluctant to be in the tummy-down position, try using his favourite toys or toys with sounds to get his attention.
5. Provide Sensory Experiences
Sensory stimulation is important for infant development including cognitive and sensory processing skills, while encouraging language development skills and motor skills. Introduce various sensory activities, such as water play, textured fabrics, and gentle massage. Encourage your little one to explore different sounds, smells, and tastes in a safe environment.
6. Support Motor Skills Development
Offer toys or household items that encourage reaching, grasping, and pulling to enhance fine motor skills. You should also create safe spaces for your baby to practice sitting, crawling, standing, and eventually walking as a toddler.
7. Encourage Social Interaction
One of the many skills that babies pick up from infant care is socialisation with his peers and educarers. Out of school, parents can arrange playdates with other babies to promote social skills and interaction. Encourage family members like grandparents and cousins to engage with your baby to build strong social bonds and emotional security.
8. Model Positive Behaviour
Parents are our children’s first teachers - positive behaviour starts at home. Demonstrate and reinforce positive behaviours, such as sharing and taking turns. Use gentle guidance and praise to encourage desirable actions and discourage negative behaviours.
9. Encourage Imitation and Role Play
Babies learn through observation and often, by mimicking others too. Use everyday activities, like cooking or cleaning, to engage your baby in imitation and role play. Provide safe, pretend play items, such as toy kitchens or telephones, to embark on imaginative play.
10. Foster Emotional Development
Having a sense of security has a positive effect on the baby’s learning. Respond to your child’s cues and needs with love and attention to build a secure attachment. Show him or her that emotions can be expressed through facial expressions, gestures, words and tone of voice. This also allows baby to pick up social cues as he grows.
11. Monitor Developmental Milestones
Every baby born in Singapore has a health booklet provided by the hospital – parents can check the milestone guides to keep track of their baby’s development. Additionally, you can also speak to your child’s infant care educarers to better understand his/her developmental milestones and progress. Celebrate their achievements and give yourself a pat on the back too, mums and dads!
12. Be Patient and Supportive
Raising a child involves patience, time, effort and being kind to oneself. Besides providing a supportive environment to allow your baby to learn at their own pace, remember to take a breath when facing challenges.
Nurturing and Supporting Your Baby’s Development at Little Footprints Infant Care
A safe and engaging environment like home supports baby’s healthy development and nurture learning. At Little Footprints Preschool, our Blooming Minds curriculum is tailored to support your infant beyond his physical needs. With our robust approach, infants develop their emotional, cognitive and social skills through play and exploration alongside our experienced educarers.
Visit your nearest Little Footprints Preschool infant care centre to find out more.
Follow us on social media to stay updated on our latest updates and happenings:
