Helping Your Baby Develop

Please read the following information about what children do at various times during childhood. Use the suggestions for each age group to help your child develop skills in thinking, using muscles, socializing and communicating with others. Suggestions for toys and playthings are also included. It is normal if your child is ahead in some areas but still developing other skills. If you have any concerns or questions about this information, talk with your nurse or doctor.

Age 0-4 months - What the child can do:

• Physical Skills:

___ Lifts head when placed at shoulder or when placed on his/her stomach

___ Holds head steady
___ Moves arms and legs during play
___ Swats, reaches for or holds objects

• Social and emotional skills:

___ Makes noises, smiles and reaches toward people he / she know

___ "Tells" adults what he/she needs through different ways of crying

• Thinking skills:

___ Follows moving objects with eyes

___ Looks carefully at one object and then another

___ Turns toward the source of sound

___ When playing with a toy, bangs it, shakes it and puts it in mouth

• Safety Issues:

___ Keep small objects out of reach

___ Do not tie pacifier on a string around infant's neck

___ Never leave infant alone in bath

___ Use caution when warming formula in microwave

___ Do not leave infant in sun for more than a few minutes

___ Transport infant in federally approved rear-facing car seat

• Activities a parent can do to help baby develop skills:

___ Lay the baby on your shoulder. Help the baby sit; support the baby's back with your hand (helps baby improve head control).

___ Look at and talk with your baby often in ways that cause the baby to smile and make noises.

___ Place a safety mirror or mirrors in baby's crib and encourage baby to look in mirror during play time

___ Give safe toys which baby can hold and move easily

• Toys and equipment which are helpful to an infant of this age:

___Music box, tapes with soothing music or parents' voices, black/white mobile, bright-colored objects, small rattles, cradle gym, slinky, mirrors, bells, infant seat, infant hammock.

Age 5 to 8 months-What the child can do:

• Physical Skills:

___ Sits with little support

___ Sits by him/herself

___ Rolls in both directions

___ Stands firmly when held

___ Moves things from one hand to the other

___ Holds things with whole hand

• Social and emotional skills:

___ Pats and smiles at what he/she sees in a mirror

___ Recognizes people that he / she knows; also knows a stranger

• Communication skills

___ Talks using syllables such as "ba," "ma," over and over

___ "Tells" others what he/she wants by touching toy for more or making noises or smiles during play

• Thinking skills:

___ Examines and explores toys

___ Starts actions which he/she knows 

• Self-help skills:

___ Eats food from a spoon with help

___ Holds, sucks or bites cookie

• Safety issues:

___Car seat safety

___Avoid balloons as playthings

___No hard candy, nuts or whole hot dogs

___Keep floor free of small objects

___Restrain when in a high chair

___Keep crib rails raised to full height

___Keep plants on high surfaces rather than on floor

• What parents can do:

___Give the child time for rolling and sitting with support

___Give the child safe, hand-held toys that are easily moved

___Use a safety mirror in the crib and during play

___Provide times of quiet and busy activities alone and with others

___Give toys which are different and encourage child to examine the toys

___Imitate the child's noises/gestures

___Pause and wait for the child to respond

___Plan routine games with the baby. Pause and allow time for the infant to respond

• Toys and equipment which are helpful to a child of this age:

___Slinky, squeak toys, toys that can be poked and examined such as helicopter, rattle, toys with moving parts, radios, musical toys, mirrors, happy apples, hard-paged books, mat, crib gym, infant chair.

Age 9 to 12 months - What the child can do:

• Physical skills

___ Moves in and out of sitting position

___ Crawls

___ Pulls him/herself to standing

___ Uses thumb and finger to pick up small objects

___ Hits two objects together at midline

• Emotional and social skills:

___ Shows interest in other adults' or children's activities

___ Has trouble leaving familiar people and shows fear of strangers

___ Displays full range of emotions: fear, laughter, worry and anger

• Communication skills:

___ "Tells" adults what he/she wants by repeating action to signal for more or reaches to make wants known

___ Recognizes words that are familiar

___ Uses jabbering and noises with sounds for simple words, such as mom, dad, dog

___ Imitates unfamiliar words or voice sounds

• Thinking skills:

___ Places objects in and out of containers

___ Searches for an object that is covered

___ Uses a variety of actions with toys, such as stretch, slide, drop, squeeze

• Self-help:

___ Drinks from a cup with help

• Safety Issues

___Same as 5 to 8 months

___Keep bathroom doors closed

___Fence stairways

___Do not use baby walkers, especially near stairs

___Use sunscreen when outside

___Cover electrical outlets

___Check safety of toys and toy box

• What parents can do:

___Provide times for baby to practice crawling and standing

___Provide times for baby to grasp small food items such as Cheerios or raisins if part of prescribed diet

___Have familiar caregivers to reduce fears of separation

___Provide a variety of toys with which the baby can discover new actions

___Talk with family to find out and respond to child's attempts to "say" what he / she wants

___Play peek-a-boo, row-row-row your boat

___Allow child to "say" / indicate his / her desire to continue or stop game

___Call toys and actions by the same simple name

___Respond to infant jabbering by mimicking the child or by saying what you think the child means

___Begin to feed child with cup and spoon to promote eating skills

• Toys and equipment which are helpful to a child of this age:

___Books, busy boxes, pull toys, balls, squeak toys, blocks and containers. Taking the child to the zoo, singing songs together and teaching hot/cold through play.

Age 13 to 18 months - What the child can do:

• Physical skills:

___ Walks without help

___ Crawls up and down steps

___ Walks up and down steps with help

___ Stacks two to three blocks

___ Dumps things from containers

• Communication skills:

___ Uses up to 20 words

___ Follows simple directions

___ Begins to point to body parts when named

• Thinking skills:
  ___ Show how things are used during play, such as: Combs hair, gives doll a bite of food
  ___ Names pictures in books
  ___ Puts toys in groups

• Self-help skills:

___ Removes some pieces of clothing
___ Drinks and eats with help

• Safety issues:

___Car seat safety
___Teach meaning of "hot." Keep away from fireplaces, stoves and heaters
___Keep all poisons out of sight and best under lock and key
___Never leave child outside unattended. Does not understand dangers of the street

• What parents can do:

___Help child practice walking
___Give child familiar household items: comb, plastic cup
___Schedule reading time using simple, realistic picture books
___Provide materials which child can put in order: peg board, shapes, boxes, stacking poles
___Expand toddler's single words by using them in short sentences. Toddler: "Ball." Parent: "You want the ball?"
___Carry on a conversation with toddler during eating, bath, getting ready for naps, etc.

• Toys and equipment which are helpful to a child of this age:

___Books, peg board, shape boxes, Fisher Price Little People play sets, big mouth singers, wind-up toys, household items, balls and ride toys. Encourage play that involves building and creativity.