Musical Intelligence of your baby

Child May Be Good at:

 • Singing tunes on key

• Remembering songs just by their tune (without words)

• Making all kinds of sounds

How to Encourage:

 • Sing to child, play tapes and CDs

• Encourage your child to sing and make up songs to remember other things (like ABC song)

• Help them to learn to play the piano, or an instrument

• Find schools that give music lessons (singing, band, orchestra)

Birth to 6 Months

Young babies like songs and rhymes. Rhyming words help him remember what comes next. The sound and rhythm of language help him learn to talk. Moving to a rhythm helps your baby learn to move his body.

Dance with your baby. Play music or sing. Young babies like to be held close for slow dancing. Older babies like music with a faster beat. Visit the library. Ask the librarian for books with songs and rhymes for your baby. Your baby can look at the pictures while you read. Shake a rattle while you sing or say a rhyme. Say your baby's name and shake a rattle for each syllable.  

6 Months to 15 Months

Music helps babies learn to talk. If you sing a lot your baby will learn from you. Songs and rhymes help babies remember. Soon you will hear your baby sing or chant parts of the songs you teach her.

Hand rhymes such as Itsy, Bitsy Spider, Pat-A-Cake, and This Little Piggy are good for this age. Your baby doesn't need to understand every word. Rhymes teach her that language is fun to play with. Ask your librarian for hand rhyme books.

15 Months to 2 Years

Toddlers who have heard lots of songs can make single tones and copy parts of familiar songs

Sing to and with your child. Your child won't care if you can't carry a tune. Songs and rhymes will keep your toddler happy when you ride the bus, wait in line at the store, sit at the doctor's office. Books with rhymes and patterns help children learn pre-reading skills.

At 2 Years

Two year olds who have heard lots of songs can start to "sing" parts of familiar songs. They can make their own music with simple instruments.

Repeat the same songs and rhymes over and over. This will help your child learn more words and remember them. Make homemade "instruments." Put rocks, dry beans, or buttons inside film containers to make shakers (Tape the lids).

At 3 Years

Three year olds really enjoy music and singing. They can carry simple tunes and remember words.

Sing one of your child's favorite songs, leaving out a word. Example: "Baa, baa black sheep, have you any _____?" Have you child fill in the word.

At 4 Years

Four year olds like to sing and play with rhythm instruments. Dancing and moving to music is fun for them.

Help your child make "instruments." Use oatmeal boxes for drums. Empty Kleenex boxes strung with rubber bands make guitars. Dried beans taped inside paper plates make shakers.

At 5 Years

Five year olds like all kinds of singing and dancing. They can learn the words and rhythms to songs.

Take turns making "musical patterns" with your child. Clap hands, snap fingers, slap thighs, and stomp your feet.

Good Health Practices for your baby

Even though brain development continues long after birth, the foundations of healthy brain development start during the prenatal period. Neurogenesis, the process of forming neurons, begins shortly after conception. The processes of migration, synaptogenesis, and myelination also begin prenatally. By the time a baby is born, the brain has 100 billion neurons and more than 50 trillion synapses.

Good Health During Pregnancy

The health of the expectant mother during pregnancy is vital to the well-being of her baby. Women who are pregnant should make sure to have a healthy diet, appropriate physical activity, and adequate rest, and should take steps to manage their stress. Pregnant women should avoid alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs, and should take medications only under their doctor's advice.

Prenatal care should begin within the first two months of pregnancy. Women should see a doctor as soon as they suspect that they might be pregnant, and should continue regular prenatal care throughout the pregnancy. High quality, ongoing, regular prenatal care can help ensure that both mother and baby are healthy throughout the pregnancy. 

Sleep

Good health practices after birth begin by establishing regular routines for adequate sleep and physical activity.  Sleep is important to brain development.  Infants do not sleep on the same time schedules as adults or older children.  Newborn babies sleep up to 16 hours per day, but only for a few hours at a time.  This pattern is related to deeding because babies must eat every 2 to 4 hours throughout the day and night.  Although many parents want their babies to sleep through the night, this is not the baby's usual sleep pattern for the first three months. 

Physical Activity

Regular physical activity is essential for healthy children.  Being physically active for at least 60 to 90 minutes each day helps the brain strengthen connections for motor skills, balance, vision, and many other abilities.  Activities such as exercise, dancing, or throwing and catching a ball help the motor areas of the brain develop stronger connections. 

Regular Check-ups

Beginning at birth, all young children need regular well-child check-ups with the same doctor to monitor and assure healthy overall development, as well as healthy brain development.  Regular check-ups also provide a chance for the doctor to:

• ensure that children receive immunizations at recommended times to   protect against diseases that can affect brain development
• test vision regularly, and correct any vision problems while the brain's wiring for vision is still developing
• test hearing regularly, so that children can hear clearly enough to develop the brain wiring for language
• monitor children's development, and make referrals for evaluation if children are not reaching developmental milestones within typical limits

The American Academy of Pediatrics website has a wide variety of additional information on good health during infancy and childhood.

Baby's Spatial Intelligence

Child May Be Good at:

 • Seeing pictures in her head

• Catching a ball before it hits the ground (anticipates movement in space)

• Looking at a picture and copying the shape with his body

• Drawing in accurate perspective

• Drawing what they see

• Finding her way easily

How to Encourage:

 • Provide paints, clay, crayons, etc. and make special area for drawing

• Walk in unfamiliar places and have child draw a map

• Teach pottery

• Encourage arts and crafts

From Birth to 6 Months

Babies like things that move and can follow things with their eyes. Newborns can see a distance of 8-12 inches. They know your face and smile. By 6 weeks they can see normal distances.

Put baby on his back on a blanket on the floor. Hold something bright about 12 inches over his head. Jiggle it to get his attention. Move it from side to side slowly to let him follow it with his eyes.

From 6 Months to 15 Months

Babies are beginning to notice the difference between shapes, size, and color.

Babies this age love to empty and fill things. Give your baby her own kitchen drawer. Fill a bottom drawer with plastic cups, bowls, spoons, and other safe things to play with.

From 15 Months to 2 Years

Toddlers can stack 3-6 blocks. They can learn to match things of the same color, shape or size. It is hard for toddlers to turn their wrists to put puzzle pieces together.

Trace well-known things -- blocks, silverware, toys, etc. on big paper. Put the things in a box. Ask your child to pick something from the box. Help your child match it with its picture. Screwing on jar lids will help your child practice wrist turning. Try a plastic jar with a lid about 2 inches wide.

At 2 Years

Your two year old can stack blocks higher because she has better control of her hands. She can do more with her hands now. She can match things of the same color, shape or size. Simple puzzles and shape sorters are good now.

Cut simple shapes out of clean foam meat trays to make puzzles. Start with just one shape. Make a harder puzzle by cutting a small, medium and large shape. Then try cutting out different shapes.

At 3 Years

Three year olds are ready for all kinds of art activities. Finger painting, painting with brushes, coloring, gluing, playing with clay and cutting all help children learn.

Children learn best by experimenting. Do not tell them what to make or ask them to copy your work.They should enjoy the activity, not worry about how their project looks. Keep lots of paper, markers and crayons out for free expression.

At 4 Years

Four year olds really use their imaginations when building with blocks. Playing with blocks will help your child learn about shape, size, number, balance, and same and different.

Divide blocks so that you and your child have the same number and shapes. Take turns building and copying each others designs. Talk about what is the same and different about two blocks, i.e., the triangle block has three sides and the square block has four.

At 5 Years

Five year olds start to want their art work to "look like something." The people they draw usually have bodies with arms and legs. Not just arms and legs coming out of a body.

Children do not need to be taught how to draw. Do not correct their drawings in any way. At the library, pick children's books with beautiful pictures. Read the illustrator's name. See if you can find more books with the same illustrator.When reading your child a new book, first ask her to look at the picture on the cover and guess what the story is going to be about. Talk about her ideas after you finish the book.

How to Provide Good Nutrition for a Healthy Brain

Children need a balance of nutrients from food for healthy brain growth and development.  Under-nourished children grow more slowly and have less energy to learn and explore.  Severe under-nutrition may cause brain growth to slow, and may lead to delays in physical development.

 

Young children need a variety of healthy foods that are nutrient dense. Nutrient dense foods are high in nutrients (such as protein, vitamins, or minerals) that contribute to growth. Because young children's stomachs are small, they cannot eat large amounts of food at one time. Children who fill up on high-calorie foods and beverages without many nutrients will not be hungry for the nutritious foods their bodies need.

 

Young children are at high risk of choking. Young children should not be given foods such as nuts, popcorn and raisins because they may cause choking.  Round foods, such as grapes, should be cut into small, non-round pieces. Adults need to supervise young children's meals carefully to reduce the risk of choking on foods.

 

By offering a variety of healthy foods at regular mealtimes, parents can help children get the important nutrients that their growing brains and bodies need to thrive. More information about good nutrition for young children can be found on the USDA MyPyramid website.

Breastfeeding and baby's Brain development

Breastfeeding infants, or encouraging mothers to breastfeed, is an important way to support healthy brain development. Breastfeeding contributes to the development of the brain in several different ways:

Fatty Acids Promote Myelination

The ingredients in breast milk support healthy brain development.  The fatty acids DHA and ARA in breast milk promote more rapid formation of myelin, the protective coating on the axons of neurons. Some fatty acids in breast milk, such as DHA (docasahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid), are also added to infant formulas. 

Enzymes, Hormones, and Immune Factors

Certain non-nutrient ingredients present in breast milk— including enzymes and hormones — may influence the rapid development of neurons during infancy.  Immune factors in breast milk protect infants from many illnesses (including respiratory, ear and urinary tract infections, diarrhea, constipation and other gastrointestinal conditions) during the early months. This proctection continues for a while even after stopping breastfeeding.  This protection helps keep infants healthier until their own immune systems mature. Immune factors and certain hormones are found only in breast milk.

Breastfeeding and Secure Attachment

Breastfeeding also promotes closeness between the mother and her baby.  A baby nursing at the breast can focus on her mother's face, allowing eye contact and visual communication between the two.  The mother can give the baby her full attention by talking and singing to her as she nurses.

How Long Should Mothers Breast-Feed?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for the first year and beyond. Infants receive many benefits from breastfeeding, even if a mother breastfeeds for only a few weeks or months. Infants who are not breast-fed need commercial infant formula for the first 12 months. Parents who use formulas can create the same benefits of physical closeness by holding and nurturing the baby during every feeding.

What's the Benefits of Play for your baby

The experience of playing helps children develop a wide variety of skills. Play is a valuable opportunity for children to practice focusing attention on a single task. Children's attention span develops naturally as they get older. Play is a good opportunity for children to develop their attention spans because it is a child-directed activity.  Children choose to play, what and how to play, how long to play, and when to switch activities. Because they have these choices, they tend to stay focused on play activities longer.

 

Children practice a wide variety of skills during play, including:

• gross motor skills — big movements of the arms, legs, and trunk
• fine motor skills — small movements of the hands, fingers, mouth, and tongue
• eye-hand coordination
• visual tracking — following objects with both eyes

Play also helps children develop cognitive and language skills, such as:

• creative thinking
• reasoning
• problem-solving
• planning and decision making
• listening
• communicating

Your baby's Physical Well-Being

Physical safety and physical and mental well-being are crucial foundations for healthy brain development. Physical well-being includes

• responsive adults
• safe physical surroundings
• appropriate nutrition (including breastfeeding and essential fatty acids)
• good health practices

Young children cannot create a safe and healthy world for themselves.  The caring adults around them are responsible for creating an environment that nurtures them and promotes healthy brain development. 

Children who are nurtured by responsive adults, spend their time in safe surroundings, consume nutritious foods, get enough quality sleep, are physically active, and receive regular, appropriate health care are better able to explore and learn without danger of injury.  They can relate to other people without anxiety, and can develop the ability to regulate their emotions.

Language Intelligence

From Birth to 6 Months

Young babies don't understand words yet. But they know your voice and how words sound. They are learning that when they make noise something happens. This is the start of communication.

Talk to your baby while you care for him. How you talk to your baby changes as he grows. "Baby talk" is OK now. Use a soft, sing song voice when you talk to your baby. Look into his eyes. 

From 6 Months to 15 Months

Babies understand language before they learn to speak. Talk to your baby all the time. Babies "babble" and make all kinds of sounds. Your baby is practicing the sounds and rhythm of language. When your baby starts to say words, she may say baby words like "ba-ba" for bottle. Show her you are happy she is learning. It's fun to use some of your baby's own words. But it is good for your baby to hear the real words too.

When your baby babbles, answer her. Try to copy her sounds. This will help her learn to talk. Help your baby learn new words by pointing to things and saying their names.

Make your baby her own family photo book. Glue family photos on both sides of pieces of cardboard. Slip each photo into a plastic baggie. Put the zippered sides together on the left. Staple the edge. Tape over the staples on both sides. Use this book to talk about baby's family.

From 15 Months to 2 Years

Toddlers practice the sounds and rhythms of language by "babbling". Children learn to talk at different ages. They usually start by naming things: "Da-da, Ball, Doggie". Then they learn social sayings, "No!, Bye-bye, Hi!"

Sit in a dark room with your toddler on your lap. Move a flashlight slowly around the room. Name the things the flashlight shines on. Give the flashlight to your child. Name the things she shines the light on.

At 2 Years

Two year olds know about 200 words. Some start to put together 2 and 3 word sentences. They like to chant and play with sounds. Most of a two year old's talk is to themselves or adults. The word they use most with other children is "MINE!" Many two's stutter when excited. It is best to ignore stuttering. Telling a child to slow down may make it worse. Ask your child's doctor if you are worried about her speech.

Begin to have simple talks with your two year old. Be careful to talk "with" your child not "at" her. Listen to what she tells you, and add to it. Example: 

"Doggie!" -- "You see a brown dog across the street." 

Make silly mistakes. Ask: "Is this my (point to your nose) toe?" 

At 3 Years

By 3½ most children know 1200 words. They know more words than they speak. Some 3 year olds have trouble saying all the sounds of the language. Some 3 year olds stutter. It is best to relax and wait for them to say what they want. Telling them to slow down can make stuttering worse. This is the age of "Why?". Sometimes your child really wants to know "why?". Sometimes she just needs your attention.

    At 3 years, children with speech problems are eligible for speech therapy at their local schools. Call your school district's special education department for information. 

Children learn new words by hearing them in a meaningful way. Reading out loud teaches them new words they may not hear in speech. Try to talk "with" your child not "at" her. See how many turns back and forth you can get. Ask more than "yes" and "no" questions. Ask, "What do you think is going on in this picture?" Answering your child's "whys" will help her learn. If you don't know the answer say, "I don't know. What do you think?" or "Let's find out."

At 4 Years

Four year olds are learning the power of language. They try out swear words and "bathroom words." They don't always understand what these words mean. Try not to get too upset when your 4 year old uses bad language. That may make it worse. Just say, "I don't like to hear that word." Or make up silly swear words.

Four year olds like to play with language and make up funny words. They like to make up new words. Four year olds like to play with their voices. They like to yell or whisper. Four year olds still ask "Why?" a lot. Answering your child will help her learn. "I don't know. Let's find out," is a good lesson and the library is a good place to find answers.

Lotto games are picture matching games. They help with your child's vocabulary and comprehension. You can make your own lotto game. Use stickers or pictures to make lotto games. (Wrapping paper is a good source for pictures that are duplicated.) Glue 6-8 different pictures to a big card. Glue 1 picture to each small card. Show her a small card and ask, "What's this?" Then have her find the match.

At 5 Years

Five year olds have good language skills. They like to talk about lots of things. Five year olds understand a lot of words. They like to tell and hear stories, especially funny ones.

Have your child draw a picture. Say, "Tell me about your picture." Write your child's words down, just as she says them. Ask questions like, "What happened next?" if you need to.

Language Intelligence

Child May Be Good at:   • Creating a private language or an invented one like pig-latin • Picking up phrases or stories • Memorizing long strings of words from books or TV • Telling stories or writing poetry • Reading at early age, often teaching self

How to Encourage:   • Read to child every night • Give a library card and visit the library • Pin up his/her writing on refrigerator • Play word games at night and on trips • Give him/her a good dictionary • Show how books are important in your life • Talk about books at supper • Encourage storytelling • Write down his stories • Make picture books on themes • Help child build a collection of books

Brain Development Timeline

Brain development begins shortly after conception and continues throughout a person's life. At birth an infant has essentially all the neurons she will ever have. Processes such as myelination and synaptogenesis are well underway before an infant is born, but the brain is not complete at birth.

The Prenatal Period

Prenatal Photograph The formation of neurons begins very early in the human embryo.  By five weeks after conception, the cells in the developing brain begin dividing rapidly to form the 100 billion or so neurons that an infant's brain has at birth. Once formed, neurons begin to migrate to the correct location in the brain, and some synapses begin forming. 

 

Prenatal conditions — including temperature, pressure and fetal movements such as kicking— stimulate the development of synapses.  Myelination of neurons also begins prenatally, starting with the neurons of the spinal cord and brain stem.

The Newborn Period

Photograph of a NewbornAt birth, the infant brain weighs 2/3 to 3/4 pounds (300-350 grams) and contains 100 billion neurons.  Connections in the parts of the brain that control basic survival and reflexes are already well-developed, and myelination in those areas is nearly complete.

 

The newborn begins a rapid period of brain growth. Synaptogenesis continues very rapidly, with neurons in all parts of the brain making trillions of connections. Myelination continues in most parts of the brain. The neurons controlling hearing and vision rapidly become myelinated.

 Early and Middle Childhood

The early childhood years are a period of rapid change in the brain. During early and middle childhood, the brain forms and refines a complex network of connections in the brain through synaptogenesis, pruning, and myelination.

Photograph of  Young Child Playing

 

The process of forming connections is biologically driven, but experiences also promote synapse formation. The brain produces many more synapses than it will ultimately use. Researchers describe this process as synaptic overproduction. This rapid synapse formation continues throughout early childhood.

 

The process of myelination also continues during early childhood and is the major cause of the increase in a child's brain size.  In the first four years of life, the brain increases to 80% of its adult weight of 2.6 - 3.3 pounds (1200-1500 grams).

 

Pruning is a key process that shapes the brains of young children. Synaptic overproduction causes synapses to develop extremely rapidly. The pruning process refines these connections based on experience. Connections used regularly become stronger and more complex. Connections not used are considered non-essential, and the brain eventually prunes them away to increase efficiency.

 

As an example, an infant's brain has connections that allow her to hear sounds from all languages in the world. During the early years, the brain strengthens connections for sounds in the languages she hears regularly. Over time, the brain eliminates the connections for other sounds. This is why most adults have trouble distinguishing sounds that are not in our language.

Adolescence

Photograph of a TeenagerThe brain continues to change and mature throughout adolescence. An adolescent's brain reaches its adult weight by about age fourteen, partly because of increased myelination. 

 

As myelination and pruning continue during the teen years, adolescents become more capable of insight, judgment, inhibition, reasoning, and social conscience.  Increased activity in the frontal lobes enables the adolescent to begin comparing or interrelating several concepts at once.

 

Myelination of the frontal lobes is not complete until very late in adolescence. Some researchers estimate that frontal-lobe development continues until age 25 to 30.  The regions in the frontal lobe which are responsible for judgment, planning, assessing risks, and decision-making are the last areas to finish developing.

 

Repeated experiences create complex networks of synaptic connections.  Connections strtengthened through regular use become stronger and more complex. Selective pruning of non-essential connections also continues during adolescence.  Most pruning takes place between ages ten and sixteen. The pruning process enables the brain to operate more efficiently and provides room for networks of essential connections to expand. 

 

Synapse formation continues in adolescence, even as pruning is ongoing. The remaining dendrites continue to branch, grow, and form new synapses in response to new experiences.  Continued social, emotional, and cognitive development in adolescence is due, in part, to this ongoing growth in the brain.

Adulthood

Brain development continues into adulthoodEven in adulthood, the brain is continuously remodeling itself. The brain continues to develop connections throughout adulthood, but with two major differences:

 

The rate of synapse formation is much slower than in childhood.

 

Synapses are formed based only on specific experiences in the adult's life.

 

For example, adults who witnessed a catastrophic event — such as the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York City — formed connections in the brain that allow them to rememberand process what they saw. Adults who were not there, but watched news coverage of the attacks, formed different networks of connections that help them remember what they saw and heard on the news.

Aging and the Brain

Lifelong activity is important to maintain healthy brain growth. Areas of the brain that are not used regularly may eventually atrophy. Keeping the mind active is a key way to prevent brain atrophy. Activity can be as simple as reading, working crossword puzzles, or spending time talking to others and maintaining relationships. A person who isolates himself stops having experiences that keep the brain active.

Brain Development Processes

The brain develops in a predictable sequence, from the most basic functions to the most complex ones. The interaction of genetic inheritance and environment determines how the brain will develop.

 

There are five basic processes that make up brain development. Many of these processes begin before birth, during the prenatal period.  Most are not complete until late adolescence.

 

Neurogenesis is the process of forming neurons. This is the first process to occur in brain development, and is completed before a baby is born.

 

Neural migration is the process of organizing the brain by moving neurons to specific areas based on the functions these cells will perform. Migration begins prenatally, but continues for at least 8 to 10 months after a baby is born.

 

Myelination is the process of coating the axon of each neuron with a fatty coating called myelin, which protects the neuron and helps it conduct signals more efficiently. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are a component of the myelin sheath and contribute to brain development. Myelination begins in the brain stem and cerebellum before birth, but is not completed in the frontal cortex until late in adolescence. Breast feeding contributes to more rapid myelination in the brain.

 

Synaptogenesis is the process of forming networks of connections in the brain. Synapses begin forming prenatally, but the process continues throughout life.

 

Pruning is the process of weeding out unnecessary connections and strengthening the important ones, based on the child's experiences. Some pruning begins very early in development, but the most rapid pruning happens between about age 3 and age 16. Different areas of the brain undergo pruning during different sensitive periods.

 

Pruning is a key part of brain development because it eliminates the connections that are not used often enough.  Pruning provides room for the most important networks of connections to grow and expand, making the brain more efficient.

Body Movement Intelligence at 5 Years

Large Muscles:

Five year olds can control their bodies better now. Most can learn to skip. They like movement and dance games. With practice they can throw and catch a medium size ball. They still like to ride trikes. Some are learning to ride two-wheelers.

Tape Walking:

Make a line on the floor with masking tape. Cut tape to change directions. Go through a few rooms, in and out of doors. Have your child walk on the tape putting one foot in front of the other, keeping his balance.

Small Muscles:

You can usually tell if your 5 year old is left or right handed. Do not try to change your child. You can get left handed scissors. Some 5 year olds can tie their shoes. Most can button, and zip.

Coloring books can limit your child's creativity. Make sure your child has plenty of blank paper to color.

Body Movement Intelligence at 4 Years

Large Muscles:

Four year olds run fast, climb high, gallop, jump and hop. This is a very physical age. This is the age when people are most likely to label a child "hyperactive."

Four year olds need lots of outdoor play time and space. Play time at a playground with a good jungle gym and space to run is important. They can ride trikes every day. During bad weather, try dancing with scarves to different music. Bean bags are easy to catch and safer than balls indoors. Trying to hit a target with a bean bag is a fun activity.

Small Muscles:

Four year olds are better at using their hand muscles. They can learn to button, zip, lace shoes (most can't tie yet) string beads, cut with scissors and pour from a pitcher.

Cut-up straws, cheerios, and macaroni are good things for stringing into necklaces. Tape around one end of a knotted string to make stringing easier. See if they can repeat a pattern, for example: one straw, one cheerio and one macaroni. Then repeat.

Body Movement Intelligence at 2 Years

Large Muscles:

Two year olds like to move many different ways. They are learning to run, climb, roll, jump, and ride on toys. They need lots of indoor and outdoor activities to learn different ways to move.

Balloon Tennis:

Open a wire coat hanger into a square. Pull a nylon stocking over it and tape it to the handle. Make the handle straight and cover it with tape. Throw a balloon up in the air. Have your child try to keep it in the air by batting it with the hanger "racket." This game is good for balance and muscles. Don't let your child play with balloons alone. He can choke on balloon pieces.

Small Muscles:

Two year olds are learning to control their hands. They need activities that help make their hands strong.

Use eye droppers to make your child's fingers stronger. Mix a couple of drops of food color and water in a cup. Have your child make "pictures" with the food color and water on paper towels or coffee filters using eye droppers. To make the whole hand strong use meat basters. Have your child move water from one bucket to another using a meat baster.

Body Movement Intelligence from 15 Months to 2 Years

Characteristics	Things to do
Large Muscles:
Toddlers learn to walk and soon they are running! Learning to use their legs and arms is their most important job now. They need to throw, run and climb.	Toddler Basket Ball: Hold a big plastic laundry basket and "catch" a ball as your child throws it. Empty cardboard grocery boxes are good for climbing in and out of. Time on the swings, slides, and climbing gyms at the playground will help your child develop arm and leg muscles.
Small Muscles:
Toddlers learn about things by handling them and putting things in their mouths. Their hands are starting to do what their brains tell them. Finger-painting and scribbling with a fat crayons help toddlers develop small muscles.	Let your child finger paint with pudding or a whipped topping on her high-chair tray. Let your child turn on lights, open doors, turn on the faucet to wash hands and play with wind-up toys.

Body Movement Intelligence from 6 Months to 15 Months

Large Muscles:
By 6 months most babies can roll over from front to back and back to front.	You don't need to teach your baby to roll over. Just make sure she spends time on a clean blanket on the floor when she is feeling playful.
Babies learn to sit up after they learn to roll over. Some babies use rolling to get from one place to another. Keep her play area safe.	You can prop your baby up with pillows to give her practice sitting up. If you sit with your legs crossed and put your baby in the middle, her back can lean against you.
Around 6 to 9 months of age, babies like bouncing up and down and kicking against things. This helps to get their muscles ready for walking.	Hold baby's hands and let her stand and bounce on your bed. There are products that you can buy to help build your baby's walking muscles. Babies have always learned to walk without expensive toys. Don't use walkers, they are dangerous. Put your baby on a clean carpeted floor.
Babies from 6 to 12 months may start crawling. They usually start by trying to get something out of their reach. Babies need lots of play-time on the floor. They need to practice moving their arms and legs together.	Put some favorite toys just out of her reach to help her learn to crawl. Try this activity to make her arms stronger—lay your baby on her back on your bed. Show her how to grab a broomstick by gently squeezing her hands on it. Slowly lift the broomstick a few inches. Hold a few seconds, then lower.
Some babies never learn to crawl. They move other ways and then learn to walk. This is OK. Babies are all different.	Make your baby a "feeling trail." Make a trail of carpet samples, rope door-mats, rubber door-mats, astro-turf mats, and throw rugs for your baby to move on. You can make it different every day.
Babies soon learn to crawl upstairs. They love to practice this skill. You need to teach your baby to crawl down backwards on her tummy. Stairs need to be blocked off with gates when adults can't be with baby.	Pillows from chairs or couches are good for crawling practice. Place foam pillows or a mattress on a rug. Help baby learn to crawl on and off the pillows.
Next, your baby will start to "cruise" holding on to things.	Babies will use anything handy to try to stand up. Make sure there are stable objects around. Make sure she can't hurt herself if she falls. Give her lots of firm things to hold onto.
Small Muscles:
At 6 months babies use their fingers as if they are stuck together. They use their fingers to pull things to them. About 7 months babies start to separate their fingers. By about 8 months, babies can use their thumb and forefinger to pick up small things and put them in their mouth. Be careful! Babies can choke on anything that can fit through a toilet paper roll.	Give your baby board books. Let her turn the pages. Turning the pages will help her use her small finger muscles. Put cheerios in an empty film container on your baby's high chair. Show her how to put the cheerios in the film container. Give your baby practice pouring. Put a big towel under her high chair. Give her a plastic tub of water, measuring cups and spoons, a small pitcher, a funnel, etc. and let her play.

Body Movement Intelligence from Birth to 6 Months

Characteristics

Things to do

New babies can't lift their heads. They need their necks supported. At about 6 weeks, most babies first start to lift their heads. New babies close their hands to make a fist. They can hold a soft toy. At about 6 weeks, babies' hands open. This is when they start to look at their hands and see that they can move them. Soon they will find their feet too. When a baby is about 2 or 3 months old, she may start to reach for things. At about 3 or 4 months, babies start to turn over.

Put bright colored baby socks with finger holes cut out on baby's hands to make them more fun. Shake a rattle over baby's head to give him practice reaching for things. When he is on the floor, put a toy in front of him. Let him try to get it. He may need your help to get it. Make sure your baby spends time on the floor on a clean blanket. He needs to practice moving. Get down on the floor with hi

Toddlers 12 to 24 Months's Learning and Development:

During this period a child's motor skills develop at a rapid rate. Everything seems attractive and worth touching, smelling, and tasting. Toddlers are full of energy, active and curious. A great change that occurs between 12 and 24 months is the child's ability to begin to express him/herself. Find out more about developmental milestones and learning goals associated with brain development for young toddlers one to two years of age in each area below:

Physical

Characteristics

• Learning to walk; always on the move
• Learns to squeeze, slide, push and pull objects
• Depth perception and ability to focus on near and far objects increasing
• Holds pencils or crayons to scribble
• Climbs steps one at a time
• Throws and retrieves objects

Most children are not ready for toilet training until after 24 months of age

• Learning Goals (Brain Development)
• Begin to develop hand/eye coordination
• Develop self-confidence as motor skills improve
• Learn by discovering and through trial and error

Suggested Activities/Materials

• Time for walking, climbing, dancing, etc.
• Playing with puzzles, blocks, stacking and nesting toys, lacing materials, etc., to develop fine motor skills
• Playing with musical instruments
• Finger painting, using crayons, and large markers
• Playing catch with a ball
• Dump and fill activities
• Riding cars and other toys with no pedals

Cognitive/Language

Characteristics

• Can follow simple directions, names familiar objects, understands relationships between objects
• Clearly sees cause-effect relationships
• Increasing desire to experiment and explore
• Develops speaking vocabulary; two-word sentences common
• Plays with sounds, asks questions, imitates speech of others
• Enjoys repetition

Learning Goals (Brain Development)

• Find meaning in events, objects and words
• Begin to understand concept of parts and wholes
• Learn the importance of the written word
• Vocabulary development
• Suggested Activities/Materials
• Books, pattern making materials, matching and interlocking toys that can be taken apart and put back together
• Shape or color sorting toys
• Matching cards, smelling jars
• Introduce sand and water play, other sensory activities (with close supervision)
• Expand on children's words, play word games, read, sing, use gestures to communicate
• Flannel board stories, records, tapes, nursery rhymes, puppets
• Realistic pictures of animals, people and familiar objects to draw their attention and encourage conversation
• Encourage exploration, maintaining safety

Social/Emotional

Characteristics

• Experiences stranger anxiety, and looks for caregiver's response in uncertain situations
• Imitates others' behavior
• Has simple interactions with others but prefers to play beside other children
• Tests limits, strives for independence
• Egocentric, does things for self and claims everything ("mine")
• Temperament becomes more obvious
• Limited ability to express frustrations may result in negative behaviors (biting or tantrums)
• Learning Goals (Brain Development)
• Develop identity and sense of self
• Realize self is separate individual from caregivers and environment
• Develop more independence

Suggested Activities/Materials

• Provide multiples of popular toys, materials so children don't have to wait
• Create opportunities to make choices (store playthings at child's level)
• Help child sort their feelings by naming the times child is scared, angry or proud
• Praise appropriate behavior and set limits consistently
• Allow time for dramatic play (dress up clothes, dolls, etc.)
• Nurture child verbally and non-verbally (hugs are helpful!)
• Listen carefully and with interest to what child says, expanding on child's message
• Model good behaviors

Self-Help

Characteristics

• Still working on self-feeding with fork/spoon and drinking from cup
• Can finger feed easily
• Begins to want to do things independently (Feeding, dressing)

Learning Goals (Brain Development)

• Develop self-esteem, independence and positive attitude
• Develop fine motor skills
• Suggested Activities/Materials
• Allow child to feed self, selecting appropriate foods
• Sit with child during meals and encourage conversation
• Provide child-size eating utensils and cups with lids
• Allow child to practice independence, being tolerant of mistakes
• Show child how to clean up after self, praising child when child does clean up

Environment

• Classrooms should contain a sleeping area, eating area, play area, and diapering area, as well as bathroom
• Play area should be divided into a quiet area with books, areas for dramatic play, manipulatives (blocks, puzzles), large motor area for active play, and art/music. Toys and play equipment should be accessible to teach children to make choices
• Outdoor area should include shady and sunny areas, with resilient ground cover. Infant/toddler swings; climbing structures and areas for sand play should be available
• Individual attention, close supervision, and responsive caregiving are critical to future development. Caregivers should wash hands often. Always wash hands before meals and snacks and after each diaper change

Baby Walking Chair

I do not recommend the use of a baby walking chair, despite the fact the babies often enjoy using one ...

The best position for your baby is to be placed on the floor. Lying on the tummy, rolling from side to side, gambolling etc. allows the baby to strenghten the muscles of the back and the neck, and you can rest assured that your baby will pull himself to a standing position and start to walk when he is ready. When placed on the tummy the baby will learn to crawl, and crawling and cross-crawl pattern are extremely important, as the two cerebral hemispheres will work together which is very important for the baby's further development and his learning capacity.

As babies usually are very fond of the walking chair you may risk that your baby will only stay in the walking chair and looses the interest for playing on the floor. The use of a walking chair may also affect your baby's sensory development, as the chair will absorb a possible bump and the baby will not learn how it feels when he falls, bumps into furniture etc.

I would also like to mention that frequent use of a walking chair make several babies walk on their tiptoes, as it is often difficult to reach the floor with a flat foot. This is very unfortunate as babies have to stand on flat feet in order to learn to walk properly.

I would recommend that you use a pushcart instead, once your baby has become old and strong enough to move around, as the pushcart allows the baby to push it forward, when practising to walk.

I hope this is helpful and I wish you and your family the best of luck:

Baby learn to walk

Researchers have found that the average toddler walks more than two and a half miles a day, taking in a staggering (toddling?) 14,208 steps.

But boffins at New York University also found that the not-so-steady-on-their-feet little ones had a bottom-lip-quivering 102 falls a day too!

The researchers filmed more than 130 toddlers aged between 12 and 19 months in a specially designed playroom, while 15 others were videoed at home.

Some of the children had not yet started to walk, while others were cruising, or had just taken their first tentative steps, and some were already accomplished strollers.

Subsequent frame-by-frame analysis of the films found that those who were already walking where taking an amazing 2,368 steps an hour and covering 0.44 miles!

The new walkers in the study took the most tumbles - with one little toddler managing to hit the deck 69 times in an hour - but on average, the walkers took 17 tumbles an hour.

The researchers then calculated that if the average toddler is active half of their waking time, they will clock up 2.6 miles a day.

Writing in the journal Psychological Science, Professor Karen Adolph, a psychologist specialising in infant learning, discussed how toddlers gain walking prowess.

"Over days of walking, they take more steps, travel further distances and fall less," she wrote. "And they may be motivated to walk in the first place because walking takes them further faster than crawling."

She also said that while the number of steps taken looks like a lot, estimates for other new skills are 'equally enormous'.

"Middle-class infants hear 2,150 words per hour, more than 30 million words by three years," she explained. "By two months of age, infants have executed more than 2.5million eye movements and by three and a half months, they have performed 3 to 6million.

"The consensus in the literature on expertise is that large amounts of regular practice, accumulated over years of training, promote expert performance. The same principle could apply to acquiring expertise in walking."

How is iron-deficiency anaemia diagnosed?

Preliminary blood tests

Hemoglobin

Blood tests are performed to assess haemoglobin levels. A low haemoglobin level indicates anaemia.

Blood smear

A blood smear may be used to assess the size and shape of red blood cells. This test is performed by smearing a small amount of blood on a slide and examining it under a microscope.

Other diagnostic tests

In addition to testing hemoglobin levels and performing blood smears, several other tests may be performed. For example, the serum iron level may be tested. A ferritin test may also be performed to assess the body iron stores. Depending on the symptoms and the results of the preliminary blood tests, your medical practitioner may propose other tests such as the total iron binding capacity (TIBC) test.

All these blood tests reveal important characteristics of the anaemia and help in the diagnosis.

Are iron supplements recommended?

Ideally, babies should get all the iron they need from a balanced diet.

In the case of iron deficiency, supplements may be necessary to bring the haemoglobin level to back to normal, replenish the serum iron, and increase the body iron stores.

However, before supplements are prescribed, it is crucial to properly diagnose the anaemia so that the underlying cause of the iron deficiency is treated.

Untreated anaemia can lead to long term damage.

How can iron deficiency be prevented?

Health Canada recommends a daily dietary allowance for iron of 11 mg for babies from 7 to 12 months of age. How much iron is there in food or milk?

1. A two tablespoons (30 g) serving of extra lean ground beef contains 0.9 mg of iron.
2. A 28 g serving of Milupa step 3 baby cereals contains 6.2 mg of iron
3. One large egg contains 0.6 mg of iron.
4. A 250 ml serving of cow's milk contains 0.1 mg of iron.

According to Health Canada, if an infant is not breastfed, or is partially breastfed, commercial infant formulas are the most acceptable alternative to breast milk until 9 to 12 months of age. Before that age, cow's milk is not recommended because, among other reasons, it is too low in iron.

Make sure your baby also eats plenty of solid foods rich in iron, such as liver, beef, chicken, egg yolk, pork, legumes, dark green vegetables such as broccoli, and iron-fortified infant cereals.

Walking Wings Helping Your Baby Learn to Walk

I never even knew these things existed. But one day I was browsing on my local shop and swap and saw that somebody was selling one of these.

I was actually second in the queue but I said "40-year-old new mom here and almost 50-year-old dad. We need these!" And the woman who was in front of me laughed and gave up her place. I didn't intend for her to give up her place but I appreciated it.

looking at the new walking wings on Amazon it seems that I have an old model. Maybe there was even a recall, I'm not sure. However they don't seem that unsafe to me and I will probably keep using them.

So far, they are more fun than anything else. But Broin is wanting to walk more and more these days and bending over to hold his hands is killing my back. It killed my back when it was Joe 10 years ago. So I have a feeling we will be using this more often soon.

Especially once he wants to go outside and run around on the concrete I think these will be going on him often. the worst is when they fall down and scrape themselves up and then cry and cry forever and have big bruises and road rash. I hate that.

So where can you buy walking wings? They are on Amazon! Everything is on Amazon. There are even some other brands over there that might look better to you.

have you used Walking wings? Did it help your baby learn to walk without him falling over all the time? Do you like them or love them or hate them? I would love to hear from you!

How to keep your baby Safet in the car

1. It's a legal requirement that babies and children are safely and comfortably restrained at all times in cars.

2. You should never just hold a baby in your arms, even on a short journey. Even a small impact could cause them a fatal injury.

3. A rearward facing baby seat is recommended for babies up to eight or nine months.

4. Once a child weighs over 10 kilograms, or twenty-two pounds, a forward facing car seat is recommended.

5. Babies should be belted into a baby safety seat that's correctly fastened to the back seat.

6. Young children should have a child harness provided on the back seat; adult sized seatbelts are too large for them and unsafe.

7. Children under 12 or who are less than 4'11" tall should always travel in the back of the car.

How and when your baby will learn to walk

You can encourage your baby to walk, but it's important not to rush or pressurise her into it too soon. If she senses any sort of disapproval or impatience from you it can really slow her progress down. A baby's confidence in her abilities is as important to her physical development as her co-ordination and muscle strength.

When will my baby make the transition from crawling to walking?

There's an incredibly wide range in the age at which children learn to walk. Many walk by 12 months but some don't even venture a first step until well into their second year. The transition from crawling to cruising (walking around holding the furniture) to solo walking happens at different times for different babies.

Cruising will be followed by walking, which normally starts at around 11 to 13 months. Some babies start walking at around nine months, others as late as 14 or 15 months.

Developing your toddler’s fine motor skills

Holding, reaching, coordinating, walking

Now your baby is at the toddler stage - whether they're trying to stand, hold a cup, carry toys or reach up – everything will be a bit wobbly and unsure! But that's perfectly normal because they're learning 'fine motor skills'. These are simple movements that we take for granted but actually take a lot of coordination of the hand, eye and brain in order to happen smoothly.

Why are fine motor skills important?

Fine motor skills are all part of your toddler's amazing development . What we take for granted, such as picking up a beaker, holding it and then taking a sip, requires a tricky combination of thumb, finger, hand and head movements. 

Even playing with toy bricks develops these skills as your toddler is learning that it takes care to stack them, or they fall down. So helping to develop your toddler's fine motor skills supports all the other skills they'll need during the rest of their life.

Helping to improve your toddler's fine motor skills

Your toddler won't need much encouragement to improve their coordination . All it takes is plenty of opportunity, encouragement and practice. Here are some fun things you can do to help your toddler learn:

Make a play space

Your toddler probably loves pulling things apart and emptying boxes of toys. It's one of the first 'motor skills' they learn and an important part of your toddler's brain development.

So rather than have your little one take the whole house apart, it's a good idea to make sure their play area has the right kind of toys to keep them occupied!

Fill it with a box of simple building bricks, large puzzle pieces, a peg board and chalk board. These are the kind of activities that keep toddlers interested – developing 'thinking' and 'doing' skills at the same time. They'll even gradually learn how to put things back too.

Play dress up!

Helping your toddler to get dressed and undressed really does develop their fine motor skills as they have to coordinate their entire body. Another bonus is that it means less work for you, as it develops their independence.

To begin with, you can make dressing easier if your toddler's shoes have Velcro fasteners rather than laces or buckles. Elastic waists are easiest on pants or skirts. And pull-on tops are better for little fingers than those with buttons or zips.

The more enjoyment your toddler has, the more they'll learn. So give them some dressing up clothes, or your old scarves, gloves and shoes – and just watch them have fun.

Scribble, doodle and draw

Your toddler probably already enjoys scribbling away with a crayon or piece of chalk.

As well as being fun, it's developing one of the most important skills your toddler will need in life – the ability to write.

So make their doodling time as fun as possible with lots of different materials like:

• Plenty of colourful crayons
• Washable pens
• Chalk crayons to play with outdoors as well as indoors
• Paints, brushes and sponges
• Finger, hand and foot-printing
• Let them get to grips with things!

Toddlers love the feel of things like sand and soft play dough. So keeping their hands busy with simple sandcastles and play dough is a good way to build their strength and co-ordination.

Try soft, colourful paper too. It's easy to scrunch up and unravel, creating shapes your toddler will find fascinating.

The right toddler diet for fine motor skills

Holding, reaching, talking, balancing, scribbling – all your toddler's fine motor skills depend on healthy brain development. So it's important to include plenty of iron-rich foods as part of a healthy balanced diet for your toddler.

We've put together some good sources of iron-rich foods, plus useful advice on how to give your toddler a healthy balanced diet.

How you can help your baby to walk

Watching your little one take their very first steps is one of life's amazing moments. But when do babies start toddling?

Some start to walk as early as 10 months old, while others wait until 18 months or more. The fact is your toddler will walk in their own good time! It's one of many big changes in a period of amazing development – so they'll need your support to help their progress and confidence. And you can have plenty of fun and laughter as you help them on their way!

Making sure your home is safe

Your toddler's legs are getting stronger and their sense of balance is developing, so bumps and tumbles are bound to happen! It's all part of the learning process, but it's a good idea to toddler-proof your home.

You might want to cover any hard edges such as chairs and table legs. Installing a stair gate can prevent any climbing mishaps. Keep power leads for lamps and other items out of reach of tiny fingers and make sure your furniture is stable and can't be pulled over by eager little hands. Door stops are useful, too - they prevent your toddler from closing doors and trapping their fingers.

Understanding how toddlers learn to walk

Babies begin preparing for walking very early on. Spending time happily bouncing on your knee, or in the baby bouncer, helps develop the strength they need. A sure sign that they're ready to toddle is when they can pull themselves up and stand, using a sofa or other object for support. Your toddler will probably find your legs useful for this too!

Here's one way of helping them learn to pull up to a standing position:

• Sit on our knees in front of your sofa or other stable object.
• Sit your toddler on your knees for support, also facing the sofa.
• Slowly kneel up, so that your toddler begins to feel their own weight on their legs – while your body supports them from behind.
• Hold their hands out to encourage them to use the sofa for support.
• Go back to your start position to show your toddler how to sit down again.

Helping your little one to toddle

It's natural for toddlers to want to get up and go! Here are some simple ways to help them on their way:

• Stand or sit in front of them while holding out your hands – this encourages them to come to you.
• Hold both of your toddler's hands at about shoulder height and walk them forward while supporting them.
• See if they enjoy using a 'push toy' to support them as they toddle.
• Allow them to go without footwear – it can help with their balance.

Fun and games that help with toddling

You can help make learning to walk more fun with simple games like:

• Tempting toys. Place one of your toddler's favourite toys on a chair or sofa to encourage them to stand up and reach for it.
• Colours and sounds. Dangle colourful scarves in front of them or use a rattle or simple instrument to get their attention. They'll soon reach out to investigate.
• Blow bubbles. Toddlers are fascinated by bubbles and often try to follow them.
• Hula-hoop games. Wriggle through a hula-hoop and see if your toddler wants to follow.

Feeding your toddler's growing needs

With all the growing and developing they're doing it's no wonder that for their size, your toddler's nutritional needs can be more than double your own!* So it's really important to make sure they get a balanced diet – packed with energy, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to help with all that extraordinary growing and toddling!

To find out more, read our article on Healthy Eating For Toddlers.

Toddler Toys for Christmas

It's that wonderful time of the year, the holiday season. Children are excited with visions of Santa, and presents under the tree. You have made your list, and are ready to explore the stores.

Related Video: Say 'So Long' to Morning Sickness

But what exactly do you get a toddler for Christmas? "This shouldn't be that hard," you think to yourself. You have no trouble picking out their new clothes and shoes, because these should be made to help, not hinder, the child's active little body. The same should be said for the toys that you buy. You have the chance to purchase just the right toys to help them on their way to learning and having fun.

PLAY

One of the most important things that a child does is play. Play is the essential joy of childhood, and is also the way children learn about themselves, their environment and the people around them. As they play, children learn to solve problems, get along with other people and control their bodies as they enrich their creativity. When children play with a wide variety of toys, the experiences help them develop their fullest potential.

TODDLERS

One to Three Years

A busy toddler needs toys for active physical play -- especially things to ride and climb on, such as a low tricycle or a wagon to ride in and pull. Outdoor toys, such as large balls, inflatable toys, a wading pool and a sandbox with digging tools are all good choices.

Toddlers begin to enjoy make-believe play just before their second birthdays. To imitate the adult world around them, they use play food, appliances and utensils, child size play furniture, simple dress-up clothes, and dolls. Children in this age group are particularly interested in sorting and fitting toys, all kinds of blocks and simple puzzles. Toddlers also enjoy musical instruments such as tambourines, toy pianos, horns and drums, as well as listening to tapes. I know you say, "Drums and toy pianos? What is she asking of me?" But, they really do help the toddler to develop their hand-to-eye coordination. Who knows? You might have another Beethoven in the making.

Remember a toddler moves busily within his or her environment, walking, climbing, pushing, and riding, a list of the toys below will be a great start to a wonderful future.

TOY SUGGESTIONS

Push and Pull Toys 

Small tricycle (ones without the pedals) 

Wagon 

Balls over 1.75 inches in diameter 

Simple puzzles

Blocks

Pegboards 

Crayons or Washable Markers 

Modeling Clay

Picture Books

Tape Player

Toys to Stimulate Your Baby

We all want the best for our babies. We give them the love they crave, warm their bellies, and rock them to sleep every night. One important factor in becoming a new parent of a baby is providing them with the tools they need to learn, grow, and conquer the world.

Baby toys are a very important investment for all parents to make. But what are the right baby toys to purchase for your baby?

Baby Toys to Stimulate Hand?Eye Coordination

Hand-Eye coordination is the ability to see and grab objects. At the age of four months your baby?s hand-eye coordination is beginning to develop. You baby will grab at objects, and try to pick it up. Don?t worry, he will master this quickly. Around five to six months your baby will learn how to reach for a baby toy, perhaps a baby block, grasp it, and hold onto it. Around seven months, your baby will learn how to drop that toy when he is done playing with it.

Developing hand-eye coordination is a crucial tool for all babies to master, and as soon as possible. We use hand-eye coordination in every day tasks such as bringing a fork to our mouths, brushing our teeth and hair. Think about it. Mastering hand-eye coordination can help a person to be able to do more complex tasks like typing quickly on a computer, playing the piano, painting a masterpiece, even sewing a button on a dress. You could be the proud parent of a modern day Mozart!

When trying to help your baby, the best thing you can do is hold a baby toy within reach from him. Then wait for him to grab it. You do not want to show him how it works. To him, that?s all the fun of it! Some baby toys that help with developing hand-eye coordination are:

• Blocks ? Soft Blocks for ages 4 - 7 months and more sturdy blocks for babies older than 12 Months.
• Stacking Toys will teach your baby to not only maneuver the object, but to also fit them together.
• Household items such as plastic lids, plastic bottles.

Stimulate Your Baby's Senses with Textured Baby Toys

Have you felt the pull of your hair when your baby is about four months old? We?ve all felt it, and our reaction is first pain, then joy. A lot of us, just remove the baby?s white knuckle grip, and say ?No?, but is this really the response we should be giving? This is your baby saying, ?I need my sense of touch stimulated!? Maybe instead of just saying ?No?, give your baby a toy that will stimulate his sense of touch, teaching him that many different things have different textures, shapes, and colors.

There are many baby toys that will do just this. There are toys that have different textures such as bumps, and curves; Baby toys that have crinkly material, and other fabrics. There also toys that have all this and lights and music to stimulate your baby?s sense of hearing.

Some toys that you might want to consider are:

• Crawl Mats and Play Nests - Baby crawl mats comes in several styles. One toy manufacturer, Galt, has created an infant play nest that stimulates touch, vision and hearing. The fabric covers inflatable ring creating a self contained safe play environment for babies and toddlers.
• Activity Cube ? A big soft colorful block with fun activities for baby to explore. Features may include mirrors, crinkle material, wool, sounds and lights and more.
• Music Makers ? These baby toys allow baby to press different buttons and see what new sound is made.

Stimulate Your Baby's Mind and Emotions with Music

Have you ever heard a song that, no matter what mood you were in would cheer you up immediately? Or maybe one that made you sleepy? Well, babies feel all these emotions from music too. Music is a wonderful way to introduce your baby to their own sense of emotions, feelings, and the wonderful world of creativity and imagination! Several baby music CD?s are available to invoke various feelings in your baby. Some better choices for parents to consider include the Brainy Baby® music collection.

• Peaceful Baby? - Calming, restful music that progressively lulls your child into a deep and refreshing sleep.
• Cheerful Baby? - Cheerful Baby?s compositions, melodies, rhythms and tonal ranges encourage a happy mood!
• Playful Baby? - Vibrant, invigorating music that encourages your child to actively experience the richness of their world.
• Sleepy Baby? - Calming, restful music that progressively lulls your child into a deep and refreshing sleep.

So What Do You Look For In A Baby Toy?

When you go toy shopping for your baby, you will want to focus on toys that will stimulate your baby?s mind, senses, curiosity and imagination. For a baby up to one year old, keep it simple with large, soft baby blocks, stacking toys, play mats or play nests, activity cubes. As a bonus during playtime, throw a CD in the CD player and watch your baby touch, explore, and learn about his new found abilities!

.You can find all the toys mentioned in this article at Baby Corner Store, as well several other toys for toddlers, and older children. Stop by, and see what you can find at http://shop.thebabycorner.com.