Baby Development

Activity 1
Age Appropriate Gross Motor Development
Pulls Up to Stand

I am learning to pull up to stand! Sit me next to a low table or chair. Encourage me to reach up and pull myself to stand. You can do this by putting my favorite toy on the table or chair. I may use one of two methods to do this: As I pull up, I may straighten my knees together or I may kneel, then raise one foot first to push up to stand. I usually develop this important pre-standing skill between 6 and 11 months.

• Sit your child by a low table or chair.
• Observe if he is able to reach up and pull himself to a standing position.
• You can do this by putting his favorite toy on the table or chair.

Feedback
Your child is developing good pre-standing skills at this stage. Always ensure that he stands with both his feet flat on the ground at the table or chair. Remember to provide lots of opportunities for your child to stand with his bare feet as this will help him develop his little feet muscles. You may look at the suggested activities with this task.

Activity 2
Age Appropriate Cognitive Development
Finds Hidden Object

I am beginning to learn that even though I don't see the object, the object can still exists and it does not just disappear! Watch me do this with hiding games. Cover some of my toys with a small cloth while I am watching. Let me remove the cloth and see that my toy is still underneath. We can then try with more cloths. I will be able to find my toy hidden under 1 of 2 or 3 covers when I am 8 to 12 months old.

• Let your child play with a favorite toy.
• Let him see you as you cover the toy with a cloth.
• Observe if he is able to remove the cover to look for the toy.

Feedback
As your child finds the hidden toy behind 1 of 3 screens, he is understanding an important idea called ‘object permanence’. That is things can still exist even if he cannot see them. His ability to uncover the toy under misleading cloths, shows a focus and attention to his environment that is very good for his age and for future learning. This skill usually develops between 8 and 12 months old, he will move on to remember where objects are kept, such as where his favorite toys are between 13 to 22 months. Later he will learn problem solving skills, such as finding and getting to his favorite toy between 17 to 24 months. You can help him increase the level of difficulty in this play activity by using different colored covers. Try our suggested activities for more fun ideas in playing memory and attention games with your baby.