Activities Promoting Infant & Toddler Development

Children learn from the world around them, and a parent's role is to encourage that learning. Children are like sponges and soak up everything they see and hear. Activities that focus on developmental areas including gross and fine motor skills and sensory, language and social development will encourage your child's learning in a safe environment. By using items that can be found in your home, you can promote your child's development every day.

Teaching by Caring

• Every time you diaper or feed your child, she is learning from you. To make the most of this time, talk to your child about what you are doing. Tell them step by step what you are doing while making eye contact as often as possible. Making eye contact shows the child that you are interested in her and also that she has your undivided attention. This promotes a secure attachment between you and your child. These activities also promote language and trust development in the child.

Read Aloud

• Reading to a child promotes language development as well as a love of reading. You don't need a library of children's books at home to encourage reading. Take a magazine and explain the pictures on each page. Change your voice tone for each picture to encourage facial expressions and laughter from your child. Read the labels on the soup cans in the pantry and on the shampoo bottles in the bathroom. It may feel silly at times, but you and your child will enjoy the time you spend together.

Make Some Noise

• As an infant, your child plays by banging, shaking or throwing objects. As a toddler, he is developing "pretend play" as well as learning the actual function of objects. Take out the pots, pans and plastic spoons and let your child bang away. As an infant he will enjoy the banging and the noise he is making. As he grows, he will begin to use the spoon to mix in the pans and may also bang a little too. Playing music is also a way to encourage your child's development. Music encourages movement. Dancing with your child is not only a way to exercise with him but also a way to be spontaneous and encourage laughter.

Socialization

• Play dates are one way to encourage socialization among infants and toddlers. Invite one or two children over to your house and have a set space for the children to play. The children are not ready to play together at this age but they do learn from their peers. Children will imitate what they see the other children doing. Play dates encourage the concept of sharing even though children this age do not completely grasp the concept yet.