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Lucky for us, as parents, you are your baby’s best
friend and first toy. Oh yes, the mobile with the interesting color combinations
and the musical stuffed animal provide entertainment, but do they really promote
cognitive skills and emotional interaction? Research shows that our baby’s first
years are profoundly formative and that skills necessary in development, both
physical and emotional, can be nurtured through play. They are developing motor
skills, responding to touch, taste, smell, and most importantly, gaining trust
and self-image.
Holding her gaze, she smiles and coos at the sight of
you. She understands the rhythm and inflections of your voice. She moves her
body and twists herself just to find you, continue eye contact and gain your
attention. When she achieves this, she lets go a huge smile to confirm her
intention. This action/reaction demonstrates the early abilities of your baby.
And this is just the beginning in a series of developments that will unfold
before your eyes, and which you can encourage simply by playing with your baby.
Throughout baby’s first year, the playful touch
provided by you enables him to develop important physical and social skills. At
each developmental stage, new achievements can be made in both areas. Each new
developmental milestone is builds upon and reinforces that which was previously
learned. In his first three months, your baby’s hand movements are mostly
involuntary and reflexive. As you play, gently touch the back of his hand and,
when he opens his fingers place a rattle in it. His reflex will be to close his
hand. This play sets baby up for future practice.
From hand-eye coordination (developed between 2 and 4
months) to fine and gross motor skills (developed between 4 and 10 months), play
nurtures and inspires baby to keep on learning. Likewise, when baby realizes she
can make something happen through her own initiated gesture, she learns the
foundations of logic and understanding. Playing with baby, and interacting with
her, stimulates action/reaction responses, contributing to the milestone
developments.
Playtime is fundamental in the development of your
baby’s ability to express himself, interact with others, and learn. He loves to
communicate and you are his receptive caring partner and audience in all stages
of development. The ideal time to introduce safety and strengthen coordination
is when baby begins to crawl and walk. Those wobbly, shaky first steps soon lead
to the desire to climb – everything! During this growth period, while his
curiosity is piqued, it is natural for him to become the consummate
“investigator” of everything. Providing a safe environment to explore can
satisfy their imagination and curiosity. Playgrounds with tunnels and multi-use
play structures can be an ideal place to strengthen your little one’s
coordination. They want to impress you with each new detail of ability they have
mastered.
As verbal skill develops, it may take time to
understand exactly what baby is saying, but enthusiasm and big smiles are the
best indicators. Introducing sign language to your baby is another way to better
understand her. Studies show that babies who learn sign language learn to speak
earlier than those who do not. Using sign language taps into a different part of
the baby’s brain much sooner than only being exposed to the spoken word. It’s
also just plain fun to watch and understand your baby’s communication.
There are several resources for you to learn how to
play with your baby. As simple as play sounds, it is important your baby receive
the correct type of stimulation at an appropriate age. To help you know what
play activities are best for baby many professionals have put together this
information and offer it in a variety of formats.
Baby Playtime, Inc. has a wonderful series of videos
that focus on “newborns, babies, creepers, and toddlers”. Each provides you with
age appropriate play exercise to stimulate, teach, and love your baby. Of
particular interest was their “Playtime for Newborns” features infant massage
and “Playtime for Creepers” introduces American Sign Language. A wonderful
aspect of videos is their ability to be played over and over as well as shared
with baby’s other caregivers such as grandparents, babysitters, and siblings.
Finally, at under $60 for the entire series (0 – 15 months), the cost is
relatively inexpensive.
Gymboree Play & Music offers personal instruction in a
class setting for playing with baby. Their fun activities provide similar play
exercises as the videos, however the interaction between other parents and
babies can offer additional support. Classes are offered at a variety of days
and times for convenience and the cost runs anywhere from $400 to $800 per year.
Another resource for parents to learn about play is
the abundance of literature on the subject. You can find numerous books and
how-to guides at your local library or favorite bookstore. Reading information
allows you to incorporate your own style based on the advice of professionals.
Incorporating the information you find with the videos described above, or with
a Gymboree class, may prove to be best for learning how to play with your baby.
So go ahead, start playing with your newborn today. As
a newborn, you are the best toy on the market. As she grows, only a few objects
are needed to stimulate and fascinate her. You remain baby’s favorite toy,
teacher, and friend. From playing, we encourage our little ones to become part
of the family relationship and, out of this interaction, part of the social
fabric we are as a society. Play encourages self-esteem, self-concept, and the
confidence baby needs to take on the world and contribute to it as well.
For more information:
Baby Playtime, Inc. series of Playtime videos :
www.babyplaytime.com
or 1-888-205-PLAY
Gymboree Play & Music classes:
www.gymboree.com or 1-800-520-PLAY
Other Helpful
Articles:
NOTE: The article above titled "It's as
easy as play!" was provided by a
visitor to "The New Parents Guide" and is the opinion of the author
Lisa De Jesus. The information is not guaranteed to be factual. Always
use the guidance of you child's doctor over information you read on this
site or elsewhere; your doctor knows what is best for your baby.
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