Peepo!

Just had to share this youtube clip from one of my favourite books : )

Developing routines: Babies

Babies need warmth, nourishment, sleep, safety and love.  For us parents, these needs can sometimes feel overwhelming and never ending. 

One of the most useful things to remember in the first years is that because babies grow and develop so fast, patterns are constantly changing.  Managing to establish a few familiar routines, even when things are changing so fast, helps babies as well as adults.  When routines become familiar and enjoyable, babies feel safer and more secure.

Enjoyable routines in the day

Routines develop from the things that happen regularly every day.  Every family is different and every bay / parent relationships is different, but it generally helps when normal daily patterns can become enjoyable occasions for everyone.  These can include:

• Eating
• Nappy changing fun getting to know
• Getting dressed
• Hello and goodbyes
• Washing / bath time
• Getting up
• Cuddles
• Bedtime

During nappy changing, getting dressed, playtime, getting up etc a good activity to do with your baby is to play Peepo.  Babies have always loved this game because of the surprise in store.  It can go on for a while depending on your baby.  Different family members can also play this game with your little one as its really easy and free!

Ideas to play Peepo...

• You can use anything to hide your face from your baby - a tea towel, scarf, hat, etc.  Try see through material or a see through scarf for younger babies so that they can see that you are still there and don't get distressed.
• Try making different faces, sounds or animal noises
• try the game using a special teddy or similar peeping out
• Try whispering Peepo and then get louder and louder - but not shouting

Playing Peepo helps babies to:

• Have fun getting to know people
• Develop a sense of humour
• Develop communication skills - babbling
• Look, listen and respond
• grow in confidence

Every day see through scarves are the best...check out your wardrobe : )

The great outdoors....Out and about

The outdoor environment provides lots of everyday learning experiences.  So how can children's skills be developed when out and about?

• They get to explore and investigate their outdoor environment. 
• It encourages their curiosity and encourages them to explore
• It can help to develop their imagination and their role play ideas

A walk in your local area can provide lots of different experiences such as sounds, smells, shapes, numbers, colour, language opportunities as well as listening skills.

Road signs come in all manners of shapes.  Cars have registration numbers and buildings are made of shapes and patterns.  Finding out about the post office and who works there, the bank, the hairdressers are all every day opportunities to help extend your child's learning.

Ideas for the outdoors:

• Making mud pies - Mixing, decorating then using natural objects, e.g. leaves and twigs.  Draw patterns in mud using sticks
• Treasure hunts - Hide different objects outside.  Ask the children to find them using clues and following a trail.  You could also have a pattern hunt, number hunt or shape hunt
• Water play - Enjoy splashing in puddles, explore the idea of floating and sinking.  Paint with water on the floor or the walls,  what happens as the water dries?
• Music - Make a music tree.  Attach instruments the child has made or already has to the tree.  Children can then make their own music.  You can attach items to a fence if no tree.  Try adding spoons and pans from the kitchen
• Imagination - Develop your child's imagination  using small  characters such as soldiers or fairies in the garden
• Nature - make daisy chains.   Collect fir cones and see what you can make out of them.  Collect big, small and middle sized ones to sort
• Windy days - Blow bubbles outside using simple mixture made from washing up liquid and water and see what happens.  Make some paper streamers and watch how they move in the wind

Fun at bath time

Bath time is a great opportunity to help develop your child's language.  Your child has your undivided attention, making it a great time to talk and play. 

Here are some ideas to try:

• Name items: Engage your child's attention and name the bath items you use (e.g. soap, shampoo, sponge etc.).  You could name the parts of the body as you wash and dry them, e.g. hands, feet, nose, ears
• Describe items: Talk about the colours of items, e.g. white towel, blue sponge etc.  Talk about how things feel, e.g. fluffy, soft, slippery etc.
• Compare items: Engage your child's attention and compare the size of different bath items or talk about opposites, e.g. the towel is bigger than the flannel etc
• Make a bath time basket: Bath time baskets contain items from around the home for your child to explore in the bath as you are with them all the time.  Most bath toys are made of plastic which is good for cleaning but not very tactile for children....so grab a basket, box or something similar and let you child help you to fill it for bath time. 

Ideas include:

• Clean flower pot  acts as a sieve
• Bath books for a story
• Bath mitt - You can use a character mitt to tell a story and sing with as well as to wash your child with
• Rubber glove - put a small pin prick in each finger of the glove ad let your child fill with water.  Then squeeze.  Great fun and a great stress reliever for you too.  PLEASE NOTE: this is only for children who are not allergic to LATEX and is only to be used under adult supervision
• Empty plastic bottles  and jugs for filling and pouring
• Doll or teddy - let your chid wash a favourite toy.  This helps them to practice social skills and develop their imagination skills too.

Books and stories with babies ....Part 2

Introducing books at an early age helps develop the skills needed to be able to learn to read

They will learn how to handle books, e.g. how to turn the pages and how to enjoy the pictures.

When looking at the pictures they learn to recognise objects.  Pictures are a very important part of storybooks - even babies point at pictures.  When you talk about the pictures it helps them gain information from them which is a skill they can use when they come to learn to read.

Books are a great source of vocabulary for young children.  Sharing books helps a child to settle and encourages attention and concentration skills which are vital to be able to learn effectively. 

Libraries welcome babies and toddlers.  Babies can join the library from birth.  Don't worry if a book is lost or damaged, there are no fines to pay for books taken out on a child's card.

Tips on how to share books with babies

• Find a quiet place and turn off the TV and radio so there are no distractions and background noise
• Model how to hold a book and turn pages
• Point and name things in pictures as well as talking about the pictures
• Encourage prediction (lift the flap books are perfect for this)
• Show how words go from left to right when they get a bit older by running a finger under them as you read
• Use different voices and sounds, facial expressions and gestures
• Use props such as puppets.  This helps books come to life and give your baby something to hold onto that relates to the story

Books and stories with babies ...Part 1

Reading to babies on a daily basis gives them the best start in life and it is never too early to start.  Sharing books with babies and young children is a great way to develop their language and help them to talk.

When sharing books your not teaching your child to read but you are helping them develop the skills needed to be able to learn to read and to grow up with a love of books and become more confident readers when they are ready.

Babies love the sound of their carers voices and reading aloud to them can be calming.  Grandparents, brothers and sisters can get involved too and support a love of books. 

First books need to be sturdy - babies explore everything through their senses and like everything else will put books to their mouths.  However they will soon learn what a book is for when they see how you handle them.

Be a good role model.  Babies watch adults and learn by copying them.  If they see you enjoy reading, they are more likely to enjoy it themselves.  Try and keep a book in your bag at all times.  Sharing a book together can help waiting times to pass by quicker and make it more enjoyable. 

Listening to the same stories over and over is good because the repetition of favourite stories helps babies and young children to learn.  Repeated phrases encourage listening skills, concentration, memory and learning.

The curiosity pool....

A curiosity pool is a great way to encourage children to explore and discover everyday objects.  The aim of the curiosity pool are:

• To develop an awareness of objects
• To develop a child's language skills
• To develop an interest in games

It's a great way to have fun with your little one while developing their language and learning through play.

What you need:

• A small child's paddling pool or baby bath (empty - no water)
• A couple of cushions so that your little one is comfortable in the pool / bath
• A selection of items for your child to explore, e.g. fruit, toys, items from around the home which are safe such as empty boxes so you can hide items too, wooden spoons, clean shiny scouring pads (see previous post about treasure baskets for ideas)

Let your child sit in the pool and explore the items safely with you. remember o give them enough time to do this.  If a child is rushed they can become frustrated.  You can hide items in the boxes or behind cushions to vary the game as it goes on. 

Age range for this activity: From when your little one is able to sit up.  However older children can still have fun by joining in with it. 

In the summer months you can use this activity outside.  Try adding a little water to the pool and see if you can make items float or sink.  Remember though....DONT leave your child unattended!

Taking turns:
The skills needed to take turns start to emerge in young babies.  When a child is very young they will start to take turns in their baby talk, copying sounds they hear.  This turn taking  goes on to develop into the child's ability to take turns to look and listen to you as you speak and as you then take your turn to look and listen to them.  You will see this happen during the activity.