Make Your Baby Smarter

For most parents, the cutest thing in the world is their baby sitting quietly, entertaining himself with what seems to be pointless play. What parents might not realize is that this play is actually an important part of a child’s development.
Play is the baby’s way of understanding the world around him. It is the baby’s “work” to develop different skills through daily play. For example, what seems to be a baby’s silly attempt to put his toe in his
mouth is actually an exercise in hand- eye coordination and problem solving. The baby develops coordination by repeatedly attempting to grasp his foot, and though he may fail a number of times, he tries to correct what he’s doing wrong to complete the interesting adventure of tasting his own foot. When parents learn which kinds of play and toys build a child’s skills, they can create a stimulating learning environment at home.
Different kinds of play
Individual play is when the child is left on his own to explore his surroundings such as sucking on thumbs. Parents should encourage this kind of play and make sure the child is given private time on his own without interference. Individual play is active learning where the child depends on his own brain to make sense of things, and this greatly develops the child’s senses and his perception of what things in the world are and what their purpose is.
On the other hand, “adult-assisted play” develops a child’s social and interactive skills. For example, playing “Peek-a-boo” with a child can teach the baby “taking turns,” which is a basic element of human interaction. The mother hides behind her hands and then “surprise!” she reveals herself. When this activity is repeated, the baby learns to wait for the surprise and laugh or express joy when it happens. Of course, adult-assisted play also helps enhance skills the baby may be trying to develop on his own, such as hearing and perception. Furthermore, playing with Mom and Dad, with physical closeness and praise from them, helps the baby feel loved, which has been proven to increase a child’s motivation to learn and interact.
Which toys are learning toys?
The first thing to remember is that everything is a toy. Mom and Dad are toys, safe household items such as colorful plastic containers are toys, and even clothes are toys. All of these help the child explore his world and learn. However, when purchasing toys, here are some guidelines for your baby to get the most benefit out of play.
Toys: 0 to 6 months
The notion that babies can’t see or hear when they are first born is incorrect. Babies can distinguish certain bright colors (red is usually the first color the baby can see) and can definitely hear sounds around them, despite the fact that they may not interpret these sounds correctly. So it’s very beneficial to attach a brightly colored, musical mobile to the baby’s crib from day one. The more enriching the baby’s surroundings are, even in those first few days, the more potential brain development.
By three months, your baby will be able to recognize favorite toys and attempt to reach or grasp for them. It is important that these toys be of varying colors, texture and shape to promote the baby’s sense of distinguishing objects through, vision, touch and sound (if the toy creates sound) For example, colorful rattles and soft toys that squeak or make music are stimulating at this age. At this stage, babies often put toys in their mouths as a method of distinguishing what they are, so parents should be careful to purchase toys that do not have any detachable parts that can be accidentally swallowed.
Toys: 7 to 12 months
The older baby is normally able to remember simple ideas and identify himself, his body parts and familiar people. Toys at this stage should encourage the development of these newly emerging skills. Toys that can be pulled, stacked, moved back and forth or that encourage basic color and shape matching are most useful. Cloth or plastic picture books that have large, simple illustrations that can be grasped, shaken and chewed upon are often very stimulating. They can also be used in adult- assisted play, where the mother can point and explain to the child the names and functions of the objects in the illustrations, to help enhance the child’s language skills and understanding. Stacking blocks has been proven to promote a child’s problem solving skills. The variety of toys available on the market is large and fun for both parent and child. Be sure to purchase toys that are appropriate for your child’s age to ensure the most benefit, and to ensure safety.
What can working moms do?
If you are a mom who has to return to work after three months, plan a daily, uninterrupted time to play with your child. The father and grandparents can alternate with you to help ensure that this aspect of your child’s life has not been neglected. Also, if you are going to have to place your child in a nursery, make the effort to choose one whose staff is aware of and trained in child-development, or leave the child with a family member who can be a positive influence on the child’s growth.
Pre-planning can help alleviate your stress and fatigue during the first few weeks after delivery. Arrange to have a helping hand when you need it. It could be from your mom, mother-in-law, sister, aunt or best friend. They can help with bathing, changing or burping while you put up your feet or get some shut-eye for a while. Accepting help does not indicate a dependant or weak personality. On the contrary, it will help you to cope better and will decrease your feelings of stress and helplessness.
It would also be a good idea to cook several meals before your delivery and store them in the freezer. This way, you will not have to worry about who will feed your husband and other children after the delivery. Having good help around the house would definitely be a plus. You can depend on this kind of help to keep your surroundings clean and well-kept while you tend to the baby. Do not o verload yourself by receiving visitors all the time. Your top priority should be you and the baby. When you feel you are ready both physically and emotionally to have guests, make sure you have a helping hand for the preparations.