A child’s brain is like a sponge, absorbing everything around them. Babies are constantly learning through their environment. Even the crib can present a great baby learning opportunity for them. Whether it’s discovering their feet, objects on the wall or ceiling or simply light moving across the wall there is always something babies can learn from.
There are so many products on the market pushing you to buy to help your baby learn. Let me tell you from the get-go don’t bother. You can help encourage your baby’s mental development and learning through everyday activities. Rather than showing your baby bright flashy cards of animals, a trip to the zoo can further enrich your baby’s brain development and sensory skills. A baby can’t pick up the sights, sounds, and smells of live animals from a card.
Read to your baby early
Picture from Swan
It is never too early to begin reading to your baby; the earlier the better. Reading is a wonderful teaching method you can do with your child as early as their first week. Even if they aren’t able to focus on pictures just yet, the sound of your voice is very comforting to babies. Soft cloth books are great for babies because you can let your baby mouth and feel the book as you read it. As your baby grows older she will begin to understand much more than you realize. Read to your baby every day.
Tummy Time
Putting your baby on his/her tummy to play is essential for building and strengthening their back and neck muscles. It’s also a great opportunity to teach them through play. Place a toy in front of your child that they can bat at to teach them cause and affect. An inexpensive handmade toy you can make for this is putting water in a zip-loc bag (which you may want to super glue to seal) and cutting up different colored sponges in various shapes to place inside. The bag will lie flat so it’s perfect for floor play and your baby will love watching the shapes float and move around.
Go for a Walk
There are so many things in nature that babies can learn from through a stroll in the park. From different sounds and smells, the outdoors poses a very stimulating environment from which an infant can learn. Talk to your baby and tell him what he sees. Weather permitting; opt to take your baby for a walk a few times a week. This will not only promote learning but also instill a love for the outdoors when your child is older.
You can even teach your baby while doing things around the house. Talk to your baby as your folding clothes or washing dishes. Point out certain colors and textures. Play peek-a-boo while folding towels; this will teach him/her that even though they can’t see you, you’re still there. You can literally turn any activity into a baby learning opportunity.
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