Today Tile Triggered Content

Being able to pick up and move objects now will eventually help your baby to hold a fork to eat and use a pencil to write! The ability to pick up and move an object to an intended location involves a very sophisticated process and is a skill that will come in handy for all kinds of tasks. 

Muscles and the brain  

Some meals go smoothly, and some don't; your baby needs lots of practice to master feeding themselves. The reality is that some days will be messier than others. And that’s ok.  

Independent eating can lead to messy mealtimes  

We've included Amazon links for these books; if you use these links to buy a book My First Five Years may collect a share of sale or some form of commission. 

Whether you have a big garden, a small garden or no garden at all, getting outside and even doing some planting and digging together can be a great way to support your child’s language development.  

Your baby probably won’t be able to help with gardening in a practical sense, but being outside with you provides a range of sensory experiences that will help them to learn about the world around them.  

When your baby first starts solid food, your focus is often on which foods you should introduce and when. Early childhood is a time when we develop food preferences and habits that might last a lifetime – so it can be helpful to think of this period of learning about food as more than just trying different flavours, but the whole experience of eating!  

What is food learning? 

Your baby is starting to give a toy or object to someone else when they ask for it. This might seem like a step towards sharing – and many parents expect their toddlers to be able to share toys. But sharing is difficult and involves a variety of cognitive, social and emotional skills – so it is still a long way off for your baby!  

What skills does my baby need to be able to share?  

Choosing childcare can be overwhelming, and you might not be aware of all the different options out there. Here’s an overview of the most used types of childcare – registered, unregistered and informal – to give you a steer. 

Registered childcare options 

While your baby's memory is improving every day and they are becoming more able to remember where objects are, you may feel like your memory is getting worse. However, adults’ memories are typically excellent and have a substantial amount of storage; it’s finding ways to keep your memory active that’s key. These ideas will help. 

Exercise 

Your baby is fascinated by the world around them. All day long, they watch the actions of those nearest and dearest to them, and sometimes they watch other people too! Your baby is carefully absorbing the things you do; all these observations lead to lots of learning.  

Independence 

As a parent, you might feel there's a natural onus on you to be 'the expert' who passes on knowledge to your baby; after all, you've been here much longer than they have. But there are many wonderful things they can help us to learn all over again – things we might have forgotten we could do. We just have to open our eyes to their innocent wisdom. Here are five ways to feel ‘baby enlightened’! 

Be curious