Today Tile Triggered Content

Your baby’s response to another baby’s cry may or may not show that they are feeling concerned for the baby, but it does show that your baby is aware of those around them.

We know play supports your toddler to develop a range of skills, but over the years there have been debates among scientists about exactly how. Make-believe play is something we often take for granted, perhaps as our children hand us a ‘cup of tea’; but how does pretending help your toddler learn about the world? We’ve looked at how three psychologists and their ideas about this kind of play answer the question.  

Sigmund Freud – neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis (early 20th Century)  

When you hear your baby's first giggle, it becomes your family’s collective mission to get as many smiles and laughs from them as you can. Smiling and laughter demonstrate an important step in your child’s social and emotional development and becomes part of their toolbox as a way of communicating with you.  

Smiling is a great way of creating social interactions 

American author Robert Fulghum said, “Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.”  

This can be a useful thing to remember as your toddler grows and develops – they learn not only when you feel like you’re teaching them something, maybe when playing or chatting, but also by watching what you do every day.  

What is social learning theory? 

Do you ever wonder if your toddler should have friends? They might seem happy playing on their own or be interested in watching others, but not really play with them.  

There are many theories about play and how children develop their social interactions and friendships. 

Researchers often start with questions very similar to those we all have from time to time. What is my toddler thinking? When does my toddler know that they are looking at themselves in the mirror?   

The dot experiment is how psychologists know when toddlers begin to recognise their reflection 

Learning to do things for themselves is an important part of growing up – but when your baby doesn’t want your help, even when they are frustrated, it doesn’t necessarily feel like a good thing!  

Developing a sense of self and independence 

We all love watching and blowing bubbles, so it's a bonus that they also provide brilliant opportunities for your baby to develop their senses and learn about the world.  

We know babies can’t see very clearly when they are first born, but their vision develops quickly and so does their understanding of what they see. Your baby will show you this progress as they look at an object before they try to reach and grab it. They are showing you that they are developing depth perception, coordination and body awareness (proprioception) – which all sounds very impressive but what does it mean?

Encourage your child to join in with 'I spy' whilst in the car, on a bus, or out for a walk. 
 
They might not be ready for a traditional game of ‘I spy’ using initial sounds yet! But you could play a variation of I spy and say, “I spy with my little eye, something that is bright red,” or “I spy with my little eye, something really big!” 
 
This is a brilliant way to encourage your child to notice some of the finer details in their environment and helps to develop their speech, language and communication. The old games are always goodies!