Why being able to wait in a ‘ready, steady, go’ game is a big step for your baby

Every skill your baby masters is amazing and an important step in their development. But, we just love skills that seem really simple but are actually quite complicated. Waiting in a ‘ready, steady, go’ game is one of those! 

What’s so special about waiting for a moment?  

When your baby pauses, or, even better, pauses then looks at you during a game, they’re bringing together skills from different streams of development.  

Language  

The pause shows your baby understands the language used in this context, whether that is, “Ready, steady, go” or “One, two, three.” 

They are listening and showing they can control their attention in the game.  

They might find this tiring at first as they are still learning. If you notice them becoming more easily distracted it might be time to stop the game.  

Social and emotional 

Social development is an important part of learning to communicate – so, not just being able to say words but also understanding the way looks, gestures and tone of voice are all part of communication.  

Pausing in these games shows your baby has an increasing understanding of social aspects of communication, such as taking turns, and using a look to encourage conversation (or in this case the next bit of the game!). 

Cognitive  

Pausing in games like 'ready, steady, go' draws on your baby’s memory – they’ve learned how these playful interactions work and remember that the pause is part of the fun.  

They’re showing the beginning of developing executive functions as they control their attention and inhibit their response – so stop themselves doing the next step in the game until they hear, ‘Go.’  

This is a big effort for your baby and sometimes they might not quite manage it!  

Sensory  

Your baby brings together information from their senses to know when to wait, and when to act.  

When they pause, they’re showing you they can use this information to know what to do next!  

Depending on what you play, these games can also be a great way to develop gross and fine motor skills. So, one simple game has all our streams of development covered!