Whoops! It happened again. Your baby is investigating the effects of their actions on objects and people
Your baby is learning so much about who they are and what they're capable of. This is a long process, and, just now, they are making sense of how to understand their actions and movements.
Tactile explorations
A crash course in sound – why banging is so brilliant
Toddlers simply can’t resist banging and tapping on everyday objects and items. Give them a tool, like a stick or a block, and off they go: bang, bang, bang. When they engage in this type of play, your toddler is experimenting with music and learning how sounds change. Playing with sounds is brilliant for all aspects of your toddler’s development; let’s see how:
Pitch
Storytime fun with Froggy Gets Dressed – bringing joy to the task of getting clothes on and off
This book is about an excited young frog who just wants to go and play in the snow. Froggy wakes up and tries to rush out to play, but… he keeps forgetting to put all his clothes on. We follow Froggy as he repeatedly gets called back inside by his Mummy to put on the clothes he has forgotten.
This lovely story is packed full of language describing how to put on and take off clothes. For younger children, the story can be shortened to key phrases and the main points. You might be able to use some of the language when helping your toddler to learn how to dress and undress.
Now you see it, now you don’t – your belongings may become toys!
Your toddler has worked incredibly hard to fine-tune their movements, and they'll be fascinated by how many things they can now pick up and move. This is an exciting part of their curiosity journey, so be ready to find items from around your home deposited in some wonderfully creative places!
Play and new achievements
Keep on pushing – you'll be surprised how good it is for your toddler!
As they push down on objects, your baby is demonstrating to you that many elements of movement are coming together. Pushing down on something involves the coordination of several capabilities. Here, we look at five processes that happen when your baby pushes down on toys and objects during play.
Control of force
Your toddler’s love for you makes them want to be like you
Our children learn through watching us: what we do, what we say, how we say it and how we do it. It starts from a very young age and continues for the whole of our lives. Your toddler looks to you to learn about life; you are their experienced person.[1] They might now be starting to copy some of the fun things you do when you are together, so keep on making them giggle and laugh.
Copying your actions
“Only children believe they're capable of everything” Paulo Coelho
We love this quote! Children are mostly full of enthusiasm and confidence. They seem boundless in their efforts to achieve their next goal. They let very little stand in their way.
Novelist, Paulo Coelho, says about children, “They are trusting, they are fearless, and they believe in their own power.”
Sign About Meal Time by Anthony Lewis – learn some British Sign Language signs and chat with your baby about food
This simple board book is part of a series that looks at how we can make signing a part of our everyday activities, from getting up in the morning to a trip to the park.
As the title suggests, Meal Time introduces some signs that you might use with your baby when you eat together. The illustrations are a great conversation starter. You and your toddler could learn some signs together and chat about the food and drink the babies in the book are eating.
Your toddler's pace is their own – so relax and enjoy the now
The Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” reminds us to focus on that first step rather than the destination. As you master skills in the app, you’ll find information that helps you focus on where your child is now – but if you find yourself being dragged into comparison and worry about ‘meeting milestones’, we have some ideas to help!
Think about what your toddler can do and the skills they have already mastered
How you can support your toddler to become a walker
When you watched your baby take their first wobbly steps, you’ll have understood why they are called toddlers! Becoming a confident walker involves not only getting stronger but also using information from the senses – so how do your toddler’s senses help them to walk?
From toddler to walker – how your toddler’s steps change
