Development Tips: 13 to 15 Months

  • Give your child a push toy such as a “Toddler Taxi” or a “Shopping Cart.”
  • Take your child for a walk through the yard and allow her to hold your finger during the walk. Talk about all the things you are seeing during the walk and try to get down to your child’s “eye level” when talking about all the “wonders” you are able to see. Ask your child upbeat questions and then see if then answer the questions (i.e., is that a flower?)
  • Stand behind your child and encourage stair creeping.
  • Sit in front of your child and toss a small ball 2-3 feet into the air, encouraging him to do the same.
  • Stand just out of reach and encourage your child to stand up without your assistance.
  • Give your child cardboard books and practice turning pages.
  • Encourage container play using a variety of containers with slots or small openings. Use milk cartons or coffee cans with slot cut on top. Do not use objects small enough to choke on.
  • Encourage ALL verbalization by requiring your child to make attempts at words for things such as drink, cup, favorite toy.
  • Encourage independent cup use.
  • Talk out loud with lively voice inflections about what you are doing, seeing or hearing, i.e., “Is that a train?’
  • Encourage independent in feeding, but give assistance as needed. Practice removing “pull off” clothing (i.e., socks, mitten, hats and shoes).

Development Tips: 10 to 12 Months

  • Have your child pull up along furniture and step along, “cruising” on his own.
  • Pots, pans, mixing bowls, and spoons make economical entertainment.
  • Demonstrate one step toys, i.e., 1 piece form board, busy box, peg board.
  • Present “pull” toys and demonstrate pulling the string to retrieve the toy.
  • Encourage your child to imitate all kinds of movement (funny faces, hand clapping, waving).
  • Name familiar toys for your child, point to them, then let him hold or touch them.
  • Have your child point to familiar objects.
  • Encourage gestural language such as waving “bye-bye” and “hi,” or shaking head “no” or “yes.”
  • Provide your child with the opportunity to begin making choices by presenting him with 2 toys from which to select.

Remember: The best way for your child to learn is by playing with him. Decide on what behaviors and activities you want to increase and then encourage them through play. Children do tire often and, if this happens, stop the activity before he begins to lose interest. Children of all ages become bored with activities so be prepared to change the game often.

 

Development Tips: 7 to 9 Months

  • Sit behind your child and support him on 2 sides; over a period of weeks gradually decrease the amount of support until he can sit by himself.
  • Encourage your child to roll from back to stomach using toys and necessary prompts.
  • Demonstrate holding and banging 2 small objects together.
  • Encourage your child to manipulate toys at midline by modeling and by presenting them at midline.
  • Place edibles in front of your child and encourage her to poke at them and pick them up.
  • Introduce items such as whipped cream or pudding on a table top or high chair tray. Allow your child to dip his hands in and make a variety of marks.
  • Encourage imitation of gestures waving and hand clapping.
  • Hide an object behind yourself or a pillow and encourage your child to move around this barrier to retrieve the object. Allow him to watch you hide the object.
  • Sing to your child and encourage him to sing back. Use family names in silly songs. Play “give me” games.
  • Make a picture book of family members. Point to the name and talk about these people.
  • Allow your child to play with a spoon during meals, then assist him in feeding himself.
  • Present finger foods that dissolve easily such as cheerios, small pieces of unsalted cracker and allow your child to finger feed himself.

Development Tips: 3 to 6 Months

  • Entice your child to roll from stomach to back, using toys and physical prompts as needed.
  • Play with his toes, patting and rubbing them. Then, bring them to his mouth while he is lying on his back.
  • Touch your child’s hands with a dangling object: then move it away, teasing him to reach for it.
  • Present your child’s with one block, then a second block, encouraging him to pass the blocks from one hand to the other.
  • Hold his favorite toy in various positions in front of him. Encourage him to reach for it.
  • Drop a toy out of sight and encourage her to look for it.
  • Partially cover a toy with your child’s blanket and encourage him to find it.
  • Use pleasurable voices or music to calm him when he is upset or to draw his attention.
  • Place the child in front of a mirror and draw his attention to it, encourage him to look at the image.
  • Bounce your child on your lap or in your arms and practice sounds (pa-pa-pa, ba-ba, ma-ma).
  • Encourage vowel sound production (o-o-o. ah-ah. E-e).
  • Begin to promote gestural language, “arms up,” “so big.”
  • Talk constantly to your child as you move about the house. Call to him to look at you and what you are doing.
  • Be yourself. A lifetime of fun and teamwork lies ahead.

Development Tips: Birth to 2 Months

  • Stroke your child’s cheek or dangle a bright toy to encourage her to turn to either side.
  • Gently play “bicycle” with your baby’s legs during diapering.
  • Gain your child’s attention with a mobile or noisemaking toy. Speak softly to your child while holding him close to your face. Encourage him to look at you.
  • Shake bell rattles from various close range positions and observe your child’s reactions. Place small rattles in her hands and assist her in holding them.
  • Use variety of textures with your child, such as using different types of coverings for the changing table.
  • Talk consistently to your child, observe changes and reactions.
  • Reward any sound your child makes by repeating it and praising him for “talking” to you.
  • During daily activities hum, sing and speak to your child.
  • During feeding, sing, to encourage your child to look at you.

Remember: The first step in playing with your child is to be yourself and to trust your own intuition. Perform activities in a positive, non-threatening manner and observe your child to see what types of activities he enjoys most. Vary the activities to meet your child’s interests. As with any activity, you should always talk to him during the activity. Be supportive and generous with you smiles and encouragement while varying the activity based on her interest that day. Always show your child what you want him to do.

Choosing a Daycare

Is the day care licensed?

To be licensed means the facility has met minimal standards in your area for health, fire and safety.  This includes child/staff ratios and inspections of facility and staff at regular intervals.  There is no national day care standard of care that must be met so you must be knowledgeable about your community’s standards.

Is the day care safe?

Check stairway safety for gates at top and bottom of stairwell.  Look for fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, electric outlet covers, locked cabinets, and furniture with no sharp edges.  Safe outdoor equipment with soft play surface coverings such as bark chips should be in place in case of falls.  Non-toxic art supplies and toys that cannot be aspirated or swallowed should be used.  Security and screening of visitors should be enforced.  Emergency phone numbers should be posted.  Staff should be trained in first aid and CPR.

Does the day care promote a healthy environment?

Infections are common in day care, but many can be prevented.  Diaper changing areas should have disinfectants close at hand.  Staff and children’s hands should be washed prior to food handling and after utilization of toilet facilities.  Staff should wash their hands after contact with sick children.  Surface, toys, and equipment should be cleaned daily with disinfectants.

All staff and children should be properly immunized prior to enrollment and/or employment.  Each day care should have a physician consultant connected with its program.

Is the day care a “happy” place?

Observe interactions of staff and children.  Staff and children should enjoy interactions with one another.  Adequate physical space and a proper ratio of 4 to 5 children per staff member assures both the space and attention your child requires to enjoy his/her stay.  Avoid day care centers with high turnover rates of staff.

Is the day care providing creative activities?

A wide variety of acuities should be available for all children.  Music, art, reading and picture books, puzzles, balls, blocks, puppets are a few items your child should enjoy.  An equal balance of structural programs, as well as supervised free play, keeps children interested and motivated.

What type of discipline is used?

Inquire as to the policy on discipline in the day care.  Corporal (physical) punishment should be avoided.  A more effective intervention is one utilizing “time out” or redirection.  Be clear with the day care about what type of discipline you want used.  Observe how the staff deals with problem behaviors in other children.  Avoid a day care where staff relies on threats, arguing or loud voices to get children to “cooperate.”