Cognitive and Motor Development
Your baby is most likely preparing to crawl, as shown when he supports himself in the crawling position with his stomach on the floor, mostly by using his arms and legs. In addition, most babies are quite adept at holding and transferring objects from hand to hand at this stage. Your baby may be able to hold a spoon and bang it in playor even hold a two-handled cup and drink from it. As your baby continues to develop better control of his actions, his next milestone will be the pincer grasp, where he will use his thumb and forefinger to pick up objects. He will soon be able to manipulate and grab objects with one hand. Introduce sturdy board books to your baby. Let him grasp, hold and handle the books as you read to him.
Simple Problem Solving
In this period, babies begin to perform deliberate actions that demonstrate their ability to remember and think. One of the most common developmental games at this stage is for baby to purposely drop an object for you to retrieve and then look for the fallen object. This simple game teaches cause and effect, an important concept for your baby's brain. Through this repetitive game, they explore object permanence, sound, gravity, how different objects behave upon impact and the extent of your patience to continue picking things up off the floor. Another favourite interactive game to stimulate development is tickling. In this simple cause-and-effect game, move your hands toward your baby as you count to three. Then start to tickle him. Continue until one of you has had enough.
Why is Nutrition Important?
Essential nutrients are the building blocks of development. They fuel growth and drive your baby’s learning abilities. As his motor and cognitive skills improve, be sure to match his dietary needs with his increasing developmental requirements with sound nutrition.
