While life with a new baby may seem like a constant roundabout of eating, sleeping and nappy changing, there is a huge amount of play going on. Tickling toes, eye contact, sing-song voices and splashy bath time are just some of the ways you are helping your baby to develop through play.
Small babies have limited muscle control which makes active (and accurate!) play tricky, but there are lots of ways to interact with them. Pulling funny faces is guaranteed to raise a smile – eventually – and ‘peek-a-boo’ is a perennial favourite. Simple shapes, primary colours and toys which make a sound create a stimulating environment that can help them develop both attention span and curiosity. Don’t forget that most babies explore orally and won’t differentiate between an appropriate toy and your earring so keep small objects that can be swallowed away from babies…
* using sound and colours to help to develop focusing skills.
Between three and six months your baby will begin to gain control of head and arm movements which will enable them to control actions such as grasping, rolling, supporting their upper body, reaching and swiping at moving objects. At this age they will begin to locate sounds and start to co-ordinate hand and eye movements, recognising people and objects at a distance. Importantly your baby will become more social, displaying a smile and using more expressions to communicate with you. Being more social will lead to an enjoyment of playing with others and they will become more able to kick and grab for things. Most babies will want to explore and play with objects and most certainly will try to put almost anything in their mouth! This is fine as long as you have ensured that the toy is appropriate for this age group (there are no small parts that could be swallowed).
As your baby becomes more aware of their environment they will enjoy playing with things they can touch and interact with. Baby gyms, which have objects dangling down, are perfect for their flailing limbs, as the various noises, and textures of the objects they collide with will be entertaining. These types of toys will encourage the movement of arms and legs and strengthen backs and necks in preparation for your baby starting to crawl. Music is also very important at this stage of a baby’s life as it can lay the foundations of language development. Anything with a rhythm will be welcomed, with upbeat music used to stimulate the baby, and softer music used to calm and soothe the child.
* All of these help hold the child’s attention and develop co – ordination
Up to nine months of age your baby will continue to explore objects with their hands and mouth. They will develop more understanding of distance as their vision improves. They will start to sit unsupported and stretch for things that are out of their reach and eventually support their own weight. Your baby will develop more social understanding; responding to their own name, recognising the word “no”, and grasping emotions by the tone of voice. They will start to respond with sounds and the variety of sounds will increase to express their own emotions as they begin to communicate with you.
Helping babies to develop muscles to aid sitting up and crawling is important at this time. This can be within a play gym that allows a baby to sit up, or indoor strollers or bouncers that help build up their leg muscles! They will also be teething, so textured toys, that are designed to go in the mouth, can be both soothing and enjoyable for your baby. Children are too young to play together at this age but you cannot start socialising them too early as social development is a key indicator of future success. Try to get together with other carers and help the children to interact with each other. Encourage turn taking, sharing and cooperation with playmates using musical instruments, balls, dolls and teddies. Reading and talking aloud to your child will help them to start building the foundations of speech and language.
* encourages language development
Remember: All children develop at different rates so the ages and stages of development given here act as a general guide. You shouldn’t worry unduly if your child develops later at a particular skill; they often develop faster at something else. If you do have worries you should seek expert medical advice.
When buying any toys for the under 3s always ensure you have checked the safety advice on the packaging. At this age children put things in their mouths and toys that have small parts are dangerous as they can cause choking. Avoid toys with a warning “not suitable for 0-36 months” and if you have older children in the house keep the toys separated to avoid your baby swallowing small parts from older toys.
Between 9 and 12 months your baby will become more co-ordinated gaining control of legs and feet. Babies at this stage start pushing up onto their hands and feet, “crawling” in that position and crawling on their stomach. This will lead your baby to develop the ability to pull into a standing position, walking with support (and one or two steps on their own), and standing for short periods without support. From now on they will become increasingly curious about the surrounding world; they will be keen to explore further their environment as their mobility will suddenly increase.
They will imitate sounds and gestures and repeat them when they want attention. They are likely to have one or two words, often ma and da and will pick up on exclamations like oh-oh! They will be able to understand much more than they can communicate back and can respond to simple commands. They will have a range of tones in their own “language” as they get closer to talking and will start to use gestures; shaking their head for no, waving goodbye, poking and pointing with their finger.
They will be shy around strangers and become “clingy” for their primary care giver and will cry for their attention. They will start to push “boundaries” by testing parents’ responses to their behaviour. They will have “favourites”: people, toys, objects.
Toys with wheels, that toddlers can pull along or learn to walk with, are ideal as they help strengthen muscles. These types of toys also allow toddlers to model adult behavior and this will prove to be invaluable for their social development. This newly acquired freedom will allow your toddlers to investigate their surroundings and they will start learning to manage risk, just by falling over! Activity tables will help you to keep your toddler in one place for a little while – however always try to stimulate their interest by introducing new toys and games. At this stage toddlers love repetitive actions, and they can spend hours just putting shapes into a box.
At this age your child will start to assert the first signs of independence. They are able to understand limited commands but will often do the opposite of what they are told and between one and three-years-of-age this may lead to temper tantrums.
Most children are mobile by 18-24 months (although some do not walk until they are over 2 years old). If your child is ready, they will become more skilled at walking (able to walk for 10-20 minutes) and start running but will often use objects to get back to the floor or will collapse backwards. They will be able to creep up stairs, sit in a chair, and pass objects from one hand to the other (if given a second object to hold).
At about a year to eighteen months children start to talk and will want to rapidly increase the vocabulary available to them and will start to name many everyday items. Their facial movements will improve too and they will try to imitate adult expressions.
Once your child is up on their feet and walking, encourage them to move about and walk with push-a-long toys, buggies and ride-on toys. Balls and objects that roll will encourage them to follow and explore the world around them.
Children are very active at this age, so play that encourages movement and physical activity will help develop their fitness and muscle strength. Physical play is important for children of any age but according to the British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Heath, children that are taught to be active by the age of five will remain active throughout their lives. Encourage your child as much as you can as they are learning to become active. Physical activity develops strength, flexibility, stamina, balance and co-ordination which in turn allows for more physical activity. As well as developing physical conditioning active play has been shown to engage the mind and can encourage brain development.
Language develops rapidly at this stage. Language is best learnt by modelling others, so talk to them lots. In addition toys which encourage talking or singing are likely to be beneficial – especially when others join in!
Lastly, toys that help toddlers copy their parents will be very popular. It increases their attachment to you which helps build their confidence to explore their environment more thoroughly.
* great way for kids to start socialising with each other and learning how to share and manage risk
Children put toys in their mouths less often but parents should still be aware of small items causing a choking hazard and should keep toys or items with small parts away from children until they are three-years-of-age.
Remember: All children develop at different rates so the ages and stages of development given here act as a general guide. You shouldn’t worry unduly if your child develops later at a particular skill; they often develop faster at something else. If you do have worries you should seek expert medical advice.
When buying any toys for the under 3s always ensure you have checked the safety advice on the packaging. At this age children put things in their mouths and toys that have small parts are dangerous as they can cause choking. Avoid toys with a warning “not suitable for 0-36 months” and if you have older children in the house keep the toys separated to avoid your baby swallowing small parts from older toys.
As your child grows up they will grow stronger, more independent, and will develop their own personality. Encourage socialisation as often as you can with other adults and children. The more social your child is the more confident they are likely to be and they are likely to be better equipped when they start school.
Between the ages of three and five your child will start to appreciate cooperative play alongside other children and they understand the concept of taking turns. This will make it easier for them to start nursery school.
Pre-school children learn the concept of “mine” and “his/hers” and they will spontaneously show affection for familiar playmates and playthings. These factors often lead to children becoming possessive about their belongings and friends at this age. They will take pride in their accomplishments and may start to become competitive and want to win at everything; strike a balance between letting them win, to build their confidence, and occasionally making them lose, so they understand how to lose gracefully in preparation for interacting socially when playing with other children.
At about four-years-of-age children find it difficult to tell the difference between fantasy and reality and may have imaginary friends. They may also develop imaginary fears, such as a fear of the dark, and a fear of “monsters”. It is important to be reassuring and make sure that toys, games and other forms of entertainment are appropriate for the age of the child.
Physically they will be able to jump up and down, run, climb, catch and kick a ball. They will be able to show a wide range of emotions and will develop a sense of humour and will love to play tricks!
You can give children toys such as dress up clothes and games that allow them to expand their experiences and develop their imagination as they invent fantasy worlds; children are happy at playing alone or with other children when playing “make-believe” – you can join in but let your child lead this play. Keep them active with tricycles, then bikes, and scooters and develop their minds with puzzles and crafts.
Children’s abilities and experiences vary enormously in this age group. One child may be able to complete a 30 piece jigsaw by herself, whilst another may need help with a 4 piece puzzle; this is perfectly normal. All you need to remember is to work out your child’s level – then they can have fun whilst honing new skills! Social development is considered to be a very important area of development during these years. Consequently, toys that encourage social interaction and skills such as sharing, turn-taking and communication are really good for this age group.
It is also a great idea to build children’s confidence to prepare them for when they start entering the classroom. These skills include:
* kids can explore in a safe environment whilst socialising with other children
Remember: All children develop at different rates so the ages and stages of development given here act as a general guide. You shouldn’t worry unduly if your child develops later at a particular skill; they often develop faster at something else. If you do have worries you should seek expert medical advice.
When buying any toys for the under 3s always ensure you have checked the safety advice on the packaging. At this age children put things in their mouths and toys that have small parts are dangerous as they can cause choking. Avoid toys with a warning “not suitable for 0-36 months” and if you have older children in the house keep the toys separated to avoid your baby swallowing small parts from older toys.
This can be an unsettling time for children as there is a lot of change in their life as they start school and make new friends, which is why it is important that they are surrounded by familiarity.
Once your child starts school their skills will develop quickly; they will learn new things every day and will socialise with classmates. You are likely to find that likes and dislikes change as they are influenced by friends, who share their favourite things and influence the choices your child makes.
At this age they plan things in their mind before completing a task – planning a drawing or model before starting the task and adding content and detail as they develop. Your child will be fluent in speech with few infantile substitutions, and those they have will often leave quickly once at school. They will develop more co-ordination and physical ability; somersaults, running, jumping, balancing, skilled direction on a tricycle/bicycle (and will progress to taking off stabilisers), catching from greater distances, etc. Concentration will increase although it might not feel like it as they will have a short attention span and it will feel like they are never in one place for too long!
By the age of six you child will talk a lot! They will enjoy teasing out their wide vocabulary and add to it every day. They may well try slang and will test your reaction to “naughty” words. You may find you get asked a lot of questions too.
Toys and play for infants can still be educational, but make sure they are also fun. Your child has started school and has been learning all day so will want some “down time” when they come home!
Your child will let you know which toys they find most fun if you include them in the selection process. Try to avoid picking toys which are too advanced; instead of encouraging them to develop more quickly they will get bored easily and not enjoy the experience, and as a consequence may not learn at all. Try to be guided by the age advice on the packaging as toy manufacturers often put this on to help you choose the right toy for a particular age range, but remember, you know your child better than anyone; their likes and dislikes, favourite characters and favourite activities both inside and outside the home.
Toys can help children feel in charge of their lives and role play can allow them to find solutions to problems that they are experiencing, e.g. bullying. Role play is also a great way of encouraging a child’s imagination and creative development.
*to act out role play and help them find their own solutions
When buying any toys for the under 3s always ensure you have checked the safety advice on the packaging. At this age children put things in their mouths and toys that have small parts are dangerous as they can cause choking. Avoid toys with a warning “not suitable for 0-36 months” and if you have older children in the house keep the toys separated to avoid your baby swallowing small parts from older toys.
Children will vary in ability depending on their age. Social development is still important as it is a key time to learn empathy and team-building. Children at this age are at the very early stages of developing independence, and it’s important to support them to begin to take these small steps. Whilst parents often want to wrap their children in cotton wool at this stage, it is important that children can learn about the adult world in a safe non-threatening way and start to learn to take risks, a little at a time. This will prepare them for later in life when they need to assess how risky a situation is for themselves. Reassuringly, children often want to test such freedoms in the company of friends; so help build your confidence, as well as theirs, by discussing any concerns you may have with other parents, and working together to address them.
Junior children learn to play sports, often informally with friends as well as through organised sessions, and appreciate the rules of a game, pointing out if they think rules have been broken. Their fitness and co-ordination improves and this helps them to get better at an activity and enjoy it more. Sporty play often opens up a whole new community outside of school. Their skills at smaller movements will also improve and they will become good at writing and drawing.
They will learn by asking questions: how, why, when. They learn how to process more and more information from abstract ideas and actual facts to practical skills such as cookery and mechanics.
Children will become more independent from their family, and will form strong bonds with friends. The school (or group, such as guides or scouts) “identity” will have a profound effect on your child and will influence their likes, personality and allegiances.
This is when peer pressure can really affect a child’s choice of toys, but unless it is developmentally appropriate for them they will quickly lose interest or may request items that are not appropriate for their age (especially if influenced by older sibling choices) so don’t feel pressured to buy everything they ask for! In contrast to infants, juniors tend to be more settled in their routines and so actively seek novelty and challenges. A child at this age will know how to play fairly using advanced social skills. They will enjoy problem-solving and strategy games as well as construction toys or arts and crafts. These are great as children love having something to show for their effort and can help build their confidence.
Toys which encourage children to take care of one another, and outdoor toys which help children make decisions about safety and risk, which all promote children’s independence and build key skill sets.
*These are great way for kids to learn risk management and social skills!
** Kids love a challenge
During adolescence there are a number of cognitive, emotional, physical and attitudinal changes that provide the basis for personality development. Teenagers are in an important transition stage where they naturally try to break free from their parents and instead seek out new ways of doing things for themselves. For the first time, teenagers will start to view their friends and peers groups as more important and influential than their parents – often leading to conflict.
However difficult, teenagers need to be given the time and space to make decisions for themselves and learn from their errors. Although we may worry about their choice in friends, these self-built relationships can actually help them develop skills such as empathy, sharing and leadership, as well as having a positive impact on them in terms of academic motivation and aspirations. Maintaining an open dialogue is important at this age and it is crucial your child feels able to talk to you about their new experiences and concerns.
Due to all these changes it is easy to forget that teenagers still need time to play and have fun! Teenagers may not call it play, but the time that they spend with their friends or on their own, without being told what to do, is their version of play. Teenage play is predominantly social and they have the freedom to decide for themselves or as a group how to have fun. Analysis of teenage behaviour during play shows that their behaviour mimics and practices being an adult, which is a positive for their development. However, it is still important as a parent to hold a discussion with your child to set clear boundaries e.g. controls on the internet and phones, so that they can grow and explore their identity but still within a safe environment.
Adolescents may have grown out of some of their favourite traditional toys but that doesn’t mean they want to stop playing! Sport is a great way of keeping an elements of play in the life of a young adult, and if they keep engaging in sport through their adolescence they will be more likely to be active throughout the rest of adulthood.
Youth clubs and community groups are also great for giving teenagers the opportunity to spend time together and to choose what they want to do with their time. This can increase confidence, especially as by now most will know their own interests, likes and dislikes. A recent survey shows that having a space where they can go to spend time with their friends is the main thing that children and young people say would make their lives better.
Try to still spend a bit of time playing as a family, making time to have fun together will help keep the family bonded and working in a happy and healthy way. It also provides a prime opportunity to discuss things in a safe, family environment. Some families have a games night once a week or fortnight for the whole family to get together over a board game!
form of relaxation and stimulation. Most adults are in the mindset that they are simply “too old to play” but they could not be more wrong. Play is an important part of our lives and just as there are lots of developmental benefits of play for children, research shows that play can transform an adult’s health, work and relationships .Adult play is a chance to stop thinking about commitments and instead focus on an opportunity to participate in an unstructured fun experience. Regular fun and laughter through play can improve a person’s mood making them feel relaxed, upbeat and positive which all reduce everyday stress levels.
Taking part in regular physical activity is critical for an adult’s overall wellbeing, just going for a round of golf, walking your child to school or playing with your dog will help you keep in good physical shape and release endorphins which also make you feel good. Additionally, studies have shown that being physically active and regularly solving puzzles may help postpone dementia later on in life. As well as physical wellbeing we should concentrate on regularly stimulating our brains through play – all the muscles in the body need to be kept active! Playing board games, solving a crossword or completing a Sudoku can achieve this.
Playing with our children is the best way to help us be more playful as we explore our inner child all over again! Play with your child will remain important for their development and your health as well as providing a special opportunity to create a bond that will last a lifetime.
• Gardening
• Playing in the park with your family
• Sharing jokes with a co-worker
• Dressing up with your kids
• Playing board games
• Playing fetch with your dog
• Playing sports
• Join a club
• Crosswords/Sudoku
• Go to the gym
• Relieve stress
• Improve your brain function
• Stimulate the mind and boost creativity
• Maintain physical fitness, strength and flexibility
• Improve relationships and your connection with others
On average, children currently have fewer siblings and a smaller extended family than previous generations. The traditional family set up has also changed, with more working mothers, more single-parent households, and an increased likelihood of extended family members living further away. Though it can sometimes be difficult, it is important to try to give children opportunities to play with the whole family including, grandparents, parents and siblings. Generations can learn a lot by playing with each other as it can help to improve social and communication skills – which is important for the whole family.
Play is particularly beneficial for children when it’s undirected, but children can also gain a lot when adults take an active role in play. Children’s play changes when it is intergenerational and research shows that children display higher levels of language and problem solving skills when they have lots of contact with adults. Intergenerational play also shifts play from being a competitive activity to a more playful one.
Importantly of course, it is not only children who benefit from play! Research shows that play is especially good for the elderly: it promotes relaxation, reduces stress and helps to maintain cognitive skills such as memory and problem solving. Furthermore, active play helps to increase muscle tone, co-ordination and reaction time. People who exercise regularly in middle age are one-third less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease in their 70s than those who do not exercise. It is also the ideal setting for the family to bond with each other.Remember, ‘make-believe’ is one form of play where adults can, if they want, effortlessly influence the development of a child’s social and moral values, through encouraging co-operation, honesty and learning to be a good loser as well as a good winner. It is also a great way of helping language development!
*Encourage imagination, and a sense of achievement
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