Practical Activities for Stimulating Infant Development
Baby's Brain - At Birth
25% of adult's weight
Motor Milestones
- At 3 months, babies begin to reach for and grasp objects - At 5 months, babies sit up with slight support
If a child doesn't imitate you..
- roll a ball back & forth - take turns putting blocks on tower - make sand castle together taking turns - make animal noises - wave hello, bye bye, and other motions
First words
1) Pointing 2) Vocalization w/ pointing 3) Verbalization w/ 1st word at 12 mo.
Practical Activities
1) Start talking to baby at birth 2) Begin reading to baby early 3) Introduce Music 4) Ask questions 5) Introduce 2 languages at birth 6) Introduce rattles, different noises 7) Play turn-taking games 8) Expose them to black and white pictures and crib mobiles 9) Safe glass mirror 10) Imitate sounds the baby is making 11) Use greetings and expressions 12) When doing chores, describe what you're doing, Intro baby to new people 13) Provide many opportunities 14) Provide safe, fun, interesting toys 15) Let the baby be in nature 16) Start scrapbook
Cooing occurs at
2 months of age, in face to face interactions with caregiver
Joint Reference
2 or more individuals share a common focus on one entity, lack of this is first marker of autism.
Baby's Brain - 2 1/2 yrs old
75% of adult's weight
Baby's Brain - 6 yrs old
90% of adult's weight
With 7-12 months
> Develops intentionality (8-9 mo.) > Imitate simple motor behavior (8-10 mo.) > Follow maternal pointing and glancing (9 mo.) > Babies often use jargon, or strings of syllables (9-12 mo.) > Babies point w/ full intention (12 mo.)
Diminutives and Reduolication
> Dolly, Daddy, Doggy >Choo - Choo, night - night, din - din - Cause babies vocabulary to grow faster
William Fowler Research
> labeling play > engage baby's attention to an object, action or event > Label in moment > Start with short sentences
Primary caregivers
Anyone could fulfill this role, good to refer as a "grown up" > In US mother is primary taker > In other cultures, extended families more common
Ordinary Conversation (Abstract)
Complex, difficult words and sentences
Stressed Parents
Decrease parental responsiveness, verbally, physically causing child may have decreases receptive and expressive language skills
Joint Attention
Develops in the 1st 6 months of life, adult and baby look at the same thing
Infant-Directed Speech
Focuses on small core vocabulary, simple syntax, short utterance length, repeats & paraphrases, long pauses
Tamis - LeMonda
Found the more responsive caregivers are, the earlier babies say their first words & put two together
Fowler Study
Group A: Language stimulated at 4 months Group B: 12 months > Group A achieved more in every area, cognitively and linguistically
Dialogue
Important because it set the stage for discourse (peek - a - boo, patty cake)
Moving a baby from babbling to fluent speech
Is much easier when a child's parent responses to vocalizations in the moment
Iconic Gestures
Mime an objects use or action to predict early learning
Ordinary Speech
Proceeds in background, unrelated to baby's attention or interest
Joint Action
Routine activities or shared behavior in familiar contexts
LENA Devices
Show parents how many words they used
Word Labeling (Concrete)
Simple, decreases complexity of language baby hears
Low-SES Mothers
Use more commands w/ child. May use physical punishment & reprimands
