This is a rewarding time as your baby begins to spend more time awake interacting.
It’s the beginning of smiles, giggles and laughter – pure delight for sleep-deprived parents! It’s also a time of great curiosity and exploration as babies reach out to explore the world.
Your baby’s personality is starting to shine through and there will be lots of cooing and squealing as they find their voice. Help your baby develop their language skills by talking to them. Sing nursery rhymes and songs, and let them listen to a variety of sounds – wind chimes, bells, music, crumpled-up cellophane – whatever you have on hand. There are two Mind & Body stories to view below. Enjoy!
A love of books develops many aspects of the brain so read to your baby every day. As well as exposing them to logs of different sounds, it introduces them to fascinating things they wouldn’t normally see, such as zebras, xylophones and castles. It’s also a lovely bonding time. By snuggling up to read, your baby is creating positive associations between reading and comfort.
As babies grow they become more aware of other people and show pleasure when they recognise special people in their life – a real joy for grandparents! The flip side of this is they may become wary of strangers and miss you when you’re not there. Let your baby know you’re nearby, by peeking around the corner a few times when you leave the room and talking to them from the other room.
A few safe toys which can be chewed and sucked on will be useful, but think simple and cheap – or free. Blowing bubbles for your baby to watch is fun, or lie with them under the waving branches of a tree. Allowing your baby to choose what toys they play with and for how long, will teach them to be capable and independent.
Babies this age are listening and responding to lots of different sounds.