Developmental Activities for Infants and Toddlers

Infants and toddlers do not attend school, but they learn from the time they wake up until they go back to sleep. Young children develop in two ways: physically and mentally. Children form strong muscles and fine motor control, first learning to walk and then learning to run. Less obviously, maturing infant and toddler minds need exercise just as much as their bodies do. The first opportunities to teach your child belong to you.

  1. Infant Physical Development

    • Help your baby develop her motor skills. Join your baby on the floor and play by rolling a ball to her and encourage her to roll the ball back. By playing with toys, she learns hand-eye coordination. Lead her in crawling around the house. Play clapping games with her. When you are reading to her, let her turn the pages. Give her easy stacking toys, such as blocks, and clap and cheer along with her when she knocks them down. Play peek-a-boo and help her play back, placing her hands over her eyes. Sing-song "Peek-a-boo" when you move her hands away acting surprised to see her.

    Infant Mental Growth

    • Babies learn about language by listening to voices. Sing and talk to your baby often. Just talking in a gentle voice helps him learn language. Talk about his favorite toys and point out his hands, fingers and feet, saying the words over and over. When he tries to imitate what you have said, repeat it back to him. Add the word he said to a sentence. If he says dog, ask him what the dog's name is, and then answer your own question. Read to your child every day and encourage him to sing.

    Improving Toddler Physical Development

    • Toddlers need practice to improve their balance. Dancing with your toddler will help strengthen her muscles as well as teach balance. Set a routine and dance together to different kinds of music every day. This helps her get used to the idea of daily exercise, help build her muscles and lead her to a healthier lifestyle. Supervised outdoor games like kicking and chasing a ball help her learn to stop, which is something she will still have trouble doing. Play running games with your toddler, like racing her to the far side of the yard or playing chase with the dog.

    Toddler Mental Stimulation

    • Continue to read stories to your child, let him tell you part of the story. Play name games with common objects. Put several items on the floor in front of your child. Pick one item and say its name. Ask your child to point to that object. Add different objects every day. You can reverse the game by pointing to an object and asking your child its name. Let your toddler lead the game sometimes, pointing to the objects and asking you to name them. Make up simple rhyming games using his favorite words to say, but include new words every day.

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