How does playtime help in your child’s development?
Every baby needs to play and do some physical activity for a healthy growth; and playing with you is your baby’s favorite activity. It’s essential for your baby’s physical, mental, emotional, and social development. During the first few weeks, parents are just happy by gazing at their newborn while they are sleeping. As the babies grow, they start to understand their surroundings and so they act accordingly.
Emotional development: It’s best that babies experience a multitude of different experiences so that they may experience proper development. And the most crucial part in the games you play with your baby is one-on-one attention from you. This attention builds up trust in your baby which helps to develop a stronger emotional bond. There are various games and activities you can engage in with your baby. For example: a really good time for you to bond with your baby is when you give her a bath. Children find the act of being in water relaxing and happy. While you put your baby in the tub, gently splash some water on the baby. Soon as your baby learns to sit up, take in some toys in the tub. Thus, bathing will turn into an enjoyable time for your baby.
Sensory development: “Peekaboo” is yet another fun activity that aids in your little one’s sensory development.This entertains your baby! Babies love surprises, so you can also try doing funny faces. Similarly, you can hide a toy and ask your baby- “Where’d it go?” This will help to grow curiosity and help with their cognitive development. If your baby has started crawling then they will definitely appreciate hide-and-seek like activities.
Try to take your baby out so she can start exploring the outdoors early. Being close to nature not just gives your baby ample joy but it is also very essential for healthy development of your baby. A little fresh air goes a long way with your baby.
You can help your baby’s learning process by actively identifying names of things that you come by; For example, “Look, there’s a cow. Moo!”. This helps your baby pick up words faster and associate them with different objects.
While these games and activities are all fun and enjoyable to your baby, these can be very meaningful for baby’s development as well. Show her your delight in playing with them. This boosts her confidence from a very young age. While playing with your baby take turns. This way you are also creating the sense of a meaningful partnership.
Expose your babies to excitement in order to activate their senses, but make sure not to push it. When babies are overly stimulated they may choose to look away or shut their eyes. Your baby will start crying if you miss the cues. Pay attention to your baby’s changing reactions and make lots of eye contact with them, while being sincere (as best as you can) in the games you play with them.
Reference:
https://www.gracepointwellness.org/461-child-development-parenting-infants-0-2/article/10116-infancy-emotional-social-development-emotional-expression-and-understanding
https://www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/games-and-play/your-babys-development-communication-and-play
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/79798224618631715/
https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/164-play-activities-for-birth-to-12-months
https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/10-fun-baby-games-babys-first-year#1
https://en.justforbaby.co/article/how-does-playtime-help-in-your-child%E2%80%99s-development-/7
