SING TOGETHER

Listening to music and singing songs can enhance learning when it comes to sounds, rhythm, and language patterns. Singing to your little one has profound effects on you and your child. Research shows that preterm babies who were held and sung to by their mothers showed improvement in the baby’s heart rate and overall health. Singing to your baby improves cognitive skills by teaching patterns, sequencing, and memory. Even if you think you can’t sing, sing anyway. Your baby needs it!

READ TOGETHER

Reading to your child is not only enjoyable but can help prepare young minds to learn language and early literacy skills. Reading aloud to your child builds the necessary language and literacy skills that will last a lifetime. When you read to your little one, they gain exposure to sentence structure and new vocabulary. Reading with your little one strengthens the bond between you ad your child. It enhances the parent-child relationship.

PLAY PEEK-A-BOO TOGETHER

Playing games such as peek- a- boo not only makes your little one think you are funny but also teaches him that objects can disappear and appear. Playing such games teaches new skills and strengthens the parent-child bond. Playing together should begin as a newborn. These playtimes will look different as your baby grows and develops.

PLAY BLOCKS TOGETHER

Playing with building blocks can help your baby learn “cause and effect” and “if-then” concepts. Playing blocks also provides opportunities to strengthen fine motor skills and enhance creativity. Talking about what you are building increases language and communication skills. All while having fun together!

USE YOUR HANDS

Hand gestures and sign language strengthen the brain and provide the ability to communicate with your preverbal little ones. Babies are able to use hand gestures and sign language long before their speech and language skills are developed enough to speak those words.

TEACH AS YOU EAT

When feeding your baby, talk and discuss the names, colors, and shapes of the foods you are feeding her. Eating time is a great opportunity to enhance language vocabulary skills. When you look at eating as a learning opportunity, you will see many different ways to eat and learn with your little one.

GET MESSY!

Do not be afraid to get messy with your little ones. Water, grass mud and sand all provide opportunities to learn about textures, solids, and liquids. Use this messy time to talk about every detail of the variable they are exploring. Again, this will create a language-rich setting with new vocabulary words being taught and modeled.

BOOSTING your BABY’S BRAIN DEVELOPMENT is not difficult. You are your child first, and most important teacher. The time is now… your baby needs you.

Would you like to learn more about Baby Sign Language and More? Click here to receive your free guide to Infant Brain Development Tips.

Start helping your baby be his or her BEST today!