Every child is born with a natural curiosity. Regardless of which continent or cultural background they are born on. This wonderful curiosity drives the little one to "playfully" conquer the world - with all their senses and full of joy!
Adults often see play as a mere pastime or superficial entertainment. For the very youngest children, play means much, much more than that! For babies, play means, among other things,
- discovering the world with fun and joy: "Oh, when mummy sticks her tongue out at me and laughs, I imitate her. We both find that funny!
- always gaining new experiences: When daddy's fingers turn into little fidgets, I can follow them with my eyes!
- to gradually understand connections: How interesting - when I move the rattle with my little hand, it makes soft noises!
- To feel self-efficacy: That's great, I can crawl to the ball and get it myself!
For the child, play also means, above all, spending an enjoyable time with their parents or closest carers and at the same time enjoying their undivided attention. In this way, play promotes children's cognitive, emotional and physical development and is as natural and important a need for them as eating or sleeping.
Playing in the Weeks
Even very young babies want to play - preferably with their parents, of course. Mums and dads are more important to the little ones than any toy! Especially in the first weeks of life up to around the third month, parents and siblings are the child's playful key to the world. Newborns love to look closely at familiar faces and observe (and imitate) their different facial expressions. They love to listen to familiar voices and words that are addressed to them in direct eye contact. They may not yet be able to understand the actual meaning of the words, but they can recognise whether what is being said is affectionate or funny.
Your baby will also enjoy your touch when you stroke it, carry it, hold it in your arms or rock it gently. This not only helps him to get to know his environment better, but also to feel his body. Oh, it tickles when mummy gently strokes my tummy! What's more, this loving, playful interaction also promotes and strengthens the parent-child bond.
It is important for me to emphasise at this point: When you play with your children, please do not do so with the well-intentioned intention of "encouraging" or "meaningfully" occupying your offspring. Simply play with your children to have fun and enjoy a relaxing time together! Children's development will then happen all by itself.
The right "action portion"
By the way: Babies can also get bored. As early as six weeks old, they make this known in their language, for example by crying and whining: I want to be picked up now - enough lying around in my cot! How many parents have I heard sighing: Is he hungry now or does he want to be kept busy? But you'll soon find out.
As you are about to read, a child's brain is happy to receive various stimuli and stimulation in order to develop well. However, this does not mean that babies need or want permanent "constant entertainment". Rest periods are just as important! The younger your child is, the less time they have to concentrate on something. Initially, this will only be a few minutes. If you are unsure when your child simply wants to rest, I can reassure you: It will signal to you when it has had enough "action". Then, for example, the little ones will look away or become restless. Sometimes they also start to yawn or fall asleep completely. Sometimes screaming or crying also lets the parents know: I've just had enough.
Development needs an incentive
Babies perceive their world with all their senses. This includes hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting and touching. This experience is the best "training" for their brain to develop further. Many new connections between the nerve cells, i.e. new synapses, still have to form. In order to improve and "expand" these contact points, the child needs sensory stimuli. This enables the brain not only to process impressions through sensory perceptions, but also to learn to link these perceptions with previous experiences.
Valuable "food" for the brain is available through play at every opportunity. Singing to your child or looking at a picture book with them, for example, improves the basis for the brain at the same time. Learn to speak. A colourful mobile to look at above the changing station trains the Learning to see. A rattle, which the baby tries to reach for, trains motor skills. But everything in its own time, please. The first learning is the perception of one's own body. The Baby care and a loving Massage is enough play for your child in the first few weeks. A mobile above the changing table is too much stimulation in the first few weeks. Only at 12 weeks is your baby ready for this stimulation to be good and no longer overwhelming.
In many moments, it is enough for the baby to "just" be there. This alone gives them lots of stimulation and makes them feel "entertained". Little ones love to take part in family life! They can observe the movements of their favourite people from a crawling blanket, study patterns and shapes, get to know new sounds and, above all, see their family members and enjoy their safe proximity.
Children's play also reflects the baby's stage of development. For example, if the little one initially only finds out by chance that a rattle makes noises when it reaches for it, it will increasingly wiggle it in its hand to produce these noises. Hey, I can make a difference myself! And once your child has discovered that a thing or person has not disappeared from this world just because it is not visible, they will become increasingly enthusiastic about playing hide-and-seek. Mummy's face has disappeared behind the cloth - "Look - look!" there it is again! Or the baby is able to trace cause and effect: Aha, the duckling disappears when I push it off the table. But it reappears when big sister picks it up and puts it back on the table. Hooray, here we go again! And again and again, this game is soooo great - and the experience associated with it is so important.
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Toy selection
When it comes to children's toys, you can follow the rule of thumb: Less is more! The greater the selection in the children's room, the easier it is for children to become distracted or even overwhelmed. A large selection of toys makes it harder for them to get involved with something "properly" and engage with it in depth. A very manageable selection, on the other hand, makes it much easier for them to concentrate on one thing. Even babies can spend a few minutes on their own if they "explore" something in depth. By the way: These don't always have to be "real" toys. Household objects such as a crackling foil, colourful boxes, a small pot, a wooden spoon, a roll of toilet paper or various plastic drinking cups also do a good job here.
You can also easily make your own toys for your dwarf. For example, fill a small plastic bottle with uncooked rice or dry pasta and seal it tightly - this makes a great change as a "noisemaker".
But for every object in a baby's hand or mouth, it must be safe!
- Nothing may contain or vapourise chemical pollutants.
- Nothing should be in such a state that the child could swallow it.
- Nothing should be of such a nature that the child could injure itself.
- Also beware of straps: If left unattended, the child could strangle itself.
You can also read more about security in my blog here read.
Playing in the first monthsn
At around two months, babies discover their little hands and fingers as fascinating toys. They can be wiggled, brought together or even put in the mouth. Their own little feet and toes also become a favourite object of exploration.
When the little ones start to reach for objects at around three months, things that they can touch, feel and suck on extensively and thus "investigate" with all their senses are suitable. They can also use different materials for different experiences. This could be a soft grasping ball, a firm grasping ring, a cosy cloth or a wooden wooden spoon. A play trapeze, under which the little one can lie, also offers all kinds of stimulation for looking and grasping.
Playing in the second half-year
From six to eight months, babies slowly begin to get to the bottom of the principle of cause and effect. For example, a standing man or a jumping jack promises fun. The little ones also discover that the cuddly mouse, for example, makes noises when they press on its tummy.
However, I also advise extreme restraint with electronic toys that flash brightly coloured (and often garishly) and/or play loud melodies when the child presses certain buttons. These stimuli quickly overwhelm such young children and also strain their sensitive little ears.
In the second half of their lives, children also love to stack things, sort them, put them away and take them out. Then they Stacking cup and Building blocks for fun. Perhaps you can also clear out a bottom drawer for your child and fill it with age-appropriate items that can be put in and taken out to their heart's content.
When your child is nine to 12 months old, they will start to pull themselves up on furniture and at some point first steps will be attempted Baby walker interesting for pushing. It's great for learning to walk (as the name suggests) and can also be used to transport your doll and favourite ball. Also Sliding animals on the pole or Trailing animals on the conveyor belt will become increasingly popular.
Outlook: By the time your child is 18 months old, their motor skills will be mature enough for them to use building blocks in peg systems. Even the first simple wooden puzzles will become interesting.
Playfully in good company
Even if you parents remain the most important caregivers for your child for a very, very long time, early friendships are good for your children. Many families therefore attend or set up a toddler group, often before the baby can even crawl. Sometimes such groups also emerge from a breastfeeding group. However, many already exist that you can join.
At around four to six months, the little ones cannot start playing with each other straight away, of course. But they observe each other with great interest, are fascinated by each other and get used to the company of their peers. This is how they gain their first social experience outside the family.
At some point, your child will try to smile at another baby. And you will also experience how it makes contact with the other baby through onomatopoeia, how the children approach and touch each other. Their self-confidence will also grow enormously. At around nine months, the children will be able to exchange toys, imitate each other and organise their first little games with your help - such as rolling a ball back and forth.
Otherwise, there can also be small rituals in a toddler group: a common welcome and farewell song, for example, recurring finger, romping and movement games and also common breaks for resting and cuddling as well as for meals.
And the parents also have nothing but advantages from a toddler group: they can share their experiences with each other, learn from each other, advise, support and strengthen each other and break through the sometimes lonely, isolated everyday life together.
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