Babies were born to be curious about and interact with the world. Even at an early age (3 months) they will start to touch, grasp, and pick up every object that they see and can find. Their movements will start becoming a bit more fluid rather than jerky. Infants develop gross motor skills, skills that are needed to run, walk, stand, or even change positions. Fine motor skills come later on in life such as reading, drawing, or using small items. There are quite a few activities that can help you get your child up to date with their gross motor skills. Just a little practice and motivation can go quite a long way in helping them.
If you want your baby to be able to develop trunk and head control, giving them an ample amount of tummy time is quite crucial. According to experts, this is the thing that will help them crawl later on. You should initiate tummy time by the time they are 2 months of age. You can first place them on your lap, and then shift them to a baby blanket on the floor. Babies aren’t generally too happy about this activity, so be sure that you do not push them too much. Even a minute or two is enough for them to start getting used to it.
Using toys such as blocks and balls will help give them some encouragement to move. Get infant development toys that are bright and can grab their attention easily. If you put up a tower of blocks, it will definitely grab their attention enough to make them crawl over to it to knock it down. This will also make sure that their gross motor skills are developing correctly since they will also be grasping different kinds of objects while playing with their toys.
When your child reaches the age of 7 months, you can gently pick them up and put them in a standing position. By this age, their body has already become a bit more fluid and in sync with their brain. Pushing them gently towards standing will help them understand the functions of their body parts. You can also begin to bounce them up and down while helping them stand so that they can feel what their knees and legs are doing. For a younger baby, you can help them with supported sitting.
Once you finally move on to whole foods that they have to chew and swallow, do not forget to include finger foods in their diet. By the age of 1, these can be a great way of helping them develop their fine motor skills. Even eating food will become fun and will help them learn. You can show them how to pick up vegetables, fruits, etc. You should also remember to praise them for a job well done.
It is important to help your child develop their motor skills at the right age so that they do not get left behind.
This is a collaborative post.
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