Tara’s
Playroom
Helping your child Develop through play
*website organized by youngest to oldest until I can figure out how to do tabs/continuing to add
When should I start
tummy time? 0-3 months
Tummy time is a very important activity to start as soon as they are born. I would recommend chest to chest at first.
Tummy time benefits/getting nerdy
-works on head and neck control. This supports a safe swallow for eating and opens up the baby’s ability to look around and see his/her environment.
-works on shoulder strength and body elongation which support eating and the babies ability to reach and grasp toys.
-even when the baby is resting on the surface the deep pressure on their face is good for body awareness and sensory regulation. This position also helps with neck range of motion.
Good Tummy time toys
1.Your face
- At birth the baby’s brain is wired to be drawn to faces so talking to your baby and moving in all directions so they follow your face is a great way to work on visual tracking and language. This can be done at diapering times or or other play times.
2. Mirror-GXOEEGOF 12" x 12" Self Adhesive Acrylic Mirror Sheet 0.08" Thick, Non Glass Safety Mirror Great for Classroom Camping Baby Kids Playroom Pet Horses or Chicken Coop
When you can’t be face to face with your baby a non breakable mirror is a great resource for face time with themselves.
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3. Taf Toys Black & White Rattling Spinning Book High Contrast Newborn Baby Toy 0-6 6-12 Months with Mirror for Visual Stimulation, Tummy Time & Early Cognitive Development, Montessori Learning Activity
4. Lalala Baby Black and White Baby Toys with Mirror - High Contrast Sensory Board Book for Newborn, Soothing Musical Toy for Babies 0-12 Months - Brain Development & Tummy Time Activities
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Babies 0-3 months
play continued
Holding toys is usually easy at this age because babies are born with a grasping reflex. This allows them to hold on to a skinny stick shape easily. It is good to provide them with toys they can hold for exploration with their mouth and to work on transfering the toy from one hand to another. This also works the baby’s visual skills as they begin to notice the toy and interact with it.
Grasping benefits/getting nerdy
Holding a toy is another way for them to Explore their environment (Babies have a brain driven need to learn about their environment). The baby also has a reflex called an ATNR (asymmetrical tonic neck reflex). This reflex is happening when the baby looks like an archer with a bow drawn. It can assist them in looking at a toy in the hand of the straight arm. This helps with visual engagement and beginning body awareness of their hands being part of them. As the baby moves to the 2-3 month age typically the oral motor explorations begins. This is when they include exploring their environment with their mouth.
Good toys for beginning grasping
1.Bright Starts Lots of Links Rings Toys for Stroller or Carrier Seat, BPA-Free, Ages 0 Months Plus, Multicolor, 24 Count
2.SmartNoggin NogginStik Developmental Light-Up Rattle for Infants up to 12 months
3.Bright Starts Oball Easy Grasp Classic Ball Infant Toy in Blue/Green, Age Newborn and up, 4 Inches
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Oral motor exploration
Play in and around your baby’s mouth is very good for oral motor skills it supports feeding and speech development.
Oral motor development/getting nerdy
Having toys in and around the mouth works on so many skills. When a baby is born typically the first 2/3reds of the tongue cause a protective gag reflex. As they develop and get closer to transitioning to eating solids that gag reflex needs to move back in mouth so they don’t have it interfere with eating solid foods. When a baby puts toys in their mouth to explore it helps move the sensitivity of that gag back on the tongue. It is also really good to encourage lots of shapes and sizes in the mouth for comfort of accepting change as we get closer to wanting to transition to solid foods. Toys in the mouth work on mouth awareness, tongue movement, and jaw strength. All of these skills support oral motor development for eating and beginning language.
Good toys for mouth play
- Teething Toys (5 Pack) - Tinabless Infant Teething Keys Set, BPA-Free, Natural Organic Freezer Safe for Infants and Toddlers, Silicone Baby Teethers
2. Limited-time deal: Nuby Super Soft Silicone Teether with Suction Base - Visually Stimulating and Easy to Grasp Toy for Baby Teething Relief - 3+ Months
3. 2 Packs Baby Teething Toy for 0-6 6-12 Months, Food Grade Silicone Teething Mitten, Anti Dropping Wrist Hand Teethers Baby Chew Toys for Sucking Needs, BPA Free (Green & Caramel)
4. Tri Chew Blue by Beckman and Assc
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Social, visual and speech
One of the best ways to work on visual engagement socialization and beginning speech is with reading. It is really beneficial to have a structured time of the day to do this. For example first thing in the morning or as part of a bed time routine. This ensures that you don’t forget and it begins to establish a routine that your baby will enjoy and anticipate.
Guidelines for beginning books
Your baby is in a very tactile stage currently and so I would recommend a simple (only one thing on a page), not busy and tactile (touch and feel) book. These are really good options for up to 6 months and beyond.
Good options for beginning books
- Baby animals by Priddy Books (I love all of this publisher’s books they are simple /not too busy but great for building vocabulary. They also have good books for other ages as your child grows.
2. DK Baby Touch and Feel First Words (this is a favorite publisher with lots of quality books)
3. Touch and Feel Splish Splash Bath time by Little Hippo Books ( this is a newer publisher to me. Again I like the touch and feel and simple visuals for this age.
- Note that all of these publishers make many books to choose from. I like them because they are simple and not busy which is really good for teaching your baby to focus and learn new vocabulary.
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Babies 3-6 months
play
Rolling
At this age babies usually begin to work on rolling. Typically rolling tummy to back comes first. You can break it down for an easier start by having them laying on their side first and practice rolling to their back. A great strategy to use is get their attention have have them look up towards the top of their head and to the side they will roll to . The body will turn towards the head facing direction. Also the big hurdle is usually getting the arm out of the way so help with that.
Good motivators for rolling.
- Your beautiful face. Babies love to soo their favorite people.
2. Mirror-GXOEEGOF 12" x 12" Self Adhesive Acrylic Mirror Sheet 0.08" Thick, Non Glass Safety Mirror Great for Classroom Camping Baby Kids Playroom Pet Horses or Chicken Coop
3. Fat Brain Toys Whirly Squigz - 3 Silicone Spinners for Toddlers & Kids, 10 mos+
4. Bright Starts Press & Glow Spinner Cause and Effect Musical Baby Toy, Age 6 Months+
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Rolling /getting nerdy
Rolling is not just your baby’s next step in gross motor or movement development. It helps with so many other things. The act of rolling gives your baby tactile /touch sensory input and proprioceptive /joint orientation input. Both of these help with body awareness.Rolling gives the baby vestibular / visual input. These help your baby with body orientation and learning about the environment. Rolling also helps the brain begin to work on coordination of the two hemispheres which believe it or not is a piece of reading and success in other school skills. WOW helping your baby be successful in life at 3-6 months old.
Prop sitting/beginning sitting.
At this age babies usually begin to work on sitting by being propped up onto their hands either on their knees or floor for extra support. You can also have them sitting in front of you and support them at their sides or you can put a bobby behind them. At the beginning they won’t be able to reach and grasp toys at the same time so interacting with them is a great motivator or a fun toy to look at. Avoid any screens at this age. Screens stimulate the wrong part of the brain for you baby at this age and will inpede their normal development.
sitting/getting nerdy
Prop sitting and soon to be sitting is very important for a strong body core. A strong body core supports a stable surface to reach and grasp from. It also supports a safe swallowing for eating solids and for speech development.
Reaching and grasping play
This can happen when your baby is being held, in the car seat, laying on their belly or back and in supported sitting. Usually the easiest position to reach for toys in when your baby is laying on their back, so this is a great beginning. It is also important for brain development for your baby to reach for and hold toys in all o these positions. First work on them maintaining hold of a toy in one hand at a time and then move to them holding one toy in each hand at the same time. Choose very easy to hold and light weight toys for this practice. Then you can work on your baby transferring a toy from one hand to the other.
Reaching and grasping play/getting nerdy
Reaching for toys actually brings in a lot of brain development skills. It helps your baby use their eyes and hands together and when you work on transferring toys between their hands it incorporates cross body coordination and the right and left brain hemispheres working together. These cross body skills are very important for overall body awareness and coordination, successful and balanced rolling, transitioning from sitting to tummy, and later reciprocal crawling and reading. This also worked on beginning problem solving and motor planning which are skills used in all of life.
Good motivators for reaching and holding toys
- play gym
2. Shape sorter pieces/ these are easy to grab and are part of a toy that will be useful later for other developmental skills.
3.Any of the previous teething toys and reaching toys in the 0-3
age group section would also be good at this age. I find one of my most
motivation toys is the o ball! with the rattles.
-Bright Starts Oball Easy Grasp Classic Ball Infant Toy in Blue/Green, Age Newborn and up, 4 Inches
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Good options for books
- Bright Baby Touch and Feel by Priddy Books (I love all of this publisher’s books they are simple /not too busy but great for building vocabulary. They also have good books for other ages as your child grows.
2. DK Baby Touch and Feel Colors and Shapes (this is a favorite publisher with lots of quality books)
3. That’s Not My Puppy Usborn touchy-feely books ( I love this publisher! great quality! never disappointed)
- Note that all of these publishers make many books to choose from. I like them because they are simple and not busy which is really good for teaching your baby to focus and learn new vocabulary.
*all links for products are associated to commission based affiliate amazon program
Babies 6-9 months play
Sitting/transitioning
Sitting up well is important to support your baby’s ability to explore their environment and work on reaching for toys in all directions. At this age sitting usually include the ability to weight shift side to side when reaching farther and the ability to transition from sitting to side sit and back down to all fours or tummy.
Pivoting, army crawling/hands and knees rocking
Pivoting is the baby’s ability to be on their tummy with toys all around them and reach so that they are pivoting in a circle from their belly to reach all the toys around them. Army crawling is when the baby uses their arms to pull themselves forward while still on their belly. Hands and knees rocking is when the baby is in the crawling position but rocks back and forth. This is a very important stage for strengthening the crawling muscles and many babies do this for awhile before crawling.
Sitting & transitioning /getting nerdy
Sitting is very important for a strong body core. A strong body core supports a stable surface to reach and grasp from. It also supports a safe swallowing for eating solids and for speech development. Being able to weight shift works on the baby’s dynamic/graded movement (those controlled movements) instead of a quick all or nothing this is a sign of a higher level of strength and important for the next developmental skill. Next comes the baby’s ability to transition from sitting to a side sit, all fours or back to the floor on their belly and then back into sitting again. These skills are all important for allowing the baby to explore all around them. This skills also demonstrates body awareness, motor planning and problem solving.
Standing/pull to stand
Standing and pull to stand start around this age. It is helpful to have a piece of furniture like an end table or sofa that is right at the child’s shoulder level or a little lower. You can also use a large box that is the right height and turn it upside down. Babies loveto pull up and play at a new surface so a toy at that level can be motivating.
Stand and pull to stand /getting nerdy
When your baby begins to stand this involves more then you would think. The brain and body are balancing, using the tactile system, the visual system, and the vestibular system to keep the body upright against gravity. This is a whole new experience but a very important one for exploring their environment. Some babies may be more hesitant feeling more nervous about falling while other babies are more dare devils embracing this new experience. Neither one is good or bad it is just important to support your child in where they are and help them feel safe and supported as they get more comfortable with this new skill.
Good motivators for sitting, transitioning, and standing.
- VTech Sit to Stand Learn and Discover Table.
2. Battat-cause and effect toy-developmental toy with buttons & colors
3. Adena Montessori Object Permanence Box with Tray Three Balls
4. Rainmaker 8 inch mini Rainstick for Babies Rattle Shaker
5. Fat Brain Toys Whirly Squigz - 3 Silicone Spinners for Toddlers & Kids, 10 mos+
6. Moriteck Montessori Ball Drop toy, Wooden Ball Tracker
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More grasping skills
Your baby will slowing be developing a more refined grasp. They will begin using their hands together better to manipulate and explore toys. Your baby will begin to use his/her fingers separately instead of only whole hand manipulation. At this age your baby will begin to isolate their index finger to push buttons. If you are starting food you will see them mover from raking pieces up to picking pieces up with their fingers.
Good motivators for hand skills
- Sassy Stacks of Circles Stacking Ring STEM Learning Toy 9 Piece Set
2. Rubbles No-Spill bubbles 12 pk of 2 oz bottles. ( this is a good size for toddlers to hold but they sell them in 6 oz too good for adult hands. I am not a fan of their actual bubbles so I purchase the ones I have found to be more reliable and last. She the next item. Gazillion bubbles)
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Good motivators for hand skills continued
3. Gazillion Bubbles 1 liter. (these bubbles are the best for lasting the longest)
4. Intellikiddos Food Grade Silicone Montessori Pull String Activity Toy.
5. Another great motivator is to explore food textures and work on self feeding. When your toddler is ready mashes on the tray and hard meltables can give your child a lot of practice with using their fingers.
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Eating/transition to table food
As you transition to table food I would recommend a rescue breathing class to be sure your baby is safe as you manage this transition. It is also very important to eat together without screens as children learn how to eat from watching us.
Recommended eating seat
- Fisher-Price Baby to Toddler High Chair SpaceSaver Simple Clean Portable
I really like baby led weaning
This method is the best at helping the babies accept more variety when the brain is wired to learn and then whey the child eliminates many of the foods they were eating before you still have a good variety.
Recommended instagram accounts for Baby led weaning
@solidstarts
@feedinglittles
Babies 9-12 months
Your baby is usinag moving a lot more by now. They may be rolling, army crawling, crawling, sitting and standing well. Your baby is getting closer to being a toddler. Many children tend to focus on an area of development at a time. For example they may be very excited to explore movement and you may not hear as much babbling. Or they may not be moving much but are very talkative. Not to worry this is very typical. Also developmental chart are averages so many children are a few months ahead or behind these charts. Continue to support your child in exploring their environment, learning. If they seem to be falling behind talk with your doctor about the possible need for early intervention. Every state has an early intervention program where therapists will come to your home to support you in help your child develop.
Walking
Most toddlers begin walking around 12 months. They would not be considered behind until 18 months. A lot of parents really look forward to seeing their child walk but there are a lot of large motor skills needed before walking. They need a strong core strength to work off of. This is strength in their belly area and they develop it by getting really good at sitting and reach and moving in and out of lots of positions. Crawling is also very helpful for reciprocal /cross body movements. Also they need to be comfortable and really good at standing. Toddlers love to stand at a sofa or table to interact with you or a toy.
Good motivators for standing.
- VTech Sit to Stand Learn and Discover Table.
2. VTech Sort and Discover Drum. This is a good one to grow with your child. The shapes can be set on top for them to push in at this age. They can also work on holding 2 toys and banging them in the middle because they are easy to hold. Then in the next 6-12 months your child can work on shape sorting.
3. Montessori Ball Drop Toy, Wooden Ball Tracker, Early Developmental Pound A Ball Toys for Toddlers for 1-3 Year Old, Montessori Ball Run Toys
4. Fat Brain Toys SpinAgain, Baby Stacking Toys for Toddlers, Building Baby Toys for Ages 1+, Spinning Toddler Toys
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Playing at this age
By this age your toddler is usually good at holding and manipulation toys.
They may still be refining finger use and you will see this with a smaller grasp of small pieces. At this point play shifts to more of a problem solving stage. Toddlers will enjoy doing a preferred activity longer.
Motivating toys
1.Battat Education- Wooden Piggy Bank for Kids (this is great for problem solving/using hands in a variety of ways and object perminence now then later it can be used for counting /beginning math, and colors.
2. B. Toys Rubber Stacking blocks.(I find them easy to hold, safe if thrown, good for teething and beginning stacking).
3. Fat Brain Toys Spoolz Stacking Toy.(This is my most successful stacking toy. It can be stacked in many ways and toddlers are not as frustrated. It is also easy to clean and has a pleasant texture.
4. Xylolin Montessori Toys for Toddlers, Wooden Rainbow Peg Dolls Shapes Sorting Toys, 9 Wood People Figures Cylinder Blocks
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Screen time?
This is a hot topic! Some are stanch advocates for “no screen time” while others are glad their child is busy with their screen.
Thoughts of a therapist
-screens stimulate dopamine in the brain and this is a strong reward center that is not meant to be stimulated at this age.
-it is very difficult to engage a child to play using their hands, body, or interacting with their environment when they are being rewarded regularly with a visual only stimulus (screen).
-this can negatively affect the child’s ability to focus and attend in non screen activities because non screen activities are not stimulating enough. This can affect social skills and another big area I see is eating skills.
-if a child is watching a screen when eating they are not learning about eating from watching their family and they are missing out on key social time.
12 months to 18 months
Motivational toys
- Four Candies Toddler Crayons 12 Count, Non Toxic Washable Crayons for Kids, Unbreakable Easy-Grip Water-Drop Crayons,
2. Ulanik Large Peg Dolls in Cups Toddler