Kitabı oku: «Fun Start: An idea a week to maximize your baby’s potential from birth to age 5», sayfa 2
PART I
(Birth—One Year)
Educators are beginning to believe that early and consistent stimulation is very important in a child’s development.Your baby will mature eventually and be able to accomplish the suggested basic skill activities presented here in this book. However, if your baby appears to be unresponsive to (not ready for) the activities suggested, try again each day. Be consistent and be aware that babies are not time clocks. They develop at different rates and not necessarily in the same areas at the same age.
On the other hand, your baby may show signs of being responsive to (ready for) the skill activities at an earlier time than those suggested. Introducing skill activities that are a little more advanced is fine, but going too far ahead may not be the best thing for your baby. By going too far ahead, your baby may miss basic skills that would be a foundation for future developmental activities.
Research has confirmed that babies are born with billions of brain cells, many more than they have at age three and nearly twice as many as they have as adults.
Nurturing basic home skills at the right time is essential to maximise a child’s learning potential. In other words, they either ‘use it or lose it’.
Think of a child’s brain as a computer. It organises and stores information.
Repeating activities is very advantageous. The more a baby repeats an activity, the more secure and responsive he will be. This is the baby’s foundation for learning. It is called rote learning. An infant’s thinking, reasoning and association processes are very immature. Rote learning will help develop these abilities to their fullest potential.
The developmental skill activities in this section are designed to help develop thinking, reasoning and association. The key to a baby’s learning is introducing and developing skills at the right time. A gap in the learning and development of an infant is what educators believe causes many learning and behaviour problems at home and at school. That optimum time is of the utmost importance. The child should be nurtured with love, gentleness and consistency. The recommended activities should be administered at appropriate times throughout the day. A set time is too regimented and may cause anxiety for mother, infant or both. The way a mother interacts with her child is very important. Good voice inflection with praise, consistency without pressure, and gentleness and love will enable your child to grow with a positive attitude toward himself and his environment.
Move the Body Parts
Observe the baby’s head movements. Is the head wobbly? Support it when the baby is not in a reclining position. Support the head with a collar, blanket, hand, lap or cradled arm. Does the baby turn his head from side to side? If not, gently turn the baby’s head while he is in a reclining position. This helps the baby to become aware of both sides of his head.
Observe the baby’s hand movements. Does the baby have a strong grasp? Let the baby grab and hold your finger. The baby is beginning to react to other people by feeling. The grasp is a prenatal reflex and will weaken as the baby’s eye-hand coordination develops. When you are playing with or holding the baby put his left and right palms together. This helps to develop a feeling and awareness of both sides of his body.
Observe the baby’s arm movements. Straighten the baby’s left arm and note the baby’s reaction. Straighten the baby’s right arm and note the baby’s reaction.
Observe the baby’s legs. Straighten the left leg and note the baby’s reaction. Straighten the right leg and note the baby’s reaction.
Observe the baby’s foot movements. Touch and hold the baby’s left foot and note the baby’s reaction. Touch and hold the baby’s right foot and note the baby’s reaction.
This week’s activity is primarily for the observation of your baby’s movements and reactions. By touching the baby’s body parts you are giving the baby his first awareness of his body through the sense of touch.
Wrap the baby securely in a blanket during the first weeks of life. For nine months the baby has been curled up. This makes a baby of this age feel secure. It is like a cocoon.
As you exercise your baby’s body parts throughout the first few weeks, you will notice that the baby will stretch his arms and legs as he adjusts to his new environment. The secure blanket wrapping will not be as necessary.
Talk to your baby. Use brief phrases that reflect your personality. Sing or hum to your baby. If you prefer not to sing or hum, use a music box or a tape recorder and play soft lullabies. This stimulates your baby’s sense of hearing.
Response to Light
This activity develops
visual stimulation
early awareness of light and darkness
awareness of reflection of light
How does your baby respond to light? At birth a baby is sensitive to light, to shiny and moving objects, and will usually respond by turning his head to follow the stimulus. The baby’s eyes may appear to be out of focus. However, there is no need for concern. Open the blinds, draw the curtains or let in light from a window. Notice if your baby’s head turns to the light. Close the blinds or curtains and turn on a lamp on the other side of the room, or use a torch. Avoid shining the light in the baby’s eyes. Let the light shine on the wall. Notice if your baby’s head turns toward the direction of the light.You are making your baby aware of left and right, and at the same time you are teaching your baby to react to a light stimulus.You are teaching him to move his head from side to side for a purpose.You will also note that your baby learns to recognise and respond to his mother’s voice at a very early age.
Repeat the above activities from time to time throughout the week. Being consistent with your interaction with your baby may help to prevent a learning lag.
Repeat all of the activities that were suggested in week 1. Babies learn best at this age by rote learning. That is, you repeat the same activities over and over. Gradually the baby will learn by other means.
Remember to talk, sing, hum or play music. Babies need this auditory stimulus.
Moving an Object
This activity develops
early awareness of moving objects (visual stimulation)
awareness of tactile perception
auditory stimulation
Observe your baby’s eye responses. Does the baby fix his eyes on you? Hold a rattle or other object in front of the baby’s line of vision. Does the baby look at it? Move the rattle from left to right. Do the baby’s eyes follow from left to right?
If your baby’s eyes do not react to the stationary or moving rattle, do not be concerned. Infants do not develop at the same rate in all areas. However, be sure to repeat this activity many times throughout the days and weeks to come, and observe the baby’s reactions. This is the beginning of left-to-right eye movement training. This is a prerequisite for reading.
Repeat the exercises suggested in week 1. Touch and move the head from side to side gently. Touch and move the left and right arms. Place the palms of the hands together. Touch and move the left and right legs. Touch and move the left and right feet. Also repeat the eye/light exercises from week 2 and remember to talk, sing, hum or play soft music.
Make a Cradle Gym
This activity develops
parental bonding
awareness of moving objects (visual stimulation)
awareness of the bell sound (auditory stimulation)
Cut a piece of one centimetre-wide elastic about 10-20 centimetres longer than the width of the baby’s cot. Tie three knots loosely in the elastic, approximately 10 to 15 centimetres apart, before tying each end to either side of the top rail of the cot. Cut and slip three shorter pieces of one centimetre elastic through the loose knots. Loosely tie two of the short pieces and retain these for later use. Tie a coloured cotton reel (or colour one with a red felt marker) securely to the other loose knot. Pull the elastic and tighten the knot. The cotton reel and the other two objects that will be attached should hang low enough so that the baby will be able to reach them when he is ready.
The first day, try to interest the baby by moving the cotton reel back and forth. Observe the baby’s eyes. Does he watch the cotton reel swing? Does the baby attempt to grasp the cotton reel? Does your baby smile? Talk to your baby while you interact with him.
The second day, attach a plastic lid that has been covered with shiny household aluminium foil securely to the knot beside the cotton reel. Follow the same procedure for the lid as was done with the cotton reel. Observe the baby’s reaction. Then move both the cotton reel and the lid back and forth. Observe to see if the baby responds in any way.
The next day, attach a large jingle bell or rattle securely to the third loose knot. Move the bell to make a sound. Observe the baby’s reaction. Does the baby attempt to touch the object that makes a sound?
For the remainder of the week and later, repeat the procedure with the reel, lid and bell. The baby will soon discover that the cotton reel and lid make no sound when moved, whereas the bell makes a sound. This activity may serve to entertain the baby briefly at various times.
Observe your baby and become aware of any changes in his responses or movements. Have your baby’s arms and legs straightened out? Does he turn his head more easily? Does he lift his head slightly? Does the baby follow a moving object? Does he tend to turn his head when you move throughout the room? Does the baby’s whole body seem to lean in the direction that you move, the direction of light or sound?
Repeat all of the activities that have been suggested. Remember to begin on the left when moving the body parts so that body laterality continues to be established. Also continue to move the baby’s entire body gently from left to right at various times to reinforce this. It is also important to repeat the light and eye exercises and to talk, sing, hum or play music to keep the baby’s senses keen.
During the first month of life, a baby is adjusting to his new environment. The key point is the baby’s sense of touch, which needs much stimulation. The beginning activities deal with touch in relation to body parts. The light and sound activities initiate the stimulation of the eyes and ears.
At various times, all of the first week’s activities should be repeated to reinforce the baby’s awareness of his whole body, body parts, left and right laterality, as well as his sensitivity to light and sound.
Periodically, you should move your baby from his stomach position onto his back. Also, alternate positions by laying the baby at the head and foot of the bassinet or cot. This further stimulates the baby’s sensitivity to his new environment.
Mirror and Pendulum
These activities develop
a baby’s awareness of his own image
beginning listening skills
a baby’s interest in making sounds by watching
visual stimulation
an awareness of movement initiating a response
Use a mirror (preferably non-breakable) or hold the baby close enough to look at himself in a large mirror. Does the baby smile or coo? If he does, smile or coo back. Talk to the baby and call him by his name as you both look in the mirror. Does the baby reach out for the image in the mirror? Use an expressive voice when you talk to your baby.
Prop the baby up in an infant seat or chair. Be sure to support the baby’s head with an infant collar or rolled blanket. Hang a cotton reel, funny face drawn on a paper plate, or any safe object, from a string or use a piece of one centimetre-wide elastic that is attached to the top of a door, doorway, ceiling fan or something high. This must be in clear view of the baby’s eyes.
Push the object on the string so that it swings back and forth like a pendulum. Try to encourage the baby to watch it move back and forth.
Repeat some of the first week’s activities.You may be tired of them, but a baby needs much repetition for awareness and association.
The cradle gym used in the week 4 activity can be hung across a play pen. The pendulum can also be hung above the play pen or cot. These activities should serve to interest the baby for brief periods of time. However, do not offer both activities at one time. The baby needs only one activity at a time to avoid over-stimulation and confusion.
The Sock Ball
This activity develops
beginning steps in eye-hand coordination
an awareness of the sock ball and the movement of it
an enhancement of the sense of touch
a stimulus to encourage eye-hand movement
Take an old sock and fill it with polystyrene, newspaper, rags or old stockings. Tie it securely to make a sock ball. Attach it very securely to the side top rail of the cot or play pen with string or sew a Velcro strap to hold it. With the baby lying on his back, move the attached sock ball back and forth from left to right and in clear view of the baby’s eyes.
Does the baby look at the ball and watch it move? Does he attempt to touch or move it, or does he just ignore it? If the baby is not interested, try again later. Do not forget this activity. Keep trying each week until you meet with success. If the baby is interested, encourage the sock ball activity, but remember a baby’s attention span is very brief. Be patient. Keep the sock ball; it can be used again later in another activity.
Throughout the week, reinforce the activities that you have done before. Observe your baby’s responses. Can your baby raise his head slightly while he is resting on his stomach? You will notice that the baby’s neck is stronger. Pat the baby’s back and talk to him. Remember to use good voice inflection. This stimulates the baby’s hearing. As you talk to the baby, turn his body over several times and observe his head and neck. Throughout the ensuing weeks you will notice how much stronger your baby is becoming.
Response to a Noise Maker
This activity develops
the baby’s listening awareness
eye-hand coordination and association (this will be noted when the baby responds to the sound direction)
Make a sound with a noisy rattle or bell. Does the baby turn his head, eyes or body in the direction of the sound? Then make the sound on the left of the baby and observe. Next, move to the right of the baby and make a sound. Do this several times. Move it first to the left of the baby, then in front of the baby, and then to the right of the baby. Let the baby touch the rattle or bell. Hold the rattle or bell in front of the baby. Does the baby reach for it? If so, let the baby touch or attempt to grasp it. If the baby does not reach for it, move to the left and make a sound with the rattle or bell. Does the baby’s head turn?
Be sure to repeat the previous weekly activities. These activities are necessary for sequential learning.
Awareness
This activity develops
an awareness of the source of sound
responses of body parts when moved
an awareness of left and right laterality
an awareness of hands
Lay the baby face down on a quilt or blanket that has been spread out on the floor. Talk to the baby or make a sound. Does the baby lift his head and try to face or see you? If not, try again. Good voice inflection varies the sound and serves to stimulate the baby’s hearing. If the baby displays some response, try making the sound in different directions. Try first to the left, then in front of the baby and then to the right. It is not necessary to make the sound from the baby’s back, because the baby cannot see you there. Be sure to observe any response the baby makes.
Turn the baby on his back and repeat the above activity. It is important to start on the left and move to the right. Early awareness of left and right laterality assists the baby in learning this concept early.
Stretch the baby’s left arm out. Does it stay straight out or does it curl back? Next, do this with the right arm. Then do the same with the left and right legs. Be sure to alternate left then right to ensure that the baby is learning left and right laterality. This concept may be more difficult to teach at a later age.
Press the palms of the baby’s hands together. Do they stay together? Or does the baby separate them and then put them back together? Separating and putting hands back together shows the baby is aware of his hands.
Interaction With Your Baby With Understanding
This activity develops
an awareness of moving objects
a stimulus to initiate a response to moving objects
an awareness of colours
a remote desire to grasp a moving object
All babies cry, but do you understand your baby’s crying? Crying is the only way a baby can communicate at first. Babies develop different kinds of cries and you should learn to distinguish between them. A baby may cry when he is hungry. He may cry when he has a stomach ache. He may cry because he has a wet or dirty nappy. He may cry because he is angry or wants attention. Some babies cry when they are bored. These cues should be your signal to interact with your baby. This is a good time to be ready to do activities. It will not necessarily be the same time every day. You will learn from your baby what is the optimum time.
Whatever cry the baby makes, respond to his needs with love, tenderness and a soft responsive voice. For example, you could call your baby by name, talk to him lovingly and comfort him.
Bright colours appeal to babies. Obtain red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple construction or contact paper. Cover three plastic lids with the coloured paper. Cut the pieces of paper the size of the three lids. Glue or staple the pieces to the front and back of each lid in the following manner. On the first lid use red on one side and orange on the other side. Use yellow and green on the second lid and blue and purple on the third lid. Punch a hole in the top of each lid. Loop a length of one centimetre-wide elastic through each hole and tie a knot as you attach each lid. Cut another length of one centimetre-wide elastic as described in the activity for week 4. Tie one of the three lids to each of the loose knots and secure the elastic to each side of the cot or play pen. Allow them to dangle so that the baby can focus on the objects, watch the movement of the lids and begin to distinguish colour.
Touch the elastic to make the lids move slightly. Observe the baby’s responses but allow him to play alone if possible. Observe if the baby attempts to reach for the moving lids. If he does appear to reach, does he miss or accidentally touch one of the lids? If there is no response to the lids, try again later.
Try repeating the sock ball activity and some of the previous activities, and continue to initiate the coloured lid activity. Does your baby show an interest in any of the activities? Make a note of which ones and reinforce these, and try those that the baby is less responsive to later. Be sure to observe what happens when your baby responds.You may think of other activities to enrich his experiences.
Large Muscle Activities
This activity develops
the baby’s further awareness of his body and body parts
more of an awareness of left and right laterality
a vague awareness of hand grasping
Gross motor activities further develop the baby’s sense of touch. Place the baby face down on a quilt or blanket that has been spread out on the floor. Gently straighten the baby’s left arm and observe the baby’s response. Gently straighten the baby’s right arm and observe the baby’s response. Do the same with the left and right legs. Does your baby lift his head and focus on his left and right arms when you move them? When you move the left and right legs, does the baby respond in any way? Repeat this activity throughout the week and note if there is any progress. If there is no response, try again a little later.
When the baby shows some sign of response to the movement of the arms and legs, place a stuffed animal or any safe object in front of the baby. Does the baby attempt to reach for it or does he show no interest? Do not expect the baby to grab it. However, the baby may feebly attempt to do so. Continue to repeat these activities until the baby responds successfully.
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